THE European Cup will be played on a home and away basis in the pool stages next season. The number of teams in the Heineken-sponsored competition from each country will be the same as in 1996/97. England, France and Wales will each have four representatives, Ireland and Scotland will have three each and Italy one.

As for this season, Italy's second nomination will play-off with Romania's champion club for a place in the Heineken Cup.

The 20 teams will be split into five pools of four. The winners of the five pools will automatically go through to the quarter-finals. The remaining three quarter-finalists will be drawn from three matches played between the five runners-up in the pools and the best third-placed team from the five pools.

The format for the European Conference has yet to be decided, but the tournament will continue and matches will be played on some, or all, of the weekends devoted to the premier competition.