Competing at the top level of club rugby in Europe is a sure-fire way of gaining a spot in your national side.

Clubs competing in ERC competitions have supplied the lion's share of players for the RBS Six Nations.

When the National coaches announced their selections, of the 154 players named 147 have been involved in European rugby this season.

Teams playing in the Heineken cup supply 105 Players involved In Six Nations rugby, and the remaining 42 have been involved in the PARKER PEN CHALLENGE CUP and the PARKER PEN SHIELD.

Here is the run-down of the elite European players...

13 PLAYERS

LEINSTER: Keith Gleeson, Shane Byrne, Reggie Corrigan, Victor Costello, Leo Cullen, Eric Miller, Malcolm O'Kelly, Gordon Darcy, Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, David Quinlan (Ireland).

11 PLAYERS

LLANELLI: Simon Easterby (Ireland), Guy Easterby (Ireland), Iestyn Thomas, Martyn Madden, Vernon Cooper, Dafydd Jones, Mark Jones, Matthew Watkins, Leigh Davies, Dwayne Peel, Stephen Jones (Wales).

9 PLAYERS

MUNSTER: Anthony Foley, John Hayes, Marcus Horan, Alan Quinlan, Frank Sheahan, Rob Henderson, John Kelly, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer (Ireland).

8 PLAYERS

CALVISANO: Leandro Castrogiovanni, Giampiero De Carli, Andrea De Rossi, Andrea Moretti, Salvatore Perugini, Giovanni Raineri, Paolo Vaccari, Cristian Zanoletti (Italy).

7 PLAYERS

EDINBURGH Brendan Laney, Simon Taylor, Martin Leslie, Scott Murray, Nathan Hines, Mike Blair, Chris Paterson (Scotland).

6 PLAYERS

LEICESTER: Geordan Murphy (Ireland), Neil Back, Martin Johnson, Graham Rowntree, Lewis Moody, Ben Kay (England).

CARDIFF: Martyn Williams, Rhys Williams, Craig Morgan, Jamie Robinson, Iestyn Harris, Ryan Powell (Wales).

5 PLAYERS

ULSTER: Simon Best, Jeremy Davidson, Justin Fitzpatrick, Gary Longwell, David Humphreys (Ireland).

NORTHAMPTON: Tom Smith (Scotland), Steve Williams, Ben Cohen, Matt Dawson, Steve Thompson (England).

4 PLAYERS

GLASGOW: Glenn Metcalfe, Gordon Ross, Gordon Bulloch, Gavin Kerr (Scotland).

MONTFERRAND: Aurélien Rougerie, Gérald Merceron, Olivier Magne, Olivier Brouzet (France).

TOULOUSE: Clément Poitrenaud, Xavier Garbajosa, Fabien Pelous, Vincent Clerc (France).

3 PLAYERS

GLOUCESTER: Andy Gomarsall, James Simpson-Daniel (England).

SALE: Bryan Redpath (Scotland), Jason Robinson, Charlie Hodgson (England).

BRISTOL: Ross Beattie (Scotland), Julian White, Phil Christophers (England).

SWANSEA: Ben Evans, Kevin Morgan, Mark Taylor (Wales).

VIADANA: Cristian Bezzi, Aaron Persico, Matthew Phillips (Italy).

2 PLAYERS

BIARRITZ: Serge Betsen, Dimitri Yachvili.

1 PLAYER

BOURGOIN: Sébastien Chabal (France).

NEATH: Gareth Llewellyn (Wales)

TEAMS PLAYING THE PARKER PEN CHALLENGE CUP

7 PLAYERS

PONTYPRIDD: Gethin Jenkins, Robert Sidoli, Mefin Davies, Richard Parks, Colin Charvis, Ceri Sweeney, Michael Owen (Wales).

6 PLAYERS

TREVISO: Mauro Bergamasco, Denis Dallan, Ramiro Martinez, Nicola Mazzucato, Scott Palmer, Alessandro Troncon (Italy).

5 PLAYERSBATH: Kevin Maggs (Ireland), Gareth Cooper (Wales), Gavin Thomas, Danny Grewcock (England). Johnathan Humpreys (Bath)

BORDERS: Greg Townsend, Kevin Utterson, Bruce Douglas, Steve Scott, Andrew Mower (Scotland).

4 PLAYERS

SARACENS: Christian Califano (France), Thomas Castaignà¨de (France), Tom Shanklin (Wales), Richard Hill (England).

STADE FRANCAIS: Diego Dominguez (Italy), Fabien Galthié, Sylvain Marconnet, David Auradou (France).

3 PLAYERS

HARLEQUINS: Will Greenwood, Dan Luger, Jason Leonard (England).

2 PLAYERS

NEWCASTLE: Stuart Grimes (Scotland), Jonny Wilkinson (England).

WASPS: Kenny Logan (Scotland), Lawrence Dallaglio (England).

1 PLAYER

LEEDS: Mark Regan (England).

BRIDGEND: Gareth Thomas (Wales).

GRAN PARMA: Carlo Festuccia (Italy).

TEAMS COMPETING IN PARKER PEN SHIELD SEMI FINALS

2 PLAYERS

CASTRES: Cristian Stoica (Italy), Raphaà«l Ibanez (France).

PAU: Damien Traille, Imanol Harinordoquy (France).

PETRARCA PADOVA: Mirco Bergamasco, Marco Bortolami (Italy).

Just seven players involved in the Six Nations are not playing for sides involved in European competition.

3 PLAYERS

AGEN: Jean-Jacques Crenca, Franà§ois Gelez, Jean-Baptiste Rué (France).

2 PLAYERS

ROTHERHAM: Mark Giacheri (Italy), Ramiro Pez (Italy).

1 PLAYER

DAX: Juan Manuel Queirolo (Italy).

OVERMACH PARMA: Gert Peens (Italy).

QUICK RE-CAP

* 154 players in 6 national squads

* 105 played the Heineken Cup.

* 42 played the Parker Pen Challenge Cup or the Parker Pen Shield.

* Only 7 did not play a European competition