Rugby is a sport that is popular in Europe. There are several leagues all over the world that contain a large number of teams, and each one of those leagues have their own championship and prize. That being said, one of the most coveted prizes in the entire world when it comes to rugby is the Heineken Cup. For those who would like to know more, this article will discuss how a team can win this prestigious prize.
The European Rugby Cup sponsors the competition. The competition is held between six nations or provinces, which is why it’s referred to at times as the Six Nations Championship. Each country, region or province that is represented in the International Rugby Board will be represented by a team in the competition. Last year the competing teams were England, Ireland, Italy, Wales, Scotland and France. Teams that don’t qualify for the competition will end up being battling it out in the European Challenge Cup, which is considered a second-tier competition to the Heineken Cup.
So, how do teams qualify to compete for this cup? The truth is that it really depends on each country. In the end, England will pick six teams by their performance in the Aviva Premiership as well as the Anglo-Welsh Cup. France will also select three teams by their performance in the Top 14 Championship. Ireland and Wales will both select three teams each by their performance in the Celtic League while Scotland and Italy both choose two teams each from that same league by their performance. Since there are twenty-four teams that compete in all, the last two teams are selected by the past champions of the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.
When the competition begins the teams will be placed in six pools and so there will be four teams in each pool. The teams will have to be at their best here because a loss or two can quickly reduce their chances of winning the championship. However, that is more true int he knock-out stage, which begins in the quarterfinals as once a team loses its out! It’s basically a battle from then on to win every game because if they don’t they won’t be winning the Heineken Cup! Hopefully this article has been helpful those wanting to know about one of Europe’s most prestigious rugby prizes!
