The ERC have confirmed the 24 entrants and top seeds from five of the six competing countries in next season's Heineken European Cup. The pool draws will take place in the week starting June 18th.
The top-ranked French side will be decided after Saturday's championship final between ASM Clermont Auvergne or Stade Francais, Paris.
As European champions, Wasps are the English seeds, Leinster's superior placing in the Magners Celtic League makes them Ireland's seeds, while Glasgow, the Ospreys and Benetton Treviso are also first out of the draw.
The seeded teams are drawn first to ensure teams from the same country are not in the same pool. However, as the seventh English team, NEC Harlequins will be drawn with another English side.
Loose forward Luke Watson will make his Springbok debut on Saturday after being named yesterday in a new-look South African starting XV for a one-off Test against Samoa.
EUROPEAN CUP TEAMS
ENGLAND (7):London Wasps (seeded), Leicester Tigers, Gloucester Rugby, Bristol Rugby, Saracens, London Irish, NEC Harlequins.
FRANCE (6):Clermont Auvergne or Stade Francais * Stade Francais or Clermont Auvergne * Toulouse, Biarritz Olympique, Perpignan, Bourgoin.
*(French seeded team to be confirmed after the French Championship final being played on Saturday June 10th).
IRELAND (3):Leinster (seeded), Ulster Rugby, Munster.
ITALY (2):Benetton Treviso (seeded), Viadana.
SCOTLAND (2):Glasgow Warriors (seeded), Edinburgh.
WALES (4):Ospreys (seeded), Cardiff Blues, Llanelli Scarlets, Newport Gwent Dragons.
Teams that are seeded from each country will be drawn into separate pools as part of the pool draw.
SOUTH AFRICA (v Samoa, Ellis Park, Saturday):F Steyn; A Willemse, W Murray, W Julies, JP Pietersen; D Hougaard, E Januarie; O du Randt. J Smit (capt), BJ Botha, J Ackermann, A van den Berg, L Watson, D Rossouw, B Skinstad. Replacements: D Carstens, G Botha, J Muller, P Wannenburg, R Pienaar, J Fourie, P Montgomery.
AUSTRALIA (v Fiji, Perth, Saturday):J Huxley; D Mitchell, A Ashley-Cooper, S Staniforth, L Tuqiri; S Larkham, G Gregan; M Dunning, A Freier, A Baxter, J Horwill, D Vickerman, M Chisholm, P Waugh (capt), D Lyons. Replacements: S Moore, B Robinson, S Hoiles, G Smith, S Cordingley, S Norton-Knight, S Mortlock.
