Opening Weekend of the 2007 Heineken Cup

With the World Cup now over, club rugby is set to dominate the calendar in the coming months, starting this weekend with the first round of European Cup rugby, a mouth-watering prospect for any passionate club fan of the Northern Hemisphere.

Twenty-four teams from six countries will battle it out over the rest of the season to be crowned Champions of Europe in the Heineken Cup and there are sure to be plenty of twists and turns along the way. In fact you could argue that the drama started months ago when English and French clubs threatened to boycott the competition, thankfully, common sense prevailed and this year’s competition promises to be even bigger and better than before!

Here we preview the challenge faced by the Guinness Premiership clubs.

In Pool One the draw has been kinder to London Irish this season and they will certainly fancy there chances against the Newport Gwent Dragons, while Treviso should guarantee them a couple of maximum points hauls. The test of Irish ambitions will come when they face Perpignan, and given that very few sides leave the south of France with victories, it certainly won’t be any task.

Pool Two’s English representative Gloucester will be desparate to set the record straight after their hugely disappointing campaign last season after they finished just third in their group. This time around Gloucester will need to continue their impressive run of form that has seen them top the Guinness Premiership table this season. Coach Dean Ryan has developed a brand of fast and dynamic rugby that is sure to see his charges continue their form on Europe's bigger stage. On paper, Gloucester look unstoppable and if the team can transcend from how they look in black and white to playing as a unit in Cherry and White - they shouldn't have any trouble in this group of talented contenders.

In Pool Three, a steady start to the Premiership will need to be vastly improved on if Bristol are to be competitive in a pool where Stade Français are the clear competition favourites. Bristol's challenge starts with a tricky away day in Cardiff and the way in which they equip themselves at a sold-out Arms Park could well determine just how serious their challenge will be. Anything but a confident performance will leave them in a precarious position when they entertain Stade Français at home in the second round. Harlequins, twice Challenge Cup winners, return to the top flight of European rugby for the first time in three years. Sitting in the top four of the Guinness Premiership they have, under Dean Richards, assembled a squad that will stand them in good stead. Dean Richards has bolstered his squad and installed a winning mentality amongst his troops, one that will be tested to the full over the coming months.

It's been an up and down start for Sarries who have been in drawn in Pool Four in the Guinness Premiership, with defeats at Sale and at home to Gloucester tempered by victory over Leicester and Wasps. The squad is strong, but coach Alan Gaffney is currently beset by injuries within it, and with Glasgow and a trip to Biarritz first up, they could be left rueing the timing of those injuries.

What a contrast this season has been for the reigning Champions Wasps, seeded in Pool Five, languishing second from bottom in the Guinness Premiership with just one win to their names from six beleaguered attempts. Ian McGeechan faces a huge task to rally his troops as they prepare to defend the crown they wrestled back so successfully last season.

Pool Six contenders Leicester have been the most successful English club of the professional era, winning the Heineken Cup twice and the domestic league five times - all in the space of seven years. The Welford Road-based side have also made themselves a reputation of producing top, quality players ranging from number one to fifteen for England's national team. With a host of players hailing from Ireland, Italy, Fiji and Samoa, the Tigers boast a wealth of priceless international experience who add to their already impressive stripes. This spells trouble for their Pool Six opponents who are expected to have a torrid time against a full strength Leicester line-up.

Heineken Cup Odds courtesy of coral.co.uk:

Stade Francais 5/2
Biarritz 9/2
Leicester 8/1
Perpignan 9/1
Toulouse 10/1
Gloucester 12/1
Ospreys 16/1
Saracens 16/1
Clermont 20/1
Munster 20/1
Wasps 20/1
Leinster 33/1
Llanelli 40/1
Cardiff 50/1
London Irish 66/1
Ulster 80/1
Bourgoin 100/1
Dragons 100/1
Bristol 125/1
Harlequins 125/1
Glasgow 150/1
Edinburgh 250/1
Treviso 500/1
Viadana 1000/1

Opening Weekend Fixtures:

Friday, 09 November 2007
Perpignan 23 - 19 Newport-Gwent D'gons, 20:00
Ulster 14 - 32 Gloucester, 20:00

Saturday, 10 November 2007
London Irish v Treviso, 15:00
Ospreys v Bourgoin, 17:30
Stade Francais v Harlequins, 13:35
Viadana v Biarritz, 13:30
Wasps v Munster, 17:30
Edinburgh v Toulouse, 15:30
Leinster v Leicester, 13:30

Sunday, 11 November 2007
Cardiff Blues v Bristol, 13:00
Saracens v Glasgow, 15:00
Clermont Auvergne v Llanelli Scarlets, 15:00