Edinburgh’s chances of reaching the Champions Cup next season have been made harder after Sharks defeated Gloucester in the Challenge Cup Final.

It means the South African side will automatically qualify for the premier competition of European rugby next season, and it takes one of the spots away from the league placings in the URC.

Edinburgh currently sit seventh and will need to finish there at a minimum to get Champions Cup action next season or they’ll be back in the Challenge Cup, where they played this season and reached the quarter-final.

Ironically, they were beaten by Sharks in South Africa in that tournament and the side from the Rainbow Nation focused on that competition when they had no chance of reaching the play-offs in the URC.

Because they couldn’t qualify via that route, they were determined to do so through the Challenge Cup and after their 36-22 victory over Gloucester – who had Adam Hastings and Chris Harris in their team – they will play in the Champions Cup.

The rules state they take the eighth and final place so finishing in the top eight isn’t enough for URC teams, unless they then go on and win the play-offs from the most difficult position possible.

Instead, only the top seven will qualify for the Champions Cup with Glasgow Warriors already sealing their place in the pool stage for next season – having reached the round of 16 last time out before being beaten by Harlequins in London.

Edinburgh are among a number of clubs challenging for that seventh spot now, with Benetton, Lions, Connacht and Ospreys all capable of finishing that high up currently.