Connacht’s HEC Qualification

[Mebawsa Ritchie]

Can't for the life of me find it (may have been edited out), but someone here claimed yesterday that Connacht had finished 2 ML seasons above Ulster and Leinster respectively and thereby qualified by their own deed for the HEC, only to be done over by the IRFU and excluded.

Stats for the ML are down currently (rebranding no doubt) but can anyone throw any light on this claim?

[Tobyglen]

Not true MR, surely not.

[Mebawsa Ritchie]

I suspected it was untrue also but I'd like to be sure.

[Hugonaut]

Poster 'Westerner' in the Connacht thread:

To qualify for next year, we require:
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">
<br style="font-style: italic;">To finish ahead of an Irish province in the PRO 12
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">(formerly named Magners League), all of whom finished in
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">in the top 3 of last years competition.
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">
<br style="font-style: italic;">An Irish team to win the Heineken Cup
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">
<br style="font-style: italic;">Or on the off chance, for an Irish team to drop down to the
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">Amlin, alike Munster this year, and win that to get an extra
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">space for an Irish team in the competition.
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">
<br style="font-style: italic;">Ireland has 3 automatic qualifying places into the Heineken
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">Cup, and on 2 occasions in Connachts history we have
</span></span><br style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">finished ahead of Leinster and Ulster but the powers that
</span><br style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">are, the IRFU, ignored Connachts rite at participation </span>and
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">only now in 2011 we will make our first appearance in the
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">cream of european club rugby on the backs of Leinsters
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">win this year.
</span><br style="font-style: italic;">
<br style="font-style: italic;">Hope that has cleared it up for you</span>

[ormond lad]

In 02-03 when celtic league still had 2 groups connacht finished above leinster. connacht finished 4th, leinster 5th

[offshorerules]

Either way I'm just happy they're in now.

[Drick]

the league tables are on irishrugby website



http://www.irishrugby.ie/provincial/tables/index.php?include (http://www.irishrugby.ie/provincial/tables/index.php?includeref=3516&amp;seas&#111;n=2001-2002) ref=3516&amp;season=2001-2002


http://www.irishrugby.ie/provincial/tables/index.php?include (http://www.irishrugby.ie/provincial/tables/index.php?includeref=3516&amp;seas&#111;n=2002-2003) ref=3516&amp;season=2002-2003