They have the possibility of a seventh if English clubs win the Heineken Cup or the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Qualification for the Heineken Cup 2009/2010 will be based on results from the 2008/09 season:

Heineken Cup Winner (if a Guinness Premiership club)
Guinness Premiership first place
Guinness Premiership second placed
Guinness Premiership third placed
Guinness Premiership fourth placed
Guinness Premiership fifth placed

HEINEKEN CUP QUALIFICATION

From the 2009/10 season both the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup winners
will qualify automatically for the following season’s Heineken Cup and will each earn an
extra Heineken Cup spot for their countries – over and above their guaranteed
allocations.

However, England and France, who have six automatic places, will only be allowed a
maximum of seven teams, so if either country wins both the Heineken Cup and
Amlin Challenge Cup the second additional spot will pass on to the club with the
highest ERC European Ranking who has not already qualified from any of the other five
nations.

The changes mean that the Italian / Celtic League 24th Place Play-Off is no longer
required and the extra place earned by England this year, which was available to the
most successful nation from England, France or Italy, is also no longer applicable.

The 23rd and 24th Heineken Cup places will go to the nation(s) of the Heineken Cup and
Amlin Challenge Cup winners, with England and France capped on a maximum of
seven teams each.