Scots chiefs face battle to retain their two Heineken Cup places

Published on Thursday 4 September 2008 09:44

SCOTTISH rugby bosses are set to have to go into battle to preserve Edinburgh and Glasgow's automatic qualification for the Heineken European Cup, it has emerged from Wales.

According to reports from the valleys Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis is set to use a meeting in Dublin to call for Euro qualifiers to be the top eight of the ten Celtic League teams each season.

The move, which would see the top bottom teams enter the second tier Challenge Cup, comes on the eve of a new competition.

Lewis said: "Our friends in Scotland and Ireland have been very reluctant to change, but we would like the top eight from the 2009-10 Magners League to qualify for the following season's Heineken Cup.

"It would coincide with the introduction of top-four play-offs to decide who wins the tournament.

"There would no longer be any dead rubbers at the end of the season because every team would have something to play for.

"Obviously, this has got to be agreed by Ireland and Scotland."

Also being proposed is a British bid for the 1015 or 2019 World Cup.

"I think, personally, the 2015 Rugby World Cup has to be staged in the northern hemisphere" said Lewis. "In a celebration of British and Irish rugby it should be staged by the four home unions with matches in Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland."