The Irish provinces will learn of their fate in Europe next Wednesday when the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup pool stages are being drawn. Munster are the highest ranked Irish side after finishing second in the Pro 12. They will either be in the top tier of seeds or the second tier depending on a prelimary draw to the actual pool draw in the needlessly complicated method that the Champions Cup has decided on.
Similiarly, thanks to their fourth place finish, Ulster will be awaiting a their fate that decides whether they are in the second tier of seeds or the third tier. Whatever country in the original Munster draw that gets dropped down to tier 2, while have their representative in Group B below remain in tier 2.
Leinster already know that they are in the third pot of seeds, while Connacht are confirmed as top seeds in the Challenge Cup after narrowly missing out on the Champions Cup qualification via the playoffs.
After the revolution in European Rugby, the seeding system in the Champions Cup is changed, leaving awkward pre-draws before the actual draw that was never a problem in the Heineken Cup era.
Despite winning their third European title in a row, Toulon are consigned to the second pot of seeds after they failed to reach the final of the Top 14.
Champions Cup Seedings:
Tier 1: Saracens, Glasgow, Top 14 champions and two other teams from group A (Top 14 runners up, Munster, and Bath)
Tier 2: Northampton, Ospreys, Toulon, one team group A (Top 14 runners up, Munster, and Bath), and one team from group B (Ulster, Leicester, and Toulouse)
Tier 3: Racing Metro, Leinster, Exeter and two teams from group B (Ulster, Leicester, and Toulouse)
Tier 4: Scarlets, Wasps, Oyonnax, Treviso and Bordeaux Begles.
