Stade Francais claim French No 1 ranking

Stade Francais have claimed the French No 1 ranking for the 2003 / 2004 Heineken Cup tournament - and will be up against 2001 and 2002 champions Leicester, 1999 winners Ulster and the new Ebbw Vale/Newport region in Pool 1.

Stade Francais beat reigning Heineken Cup champions Toulouse 32-18 in the French Championship final in Paris on Saturday to celebrate their 11th domestic title.

Coach Nick Mallett is the first foreigner to guide a French team to the championship with 34-year-old scrum half Fabien Galthie scoring one of Stade Francais' two tries on his final appearance for the Paris club.

Toulouse take the French No 2 seeding and will be up against Leeds Tykes, the Neath / Swansea region and Edinburgh Rugby in Pool 2.

The ninth Heineken Cup tournament will kick-off on the first weekend of December.

Heineken Cup 2003/4

Pool 1: Stade Francais, Leicester Tigers, Ulster , Ebbw Vale / Newport region

Pool 2: Toulouse, Leeds Tykes, Neath / Swansea region, Edinburgh Rugby

Pool 3: Biarritz Olympique, Sale Sharks, Leinster, Cardiff region

Pool 4: Agen, Northampton Saints, Llanelli region, Scottish Borders

Pool 5: Bourgoin, Gloucester, Munster , Benetton Treviso

Pool 6: Perpignan, London Wasps, Bridgend / Pontypridd region, Ghial Amatori & Calvisano