Heineken Cup Draw today

[BigChris]

Pool 4
Leicester
Clermont
Ulster
Aironi

[kingol22]

Clermont, Ulster and aironi. Not too bad some tough away games but we should get through.

[Skin_and_Muscle]

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton, Scarlets, Castres

Pool 2: Blues, L Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro

Pool 3: Leinster, Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier

Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi

Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Treviso

Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht

[sam16111986]

Pool 3 doesn't look fun for Bath. Then again if we had drawn that group I'd back us to win home and away against Bath and Glasgow and win at home vs Montpellier.

Our group will be tough but Ulster are very beatable if you have a good front five and can stiffle their play. Arioni even with their new signings should be two wins which will make Clermont the real challenger. If we can beat them at Welford Rd and Ulster maybe do us a favour we could top the group.

[tigermad]

That is a pretty good draw with Ulster and Clermont providing some testing encounters. I just hope I am there to see some of the action.

[Bertos]

Not too bad a draw. Ulster were one of the toughest 3rd seeds we could have drawn but having said that I have never been over there to see them play so might try and get to that one.

[1966]

For those that have been, what are Clermont-Ferrand and Viadana like for a long week-end, also what are the travelling options like to both?

[PM76]

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton, Scarlets, Castres

Pool 2: Blues, L Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro

Pool 3: Leinster, Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier

Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi

Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Treviso

Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht

If we can solve our problem of winning our three home games then we should top the group. 23 points should guarantee us getting a home qf so by my calculations we need:

Win at home versus Clermont and Ulster. (8 points)
10 points versus Aironi (18 points)
Win away at Clermont or Ulster and get an LBP at the other ground -5 points.
(23 points overall)

Anyway we have a good chance at getting out of that pool and at least we avoided a really tricky pool. Saints should have fun in their pool

[rdracup]

Agree with analysis above re 23 points... only issue is if we start on a wet friday night on Nov 11 at Ravenhill ... with players just back from a tiring trip to RWC..... My preference would be to serve that one to Clermont and we have Aironi Away on Nov 12 followed by Ulster at Home, then double header with Clermont - starting Away... that would be perfect...

[BJ.]

For those that have been, what are Clermont-Ferrand and Viadana like for a long week-end, also what are the travelling options like to both?

Clermont - we went for the Round 3 match in Dec 09. The town was all prepped up for Christmas and looked quite nice. Plenty of good bars and eating establishments. Very friendly locals who welcomed the travelling Tigers. The Guillaume Tell is definitely worth a visit either before or after the match. We flew EMA-CDG and took the train the rest of the way which meant we could have lunch in Paris with Ze Stade Fan on the Monday.

Aironi - we went for the Round 2 match in Oct 09. Viadana did not have any accommodation, railway station or bus service. We stayed in Parma which necessitated a flight from EMA to Milan and hiring a car. Parma is fine but a weekend will enable you to see all of it. We were made very welcome in Viadana on match day (in my case, especially by one of their Kiwi player's Great Dane - but that's another story!). This time I'll be looking for accommodation to the NE of Viadana if the game is played there. If it's in Reggio nell' Emilia, then Modena or Bologna are definite options.

[SPIKE@srufc]

Car hire in Modena could be worth the trip alone.

[TigrisLeicesteris]

I think pool 1 is a toughy. It will we a hard task for Saints to repeat the feats of this year, but good luck to them. nothing is a certainty in rugby any more, there could well be a few shocks in all groups.

[Jay C]

Foden quote prior to the draw today : "I think we are a good enough side to make sure we are there or thereabouts again next season."
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Pool 1: Munster, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Castres
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Foden quote after the draw (I'm guessing!) : "Oh Sh*t"

[Jay C]

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff Blues, London Irish, Edinburgh, Racing Metro
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath Rugby, Glasgow, Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Benetton Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht

Pool 1 = pool of death ie anybody's
Pool 2 = pool of easy life ie anybody's
Pool 3 = Leinster
Pool 4 = phew, that could have been a lot worse !
Pool 5 = Biarritz get it easy again
Pool 6 = Toulouse

Saracens should get a best runner's up spot.

I think the rest of the places are up for grabs - should be a cracking competition - and I fancy us for the 4th home QF this time