By Griff
May 23 2011

Despite this season's disappointments the team did achieve a significant goal - Heineken Cup qualification. With our entry into the 2011/12 HC now confirmed we can celebrate our longest ever tenure in the Euro top-flight.

Now, recent supporters are undoubtedly (and quite rightly) disappointed by the early-season promise proving to be rather an over-statement this year but I know as someone who's sat biting my nails for match-after-match worrying about our part in the relegation battle year-after-year that this is quite a massive achievement. Those who've supported Irish since before the start of professionalism will still be having nose-bleeds from these heights.

Our resident statto, no, the other one - Jon_R43 has crunched the numbers and analyzed the remarkably difficult ERC ranking rules and we're fairly confident that the following are the qualifying teams in ranked groups.

Toulouse
Leinster
Munster
Cardiff
Biarritz
Saints 

Tigers 
Clermont
Ospreys
Bath
Quins
Irish

Ulster
Sarries
Gloucester
Glasgow
Scarlets
Edinburgh

Treviso
Castre
Connacht
Aironi
Montpellier
Racing Metro

This is, remarkably, an improvement on last season - Irish were in the third qualifying group (resulting in their being in the "Pool of Death" last year). So, now you can pick your dream pool for next year. Who do we want to play? Where do we want to visit? Most importantly, who'll throw us the biggest party?

Congratulations to the team, I know you're as frustrated with this season as we were, it really is a massive step-up, though. We can't go from relegaton candidates to champions overnight. Here looking forward to the next one.

London Irish - Heineken Cup Champions 2011/12... that's got a certain ring to it!