The key factor is that Gloucester need to finish as high as possible, which means sixth place, come the end of the final round of matches on 30 April.
The final positions of both Sale Sharks and Leeds Tykes are also important. The Sharks are the only English side in with a chance of winning the European Challenge Cup title, and if the Tykes are relegated then their place in the Heineken in 2005/06 is reallocated.
Sale Sharks have the second leg of their European Challenge Cup semi-final against Connacht on Sunday (24 April), and Leicester also have their Heineken Cup semi-final on Sunday. The results from these two will affect the Heineken Cup qualifications.
If Sale are knocked out of Europe by Connacht this weekend and THEN if Leeds are NOT relegated, the top four (Leicester, Wasps, Sale/Bath/Saracens) would qualify for Europe and the Wildcard would be 5 v 8 and 6 v 7.
If Sale are knocked out of Europe in the semi-final and Leeds ARE relegated then the top 5 (Leicester, Wasps, Bath, Sale and Saracens) would all qualify for Europe and the Wildcard would be 6 v 9 and 7 v 8.
If Sale are knocked out of Europe in the semi-final and finish fifth and Leeds are NOT relegated then the top four (Leicester, Wasps and Bath and Saracens) qualify for Europe and the Wildcard is 5 (Sale) v 8 and 6 v 7.
If Sale lose the Challenge Cup semi-final, finish fifth and Leeds ARE relegated then the top 5 (Leicester, Wasps, Bath, Saracens and Sale) would qualify for Europe and the Wildcard would be 6 v 9 and 7 v 8.
If Sale reach the final of the Challenge Cup, as the game is after the completion of the Wild Card play-offs, it can't come into the reckoning in terms of qualification until after the play-off finals. But if Sale have already qualified for the Heineken Cup through their league position, then it doesn't matter who wins the Challenge Cup.
If Sale reach the final of the Challenge Cup and finish fourth or fifth and Leeds are NOT relegated then the top three (Leicester, Wasps and Bath or Saracens) qualify for Europe and the Wildcard is 4 v 7 and 5 v 6.
If Sale reach the Challenge Cup final and finish fourth and Leeds ARE relegated then the top 5 (Leicester, Wasps, Bath, Saracens and Sale) would qualify for Europe and the Wildcard would be 6 v 9 and 7 v 8.
If Sale reach the Challenge Cup final, finish third and Leeds are NOT relegated, then the top four (Leicester, Wasps, Sale and Bath/Saracens) would qualify for Europe and the Wildcard would be 5 v 8 and 6 v 7.
If Sale reach the Challenge Cup final, finish third and Leeds are relegated, then the top five (Leicester, Wasps, Sale, Bath and Saracens) would qualify for Europe and the Wildcard would be 6 v 9 and 7 v 8.
Whoever wins between Leicester and Wasps on Saturday 30 April will progress direct to Twickenham for the Zurich Premiership Final on Saturday 14 May.
The losers will host either Sale, Bath or Saracens in the Zurich Premiership semi-final on Saturday 7 May.
Leicester and Wasps have already qualified for the Heineken Cup next season and so have Leeds (provided they are not relegated), therefore the other nine teams could all still play in the Zurich Wildcard depending on their results.
The top seven teams are now safe from relegation.
After the Event
Should Sale have not already qualified for the Heineken Cup through either their league standing or the Wild Card, and win the Challenge Cup then there is no extra space to move down the order.
If Sale Sharks have already qualified for the Heineken Cup through their league standing, and win the Challenge Cup, then there is an extra space to move down the order before the Wild Card starts, and so nothing rests afterwards on Sale's winning.
If Sale Sharks have qualified for the Heineken Cup through winning the Wild Card, and win the Challenge Cup, then there is an extra space to move down the order after the completion of the Wild Cards. This would go to the next placed side (see table below) after the completion of all tournaments, who hasn't already qualified for the Heineken Cup.
Should Leicester win the Heineken Cup then England would get a seventh place in Europe, and this would go to the next placed side (see table below) after the completion of all tournaments, who hasn't already qualified for the Heineken Cup. If Gloucester haven't won the Wild Card, then this could come down to sixth position in the table, which is the highest that the Club can finish.
European Qualification for Season 2005/06
Heineken Cup Qualification List
1. Heineken Cup Winner
2. Zurich Premiership Final Winner
3. Zurich Premiership Final Runner Up
4. Zurich Premiership Semi Final Runner Up
5. European Challenge Cup Winner
6. Zurich Wildcard Winner
7. Powergen Cup Winner
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8. Heineken Cup Finalist Runner Up
9. Zurich Premiership Fourth Place
10. Zurich Premiership Fifth Place
11. Zurich Premiership Sixth Place
