The new era of European rugby competition began in Neuchâtel, Switzerland today with the draws for next season’s inaugural Rugby Champions Cup and Rugby Challenge Cup. The competitions replace the now defunct Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup and are run by a new organising committee called European Professional Club Rugby.  EPCR aims to create tournaments that are more profitable, more competitive and based more on meritocracy (i.e. domestic league standings).  Based on the pools that have been drawn today, the new body seems to have at least achieved increased competition.  Each of the five groups could, in any other competition, be described as ‘the pool of death’.  Following months of argument, negotiation and (finally) resolution, it will be the hope of all parties that the new European tournaments flourish.  Both tournaments will begin this autumn.

The result of the draws, conducted by former players Simon Shaw and Scott Quinnell, were as follows:

European Rugby Champions Cup

Pool One – Saracens, Munster, Clermont Auvergne, Sale Sharks

Pool Two – Leinster, Castres, Harlequins, London Wasps

Pool Three – Toulon, Leicester Tigers, Ulster, Scarlets

Pool Four – Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier, Bath, Toulouse

Pool Five – Northampton Saints, Racing Metro, Ospreys, Treviso

European Rugby Challenge Cup

Pool One – Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Grenoble, FIRA 1 Qualifier

Pool Two – Exeter Chiefs, Bayonne, Connacht, La Rochelle

Pool Three – Stade Francais, Newport Gwent Dragons, Newcastle Falcons, FIRA 2 Qualifier

Pool Four – Edinburgh, Bordeaux Begles, London Welsh, Lyon

Pool Five – Gloucester, Brive, Zebre, Oyonnax