The pool draw for 2017/18 Champions Cup - signalling the start of the countdown to the new season - takes place in Neuchâtel, Switzerland on Thursday (June 8).
Leicester Tigers are the only club to have played in the elite competition in every season of English participation and prepare for their 21st season of European Cup rugby in 2017/18.
After the final rounds of matches in the Aviva Premiership, Guinness PRO12 and TOP 14 regular seasons, tournament organisers EPCR have confirmed that the following 20 clubs have qualified for the 2017/18 Champions Cup:
Aviva Premiership: Wasps, Exeter Chiefs, Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Bath Rugby, Harlequins, Northampton Saints
Guinness PRO12: Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Scarlets, Ospreys, Ulster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Benetton Rugby
TOP 14: La Rochelle, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Montpellier, RC Toulon, Castres Olympique, Racing 92
CHAMPIONS CUP RANKINGS
For the purposes of creating the Tiers, the Premiership, PRO12 and TOP 14 clubs are ranked based on their league performances and on their performances in the knockout phases. For clubs which did not qualify for the knockout phases of their leagues, or which were eliminated at the same stage of the knockout phase, rankings are decided by league table finishing positions.
THE DRAW
Tier 1
Tier 1 will include the Premiership, PRO12 and TOP 14 champions.
Tier 1 will also include 2 of the 3 clubs ranked second from the three leagues. The 2 clubs will be decided by a draw.
Tier 2
Tier 2 will include 3 clubs which are ranked third from the three leagues.
Tier 2 will also include the second-ranked club which was not drawn into Tier 1, and the club which is ranked fourth from the same league as the club which was not drawn into Tier 1.
Tier 3
Tier 3 will include the 2 clubs ranked fourth which are not in Tier 2.
Tier 3 will also include the 3 clubs which are ranked fifth from each league.
Tier 4
Tier 4 will include the 3 clubs which are ranked sixth in the leagues, as well as the Italian qualifier from the PRO12 - Benetton Rugby - and Northampton Saints who qualified as winners of the Champions Cup play-offs.
Step 1
Only Tier 4 clubs are confirmed. A draw is made to establish the 5 Tier 1 clubs. Once Tier 1 is confirmed, Tiers 2 and 3 fall into place as per key principles.
The draw will determine which 2 clubs from the 3 clubs ranked number two in the leagues will join the three championship winners in Tier 1.
The three championship runners-up balls - Wasps, Munster and Toulon - are placed in the drum, and two clubs are then drawn into Tier 1.
Tier 1 clubs
Exeter Chiefs (Premiership champions)
Scarlets (PRO12 champions)
ASM Clermont Auvergne (TOP 14 champions)
Drawn Team 1 (Wasps / Munster / Toulon)
Drawn Team 2 (Wasps / Munster / Toulon)
Step 2
Once Tier 1 clubs are established, the 5 Tier 2 clubs can be confirmed:
- 3 clubs ranked third in the leagues - Saracens, Leinster Rugby and La Rochelle
- PLUS the team not drawn into Tier 1
- PLUS fourth-ranked club from same league as club not drawn into Tier 1
Tier 2 clubs
Saracens
Leinster Rugby
La Rochelle
Undrawn Team (Wasps / Munster / Toulon)
Plus (One of Leicester Tigers / Racing 92 / Ospreys)
Step 3
Once Tier 2 clubs are established 5 Tier 3 clubs can be confirmed as follows:
- 2 remaining fourth-ranked clubs (Leicester Tigers / Racing 92 / Ospreys)
- 3 fifth-ranked clubs - Bath Rugby, Montpellier and Ulster Rugby
Tier 3 clubs
2 of (Leicester Tigers / Racing 92 / Ospreys)
Bath Rugby
Montpellier
Ulster Rugby
Step 4
Each of the 5 Tier 1 clubs are drawn, followed by a pool number for that club
Step 5
Draw for the five Tier 2 clubs
As each club ball is selected, a draw is made to allocate the club a pool from available pools based on the key principles. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles.
Step 6
Draw for the five Tier 3 clubs
As each club ball is selected, a draw is made to allocate the club a pool from available pools based on the key principles. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Step 7
Draw for the five Tier 4 clubs
Tier 4 clubs
Harlequins
Northampton Saints
Castres Olympique
Glasgow Warriors
Benetton Rugby
As each club ball is selected, a draw is made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
The pool draw is scheduled for Thursday, starting at 1.00pm. Live streaming is available via www.epcrugby.com and there will be full reaction on the Tigers club website and social media pages.
Leicester Tigers are the only club to have played in the elite competition in every season of English participation and prepare for their 21st season of European Cup rugby in 2017/18.
After the final rounds of matches in the Aviva Premiership, Guinness PRO12 and TOP 14 regular seasons, tournament organisers EPCR have confirmed that the following 20 clubs have qualified for the 2017/18 Champions Cup:
Aviva Premiership: Wasps, Exeter Chiefs, Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Bath Rugby, Harlequins, Northampton Saints
Guinness PRO12: Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Scarlets, Ospreys, Ulster Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Benetton Rugby
TOP 14: La Rochelle, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Montpellier, RC Toulon, Castres Olympique, Racing 92
CHAMPIONS CUP RANKINGS
For the purposes of creating the Tiers, the Premiership, PRO12 and TOP 14 clubs are ranked based on their league performances and on their performances in the knockout phases. For clubs which did not qualify for the knockout phases of their leagues, or which were eliminated at the same stage of the knockout phase, rankings are decided by league table finishing positions.
| Rank | Premiership | TOP 14 | PRO12 |
| 1 | Exeter Chiefs | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Scarlets |
| 2 | Wasps | RC Toulon | Munster Rugby |
| 3 | Saracens | La Rochelle | Leinster Rugby |
| 4 | Leicester Tigers | Racing 92 | Ospreys |
| 5 | Bath Rugby | Montpellier | Ulster Rugby |
| 6 | Harlequins | Castres Olympique | Glasgow Warriors |
| 7 | Northampton Saints | Benetton Treviso |
THE DRAW
- The 20 clubs will compete in five pools of four.
- The clubs are divided into 4 Tiers based on their status as championship winners and/or on qualification positions in their league. This will be done by a draw in advance of the main Pool draw.
- Each pool will have at least 1 club from each of the 3 leagues.
- Each of the 5 Pools will have 1 club from each of the 4 Tiers.
- There will be no more than 2 clubs from the same league in a Pool.
- No Pool will contain 2 PRO12 clubs from the same country.
- Clubs from the same league will be kept apart until the allocation of the Tier 4 clubs.
Tier 1
Tier 1 will include the Premiership, PRO12 and TOP 14 champions.
Tier 1 will also include 2 of the 3 clubs ranked second from the three leagues. The 2 clubs will be decided by a draw.
Tier 2
Tier 2 will include 3 clubs which are ranked third from the three leagues.
Tier 2 will also include the second-ranked club which was not drawn into Tier 1, and the club which is ranked fourth from the same league as the club which was not drawn into Tier 1.
Tier 3
Tier 3 will include the 2 clubs ranked fourth which are not in Tier 2.
Tier 3 will also include the 3 clubs which are ranked fifth from each league.
Tier 4
Tier 4 will include the 3 clubs which are ranked sixth in the leagues, as well as the Italian qualifier from the PRO12 - Benetton Rugby - and Northampton Saints who qualified as winners of the Champions Cup play-offs.
Step 1
Only Tier 4 clubs are confirmed. A draw is made to establish the 5 Tier 1 clubs. Once Tier 1 is confirmed, Tiers 2 and 3 fall into place as per key principles.
The draw will determine which 2 clubs from the 3 clubs ranked number two in the leagues will join the three championship winners in Tier 1.
The three championship runners-up balls - Wasps, Munster and Toulon - are placed in the drum, and two clubs are then drawn into Tier 1.
Tier 1 clubs
Exeter Chiefs (Premiership champions)
Scarlets (PRO12 champions)
ASM Clermont Auvergne (TOP 14 champions)
Drawn Team 1 (Wasps / Munster / Toulon)
Drawn Team 2 (Wasps / Munster / Toulon)
Step 2
Once Tier 1 clubs are established, the 5 Tier 2 clubs can be confirmed:
- 3 clubs ranked third in the leagues - Saracens, Leinster Rugby and La Rochelle
- PLUS the team not drawn into Tier 1
- PLUS fourth-ranked club from same league as club not drawn into Tier 1
Tier 2 clubs
Saracens
Leinster Rugby
La Rochelle
Undrawn Team (Wasps / Munster / Toulon)
Plus (One of Leicester Tigers / Racing 92 / Ospreys)
Step 3
Once Tier 2 clubs are established 5 Tier 3 clubs can be confirmed as follows:
- 2 remaining fourth-ranked clubs (Leicester Tigers / Racing 92 / Ospreys)
- 3 fifth-ranked clubs - Bath Rugby, Montpellier and Ulster Rugby
Tier 3 clubs
2 of (Leicester Tigers / Racing 92 / Ospreys)
Bath Rugby
Montpellier
Ulster Rugby
Step 4
Each of the 5 Tier 1 clubs are drawn, followed by a pool number for that club
Step 5
Draw for the five Tier 2 clubs
As each club ball is selected, a draw is made to allocate the club a pool from available pools based on the key principles. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles.
Step 6
Draw for the five Tier 3 clubs
As each club ball is selected, a draw is made to allocate the club a pool from available pools based on the key principles. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
Step 7
Draw for the five Tier 4 clubs
Tier 4 clubs
Harlequins
Northampton Saints
Castres Olympique
Glasgow Warriors
Benetton Rugby
As each club ball is selected, a draw is made to allocate the club a pool from the available pools based on the key principles. Some clubs may have to be placed directly into a pool in order to ensure the key principles apply.
The pool draw is scheduled for Thursday, starting at 1.00pm. Live streaming is available via www.epcrugby.com and there will be full reaction on the Tigers club website and social media pages.
