Connacht handed Heineken Cup berth

Ireland will be have four teams in next year’s Heineken Cup meaning Connacht will have second crack at Europe’s top flight

Connacht: Back for more next year

The winners of the competition are automatically qualified for the following year, meaning that team’s country is given an extra berth.

With both Ulster and Leinster through to this year’s final an Irish winner is guaranteed leaving the door open for Connacht to qualify as the fourth team from Ireland.

This comes as a huge boost to the club which finished off their first ever Heineken Cup this year with a memorable victory over Harlequins in the Sportsground.

The advent of top flight European rugby in the West of Ireland has seen major changes both within the Sportsground and throughout Galway as thousands of supporters flocked to the city to see Connacht take on Aviva Premiership giants Harlequins and Gloucester as well as French powerhouses Toulouse this season.