Heineken Cup discussion - next season

First topic message reminder :

With this season's Heineken Cup almost over with an All Irish final - Leinster vs Ulster I thought it would be a good time to talk about next season.

Who are you looking to forward seeing? Who do you want to avoid?

The Aviva Premiership sides who have definitely qualified:

Harlequins
Leicester
Saracens
Northampton
Exeter
One of Sale/Bath/Gloucester (Sale are the favourites)


All Pro12 sides bar Dragons.

Leinster
Ospreys
Munster
Glasgow
Scarlets
Ulster
Cardiff
Connacht
Treviso
Edinburgh
Some Italian side (replacement of Aironi)

Congratulations to Connacht for qualifying for their 2nd consecutive HC.

Top 14

Toulouse
Clermont
Toulon
Montpellier
Castres
Racing Metro
Stade Francais or Biarritz


European Points for 2012-13 season (as worked out by Jennifer Mcladyboy, well done)


Leinster 38 (40)
Toulouse 27
Munster 23
Biarritz 22 (23)
Cardiff Blues 20
Northampton 20
Clermont 18
Ulster Rugby 17 (19)
Stade Francais 17
Leicester 17
Harlequins 15
Toulon 15 (16)
Edinburgh 12
Ospreys 12
Wasps 12
Bath 10
Perpignan 11
Glasgow 9
Scarlets 9
Brive 8
Saracens 8
Gloucester 7
London Irish 6
Connacht 6
Sale Sharks 5
Bourgoin 5
Treviso 4
Castres 4
Dragons 3
Montpellier 3
Racing Métro 3
Exeter 2
Aironi Rugby (defunct) 2

Projected seeding for next European season - 2012-13 (again credit to Jennifer Mcladyboy).

Tier 1

Leinster
Toulouse
Munster
Cardiff Blues
Northampton
Clermont

Tier 2

Ulster Rugby
Leicester
Stade Francais
Harlequins
Toulon
Edinburgh

Tier 3

Ospreys
Glasgow
Scarlets
Saracens
Connacht
Sale Sharks

Tier 4

Treviso
Castres
Montpellier
Racing Métro
Exeter
New Itallian team




There are only two sides I wish to avoid - Clermont and Leinster.

The group of death I would like: Munster,Toulon,Saracens,Stade Francais/Biarritz. That would be a cracker.

An easier group:Cardiff,Edinburgh,Saracens,Castres

Thoughts?

Feckless Rogue wrote:I'd like to see

Leinster
Harlequins
Scarlets
Treviso

The Leinster/Harlequins/Scarlets matches would surely be entertaining.

You've tripped over the old "all groups must have a French (and English) team in them" rule.

As the old 1970s tee shirt used to read....

Yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death . I shall fear no evil. Cause I'm the meanest motherfocker in the Valley!!!

Bring them on I say. Whoever they are they will be more scared of us than we are of them........ Well.... let's make Clermont 1st seeds though. Hedge d'aul bets like.

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