As Leinster were being crowned PRO14 champions for a second successive year yesterday, the Top 14 regular season concluded to accompany the English Premiership into the play-off phase, and qualification for European competition is now almost complete.
La Rochelle and Montpellier were both victorious in the final round of action to leapfrog last year's Top 14 champions Castres in the final standings to qualify for Champions Cup, with Castres knocked out of the Top 14 play-off places, which means they will enter the European Challenge Cup next season.
They will be joined by Stade Francais, Toulon, Bordeaux-Begles, Pau, Agen, plus Bayonne and Brive who were promoted from PRO D2 for next season.
The final round of action in France also had repercussions across the channel, as Sale Sharks were confirmed as the 20th and last qualifers for the Heineken Champions Cup next season, with England getting an extra place due to Saracens being crowned this year's winners.
Finishing below Sale Sharks in this year's Premiership were Wasps, Bristol Bears, Worcester, Leicester Tigers and with Newcastle relegated, big-spending London Irish will complete the line-up of English teams in the Challenge Cup.
There are three Welsh qualifers for the Challenge Cup from the Guinness PRO14, with Scarlets due to enter the competition for the first time joining the Dragons, whilst two-times winners Cardiff Blues will hope to make it back to Marseille for the final, the scene of their 2010 success.
Ospreys became the seventh PRO14 team to qualify for Champions Cup and with the two South African sides not eligible to qualify for European competition, the three Welsh teams will be joined by Zebre and Edinburgh.
The final two places in the competition go to European Continental Shield qualifers, which saw Calvisano defeat Rovigo over a two-legged play off to become the second Italian side to qualify, whilst Enisei defeated Timisoara Saracens in similar fashion to also claim their place.
Top 14
Castres-Olympique
Stade Francais Paris
Toulon
Bordeaux-Begles
Pau
Agen
Bayonne
Brive
Premiership
Wasps
Bristol
Worcester
Leicester
London Irish
PRO14
Scarlets
Cardiff Blues
Edinburgh
Dragons
Zebre
Continental Shield
Enisei-STM
Calvisano
Europe’s top club sides will be tuning in to find out who they are drawn against on Wednesday 19 June, from 1pm
CLICK HERE for details of the draw
