Gloucester given second stab at European glory

GLOUCESTER will get another crack at European glory if they fail to win their pool in the Heineken Cup next season.

The Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup tournaments will see a number of format and qualification changes from next season aimed at enhancing the profile of each competition.

The knock-out stages of future European Challenge Cup tournaments will now include three teams who finished as pool runners-up in the Heineken Cup.

The top four European Challenge Cup pool winners will enjoy home advantage in the quarter-finals with the top pool winner playing the fifth, while the other three pool winners welcome the three Heineken Cup sides.

The draw for the 15th Heineken Cup was made two weeks ago and saw the Cherry and Whites paired with Biarritz for the second season in succession in pool two.

It means a reunion with former full-back/wing Iain Balshaw, who left the Kingsholm outfit at the end of last season to join the south of France side.

As well as the French outfit, Gloucester will also face Welsh team the Dragons and Glasgow.

Last season, Dean Ryan's men were placed in a tough pool along with Biarritz, Italian whipping boys Calvisano and eventual Heineken Cup semi-finalists Cardiff Blues.

They missed out on second place in the Pool to Biarritz on points difference but will be confident of going one step further with the group they have been drawn in.

There are some dangerous sides in the European Challenge Cup with the likes of former Heineken Cup winners London Wasps and big-spending French side Toulon floating about.

The six pool winners in the Heineken Cup go through to the quarter-finals with the two best runners-up joining them in the hat.

Another change sees the European Challenge Cup winner, who qualifies for the Heineken Cup, earn an additional Heineken Cup spot for their country.

However, England and France, who have six automatic places, will only be allowed a maximum of seven teams, with the additional spot passed onto the club with the highest ERC European ranking.

The ERC European ranking points available for teams in European Challenge Cup knock-out stages have also been revised with the maximum points available for the winner increasing from five points to six.