Munster top European rankings
Thursday, 27 March 2008Munster are the best team in Europe, according to new ERC rankings published today.
Declan Kidney's men are on 25 points, with Toulouse and Biarritz in second and third on 24 points. Leinster are ranked seventh, Ulster are 21st and Connacht at 33rd.
The draw for future Heineken Cup Pools will be based on the new merit based ranking structure, where points are awarded based on European performance.
Teams can earn between one and 11 points each season in the Heineken Cup, and up to five points in the European Challenge Cup, which will go towards their four season roll-over ERC European ranking.
Meanwhile, fitness concerns mean Munster have left a vacancy at centre in their side to face Connacht in the Magners League at the Sportsground on Friday night.
The game has been confirmed as a sell-out.
Munster (v Connacht): D Hurley; D Howlett, L Mafi, AN Other, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; T Buckley, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, D Wallace, A Foley.
Replacements: F Sheahan, M Horan, P O'Connell, D Ryan/D Leamy, T O'Leary, R O'Gara, K Lewis/R Tipoki.
