The Heineken Cup will have extra spice this season with the introduction of bonus points, and, according to ERC Chief Executive Derek McGrath, 'the bonus points system will encourage and reward positive, attacking play and also benefit those who only narrowly miss out on the match points for a win or draw.

'Teams who score four tries or more in a match will be awarded a bonus point - as will teams who lose by seven or fewer points.'

Under the new match points system, there will be four points for a win and two for a draw while teams will be rewarded for both chasing tries and also never giving up the chase in defeat.

With the six Pool winners and best two runners-up qualifying for the knock-out stages, bonus points could make all the difference to both qualification and ranking for the high profile and lucrative quarter-finals.