Euro Tiers Announced

First topic message reminder :

The ERC has officially announced the respective tiers for teams ahead of next Wednesday's Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup Pool draws.

Heineken Cup winners Toulon make their debut in Tier 1 alongside Clermont, Toulouse, Ulster, Munster and Challenge Cup winners Leinster.

Due to France having more teams in the elite competition, Racing will be drawn last into a pool with another outfit from the Top 14 competition.

Biarritz, Stade Francais, London Wasps, Bath and Brive occupy the top Tier of the Challenge Cup.

2013/14 Heineken Cup clubs and tiers

Tier 1 - Leinster, Toulon, Toulouse, Clermont Auvergne, Ulster, Munster

Tier 2 - Northampton Saints, Harlequins, Cardiff Blues, Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Perpignan

Tier 3 - Edinburgh, Ospreys, Scarlets, Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier, Connacht

Tier 4 - Gloucester, Castres Olympique, Racing Metro 92, Exeter Chiefs, Benetton Treviso, Zebre

The draw for the 2013/14 Heineken Cup pools will take place at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, 5 June following the Amlin Challenge Cup draw at 2.30pm

2013/14 Amlin Challenge Cup clubs and tiers

Tier 1 - Biarritz Olympique, Stade Francais, London Wasps, Bath, Brive

Tier 2 - London Irish, Sale Sharks, Dragons, England (TBC), Rugby Viadana

Tier 3 - Bayonne, I Cavalieri Prato, Worcester Warriors, Bordeaux-Bègles, Cammi Rugby Calvisano

Tier 4 - Grenoble, Mogliano Rugby, Oyonnax, Bucharest Wolves, Spanish representative

The draw for the 2013/14 Amlin Challenge Cup pools will take place at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, 5 June at 2.30pm


The top tier teams will be hoping for the Blues,Edinburgh & Zebre.
Every team will be hoping to avoid Racing Metro in Tier 4

beshocked wrote:Kingshu we'll see. Perhaps Glasgow will break their shocking record in the HC.


St John

Saints have a really poor overall record vs Saracens so I don't quite know what you are on about. Saints won the last encounter agreed but it was unsurprising they were more motivated. To say after 1 win they have the measure of Saracens is stretching it a bit.

I disagree about Leinster and Ulster having bad runs in Europe. Ulster got to HC quarter final which is still good. Leinster got knocked out by Clermont but still went on to easily win the Amlin. Ok not the same as the season before but that's not surprising.

standulsterman who said Castres are world beaters?

Nobody said they were world beaters but i fear you may be being a tad defensive. There were a few teams mentioned above and i simply gave a brief glimpse of how they may be different/the same as this season.

I would be happy with any of the following

Ulster
Perpignan
Edinburgh
Exeter/Gloucester

Ulster
Saints
Edinburgh
Castres

Drawing zebre would be a boost but we would then need to draw a tier 2 english team and Montpelier who are not a bad side at all. dont know how they are going about signings for next season though.

i pick saints because we know we can beat them over there and their fans are absolutely brilliant! Both teams have an axe to grind against each other!

beshocked wrote:Ok fair enough John. I did miss your point.

I suppose it's a good example because like Leinster vs Glasgow, Saracens vs Saints is normally dominated by 1 side in the wins department even though quite a few games are close.

I am quite surprised - 4 wins in a row vs Glasgow and you would want to avoid them?

Yeah. I suppose familiarity can go 2 ways.

We have played Glasgow 8 times in 2 seasons, and only lost one and drawn one. Lost at home to them in the League last season (Our traditional slow start)

Won all the important ones 2 x HC and 2 X Rabo semi.

They were always a hard physical team to play, but we normally had not too many worries getting over the line. In the last 6 omnths or so they have added a real cutting edge and you have to fear their backs as much as their physicality.

Also, the good thing about the HC is playing teams you don't have to play in the league year in year out.

Not such an issue for English or French teams as they rarely do.

Toulon, Leicester, Ospreys, Metro would be one pool of death/excitement!!! I wouldve plumped for Glasgow over the O's but the O's pack just has the ability to match anyone, and despite being favourites for last place would cause an upset or two!

Lets be honest everyone wants the Blues and Zebre

Beshocked, you know that thing when people watch a lot of rugby and then make informed predictions based on what they've seen? You should try it. Glasgow have a team thats just come together nicely in the last six months. They have very recently become a team that is capable of beating anyone and the mindset that they can has clicked into place.

Glasgow are just getting better and better and it's only a matter of time until they break through- what they lack is experience in winning in the big games. Right now, as third seed, they need a kind draw to have a shot at the quarters I'd say but they are one of the biggest banana skins in the tournament based on they way they finished last season. Assuming you want an easier pool I have no idea why you wouldn't want to avoid Glasgow when you can play Edinburgh, Ospreys, Scarlets or Connacht instead. Compared to the other teams you can draw from Tier 3 they are a tough draw. Depending on how seriously Montpellier take this competition, they are possibly the most threatening side in Tier 3.

Teams to avoid;

Tier 1; Leinster/Clermont
Tier 2; Saracens
Tier 3; Glasgow
Tier 4; Racing Metro

Who I want for Ulster;

Perpignan
Edinburgh
Exeter Chiefs