I understand there will be no playoff this year to determine who gets the last place in the 2016-17 European Champions Cup. How will the places be determined? asked Tom Edwards, Wales
The automatic qualifiers for next year's tournament will be the top six in the Aviva Premiership, the top six in the Top 14, and the top seven in the PRO12 -- but which must include the highest-place finisher from each of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy.
The 20th and final place will be awarded to the winner of the 2015-16 Challenge Cup.
Toulon are the current holders of the ECC, after beating Clermont Auvergne in this year's final.
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John Griffiths is a widely respected rugby historian and is the author of several sports books, including The Book of English International Rugby, The Book of International Rugby Records, British Lions, The Five Nations Championship, Rugby's Strangest Matches and Rugby's Greatest Characters. He was a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph for 19 years and is co-author of the IRB International Rugby Yearbook. He has also provided insight for Scrum.com since 1999.
