 Jacobsen bursts through to score against last season's pool opponents Northampton |
Edinburgh Rugby players reported in for day one of pre-season training at Murrayfield today under the stewardship of new head coach Michael Bradley, one day before the draw for the 2011/12 Heineken Cup.
Leinster, the Heineken Cup champions, will be the first club to be allocated a pool for the tournament when the six-pool draw of four clubs in each takes place at Twickenham on Tuesday 7 June at 12 noon.
Watch the draw live at www.ercrugby.com
The Irishmen are also top of the ERC European Rankings, which determine the tiers of the clubs who have qualified for the premier club competition in European rugby, and are joined in Tier 1 by three other Heineken Cup winners in Toulouse, Munster and Leicester Tigers.
Cardiff Blues and Biarritz Olympique, both former Heineken Cup finalists, complete the top group of six.
Once the Tier 1 clubs have each been allocated a Pool no club from the same tier will be drawn in the same pool and no pool will have more than one club from the same country, with the exception of England, as there are seven English teams.
In the third tier, Edinburgh have are ranked alongside (and will therefore avoid) rivals Glasgow Warriors as well as Ulster, Saracens, Gloucester and Scarlets.
Their opponents from tier two will be selected from Northampton Saints, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys, Bath Rugby, Harlequins and London Irish while from tier four it will be one of Connacht, Benetton Treviso, Castres Olympique, Montpellier, Racing Metro 92 or Aironi Rugby.
The draw will launch the countdown to a tournament which will climax at Twickenham Stadium on the weekend of 19/20 May, 2012, with the 17th Heineken Cup final.
CLUBS AND TIERS
TIER 1 – Leinster, Toulouse, Munster, Cardiff Blues, Biarritz Olympique, Leicester Tigers
TIER 2 – Northampton Saints, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ospreys, Bath Rugby, Harlequins, London Irish
TIER 3 – Ulster Rugby, Saracens, Gloucester Rugby, Glasgow Warriors, Scarlets, Edinburgh Rugby
TIER 4 – Connacht Rugby, Benetton Treviso, Castres Olympique, Montpellier, Racing Metro 92, Aironi Rugby
SIGN UP FOR NEW PERSPECTIVES IN SEASON 2011/12
All of Edinburgh's Heineken Cup home games are included in our 2011/12 our season ticket package, where supporters can get closer to the on-field action with seating in the east stand and new pitch-side standing areas. Buy before 30 June and you could win a hospitality package for ten people to one of our home Heineken Cup matches! (terms and conditions apply) Season tickets are prices at £35 for under-18s, £90 for students/senior citizens and £180 for adults.
For more information on the benefits of being an Edinburgh season ticket holder, and to book in for the campaign under new head coach Michael Bradley, CLICK HERE, call 0131 346 5180 or visit the Murrayfield Ticket Centre (just off Roseburn Street) in person.
