Heineken Cup Draw Set For Tuesday

The ERC (European Rugby Cup) will make the draw for the pool stages of the 2005/06 Heineken Cup tomorrow in Cardiff, with last season’s quarter-finalists Munster one of the six top seeds.

Munster, who have three of their current squad away with the Lions, and seven players – including Frankie Sheahan and Peter Sheahan (pictured above at the Shin-Osaka train station) – with the Ireland squad in Japan, are top-ranked alongside: Biarritz Olympque, London Wasps, Rugby Calvisano, Glasgow Rugby and the Ospreys.

None of the aforementioned top seed teams will be allowed to meet each other in the pool stages, while no two teams from the same country will be drawn in the same Pool – except for the seventh-ranked French club Clermont Auvergne, who could face any of their six Top 16 Championship rivals.

ERC Chairman Jean-Pierre Lux and ERC Chief Executive Derek McGrath will conduct the draw for the 24-team tournament, which begins in October, tomorrow at 12.00pm.

2005/06 Heineken Cup Qualifiers:

France: Biarritz Olympique, Stade Francais Paris, Toulouse, Bourgoin, Perpignan, Castres Olympique, Clermont Auvergne

England: London Wasps, Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Bath Rugby, Saracens, Leeds Tykes

Wales: The Ospreys, Newport Gwent Dragons, Llanelli Scarlets, Cardiff Blues

Ireland: Munster, Leinster, Ulster

Italy: Rugby Calvisano, Benetton Treviso

Scotland: Glasgow Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby