Heineken Cup

[IsMiseSean]

Well the Heineken Cup gets underway this weekend, and after Ireland pathetic display at the world cup will it continue into the Heineken cup.
Is this the start of a downhill slide for the RU boys?

Looking at the groups
Leinster haven't a hope in hell of qualifying
Munster it all depends on O'Gara if they can challenge or not
Ulster probably have a slight chance but will probably choke

I'll put my money on Toulouse, great team to watch always entertaining
Thats what i think anyway

[pete]

Would be interesting to see what the odds are for no Ireland team to get out of the group stages. Ulster have no chance. Leinster a better chance but defeat at home in week 1 will mean a struggle. Munster might be able to get past a defeat next week as it is away from home.

I get the impression the Ireland teams very rusty & not up to speed yet at all. Prediction for Week 1 would be 3 defeats.

The seeding for the pools is ridiculous Pools 5 & 6 have 6 potential winners but only maybe 2 in the remaining 4 pools.

[Dodge]

I get the impression the Ireland teams very rusty & not up to speed yet at all

same with any team with a large amount of world cup players. Most English only returned this week

[pete]

same with any team with a large amount of world cup players. Most English only returned this week

English & French clubs have bigger squads so may not have to play their top players. Irish teams have huge drop in quality below the first 15 so have to play the top players who probably haven't had a good game in 6 months.

[OneRedArmy]

Looking at the groups
Leinster haven't a hope in hell of qualifying
Munster it all depends on O'Gara if they can challenge or not
Ulster probably have a slight chance but will probably choke

I'd say the opposite.

Leinster have by far the best 15 and squad out of the provinces and regardless of their Group are best placed to go through.

Munster haven't shown much and unless their new backline explodes off the blocks they will struggle.

As for Ulster, I'm not sure a team that are bottom of the Magners will get close enough to qualification to "choke". McCall's job is close to being on the line there.

[IsMiseSean]

I'd say the opposite.
As for Ulster, I'm not sure a team that are bottom of the Magners will get close enough to qualification to "choke". McCall's job is close to being on the line there.

I think they have the easiest group.
Gloucester are weak in the line-out an area Ulster can attack
Bourgoin never perform in the HCup
Ospreys look good but have never made it out of the pool stages before
So there is a real chance for Ulster to go through, but they are playing badly so it is unlikely unless the start performing starting Friday night

[pete]

Leinster may have a very good first 15 but they are proven chokers. Until they find a backbone they won't progress. Munster don't have the quality but proven fighters. If they lose that fight will be a spent force. Ulster need to win away to be taken seriously.

[OneRedArmy]

Leinster may have a very good first 15 but they are proven chokers. Until they find a backbone they won't progress. Munster don't have the quality but proven fighters. If they lose that fight will be a spent force. Ulster need to win away to be taken seriously.

Pete, in fairness you could've written that before the start of any of the last 5 seasons!

[shakermaker1982]

if any Irish side manage to get out of their pools they have done very well. Talk about pools of death!

[bennocelt]

dont know much about the strength of a lot of the squads but Ospreys look good, and might make the next stage, even if they have a tough enough group

[endabob1]

Typically I am away for the Wasps v Munster game this weekend and there is zero chance of getting tickets for the Leicster v Leinster game so I will probably get to see no games this year, bugger :-(

[joeSoap]

Based on Magners League / World Cup performances to date, you'd have to say the Irish sides haven't got a prayer, but it never works out quite like that does it?

O'Gara was starting to look like his old confident self again the other night, albeit against Edinburgh, but his kicking, particularly from hand, was finding touch regularly with good length. Paul O'Connells absence on Saturday is a huge blow, and I don't know what to read in to Marcus Horan being told to play with his club last Saturday instead of Munster. But if Munster can stay in touch, ie, win their home games and scrape an away win, the the arrival of Doug Howlett in January would make them a very strong side , on paper at least.

Leinster too will be a different side with Contepomi back in it, but I fear fro them up front. The lack of sheer guts and brawn (lets face it, Leo Cullen in in their side) always seems to cripple them at crucial stages and I can't see this campaign being any different.

Ulster could be interesting. They have by far the easiest group of the three, and have made a few shrewd signings. Ravenhill is a fortress, but they badly need to learn how to put teams away when on the road. London Irish last season being the prime example.

Incidentally, I've backed Clermont Auvergne to win it at massive odds. They're getting stronger all the time, and have a good mix of French, Argentinian,South African and Georgian internationals in their side. Julien Bonnaire, Rougerie, Mignoni, Vermeulen, Baby (all french internationals) Canale, Ledesma, Scelzo(Argentian internationals) John Smit(world cup winning captain) and Marius Joubert, South Africans, and some Georgians I can't name....25/1...good odds.

[Macy]

Leinster too will be a different side with Contepomi back in it, but I fear fro them up front. The lack of sheer guts and brawn (lets face it, Leo Cullen in in their side) always seems to cripple them at crucial stages and I can't see this campaign being any different.

Haven't seen enough Magners League to make a proper judgement, but the one game I did see they were certainly fronting up more than usual. Good competition in the pack now. Cullen and Jennings aren't exactly coming from a club with bad pack set up or a bad record last season! However, hard to see them beating Leicester after watching the Anglo Welsh Cup on Saturday.

[joeSoap]

I've got no problem with Jennings, but Leo Cullen reminds me of Ross O'Carroll Kelly....

[Macy]

I've got no problem with Jennings, but Leo Cullen reminds me of Ross O'Carroll Kelly....

I've no idea, but he wouldn't survive too long in Newtown if he was!

[pete]

Pete, in fairness you could've written that before the start of any of the last 5 seasons!

Performances from the 3 teams have been pretty much the same for the last 5 seasons

[joeSoap]

Performances from the 3 teams have been pretty much the same for the last 5 seasons

Ulster haven't got out of their group in the past 5 years...Leinster have struggled once out of the group...Munster have won, lost a final and a semi final in the last 5 years....contrasting fortunes I'd say.

[Student Mullet]

I've got no problem with Jennings, but Leo Cullen reminds me of Ross O'Carroll Kelly....

According to some controversial research published in the British Journal of Sports' Medicine a person's haircut doesn't effect their ability to play rugby.

[Real ale Madrid]

According to some controversial research published in the British Journal of Sports' Medicine a person's haircut doesn't effect their ability to play rugby.

Thank God for that imagine if O'Driscoll was affected in such a way!

Seriously Munster and Leinster both have good records in this competition over the last few years - nothing to be afraid of with premiership teams anyway if the EDF cup is anything to go by. World cup was a disaster but i doubt that will translate into the HC. Munster and Leinster to get to quarters, Ulster to just miss out.

[pete]

Ulster haven't got out of their group in the past 5 years...Leinster have struggled once out of the group...Munster have won, lost a final and a semi final in the last 5 years....contrasting fortunes I'd say.

I meant that each team has performed to their own stereotypes for the last number of years.