The Six Nations committee, based in Dublin, is set to take up the running of the competition and proceeds will be shared equally between the leagues, with additional money for clubs that reach the knock-out stages.
The RaboDirect Pro12, which resumes this week, will see their club’s participation reduced from nine to seven. The top club from each country, represented in the Pro12, will qualify, leaving the other spots up for grabs.
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As the league stands now, the Pro12 qualifiers for the 2014/15 Heineken Cup would be: Leinster, Ospreys, Glasgow Warriors and Treviso, followed by Munster, Ulster and Scarlets. Connacht, as Ireland’s lowest placed side, are currently nine points behind Scarlets and that final qualifying position. There is no better time, then, for Connacht’s three-match winning run to develop into a table-climbing streak.
Connacht inside centre Dave McSharry told TheScore.ie his team are confident of recording their fourth successive victory, away to Dragons on Sunday, and finishing the season as high as possible. “We want to push up the table,” he said. “We have a block of six games left and believe sixth or seventh position is achievable.”
McSharry on the run against Toulouse. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
The western province have participated in the Heineken Cup for the past three seasons, developing a taste for giant-killing exploits. As well as four wins over Italian side Zebre, there have been famous home wins over Biarritz and Harlequins, and a stunning triumph against four-time Heineken Cup winners Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon.
McSharry, who featured in the Connacht backline against Toulouse, added, “We have been told that we should be able to qualify if we finish sixth. That is our aim now. We want to be able to qualify off our own bat. If we can finish sixth we won’t need help from anyone else.”
Heineken Cup rugby has come courtesy of Leinster’s Heineken Cup victories in recent seasons and last May’s Amlin Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais.
Victory over Dragons at Rodney Parade, on Sunday, could elevate Pat Lam’s men as high as seventh. The Welsh side have dipped since a strong start to the season, which included wins over Leinster and Ulster. Next up for Connacht, on the weekend Leinster and Munster clash at Lansdowne Road, is an away date with Scarlets. If the winning streak can stretch to five, heading into April, the qualification picture may look clearer yet for the westerners.
Connacht’s match with Dragons will only be screened live on BBCWales, with TG4 showing highlights at 17:40. Both @connachtrugby and @rugby_ie will be tweeting updates during the match.
Connacht want to qualify for Heineken Cup without provincial favours - McSharry
A NEW EUROPEAN CUP accord is set to be revealed by rugby’s power brokers this week. It is set to alter the qualification rules for Europe’s three elite leagues.
The Six Nations committee, based in Dublin, is set to take up the running of the competition and proceeds will be shared equally between the leagues, with additional money for clubs that reach the knock-out stages.
The RaboDirect Pro12, which resumes this week, will see their club’s participation reduced from nine to seven. The top club from each country, represented in the Pro12, will qualify, leaving the other spots up for grabs.
As the league stands now, the Pro12 qualifiers for the 2014/15 Heineken Cup would be: Leinster, Ospreys, Glasgow Warriors and Treviso, followed by Munster, Ulster and Scarlets. Connacht, as Ireland’s lowest placed side, are currently nine points behind Scarlets and that final qualifying position. There is no better time, then, for Connacht’s three-match winning run to develop into a table-climbing streak.
Connacht inside centre Dave McSharry told TheScore.ie his team are confident of recording their fourth successive victory, away to Dragons on Sunday, and finishing the season as high as possible. “We want to push up the table,” he said. “We have a block of six games left and believe sixth or seventh position is achievable.”
The western province have participated in the Heineken Cup for the past three seasons, developing a taste for giant-killing exploits. As well as four wins over Italian side Zebre, there have been famous home wins over Biarritz and Harlequins, and a stunning triumph against four-time Heineken Cup winners Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon.
McSharry, who featured in the Connacht backline against Toulouse, added, “We have been told that we should be able to qualify if we finish sixth. That is our aim now. We want to be able to qualify off our own bat. If we can finish sixth we won’t need help from anyone else.”
Heineken Cup rugby has come courtesy of Leinster’s Heineken Cup victories in recent seasons and last May’s Amlin Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais.
Victory over Dragons at Rodney Parade, on Sunday, could elevate Pat Lam’s men as high as seventh. The Welsh side have dipped since a strong start to the season, which included wins over Leinster and Ulster. Next up for Connacht, on the weekend Leinster and Munster clash at Lansdowne Road, is an away date with Scarlets. If the winning streak can stretch to five, heading into April, the qualification picture may look clearer yet for the westerners.
Connacht’s match with Dragons will only be screened live on BBCWales, with TG4 showing highlights at 17:40. Both @connachtrugby and @rugby_ie will be tweeting updates during the match.
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