Heineken Champions Cup: Cardiff Blues set for top European tournament place
- Published
Cardiff Blues were knocked out of the 2020-21 Challenge Cup by London Irish
Cardiff Blues will be involved in the Heineken Champions Cup next season, after tournament organisers confirmed there are 24 sides in the competition.
There will be eight teams each from the Pro14, English Premiership and French Top 14 for the 2021-22 season.
Cardiff Blues will be involved as the top four sides in each Pro14 conference qualify.
They will join fellow Welsh regions Ospreys and Scarlets in Europe's top tier.
It is down to the Pro14 to nominate the eight teams to compete in the Champions Cup for next season.
Tournament organisers have confirmed it will be based on rankings in the two Pro14 conference tables in March and not the new Rainbow Cup.
The Pro14 regular season was curtailed early to accommodate the Rainbow Cup with Leinster crowned Pro14 champions after beating Munster in the final in March.
The Rainbow Cup was meant to introduce the four former South African Super League teams - Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions - to the 12 European sides ahead of their permanent involvement next season.
Reports had suggested the new South African sides in an expanded Pro14 could be given places in the top European tournament but that will now not be the case, although they could be involved in the second tier Challenge Cup competition.
Leinster topped Conference A with Ulster, Ospreys and Glasgow completing the top four, while Munster, Connacht, Scarlets and Cardiff Blues were the leading quartet in the other group.
The Rainbow Cup was originally meant to be one tournament involving all 16 sides but it has been turned into a dual competition, with South African sides unable to travel to Europe to face the northern hemisphere teams.
Further details regarding the formats and key dates for the Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup are yet to be formally announced.