Heineken Cup: Draw for next year

The draw will be shown live tomorrow, 12 June, at 11:00 am apparently.

Can see the draw live here:

http://live.ercrugby.com/index.html

seems live now

you can also follow on #ERCPoolDraw

About to start

I'll update as they are drawn

Pool 1
Munster
Edinburgh
Saracens
Racing Metro

Pool 2
Toulouse
Leicester Tigers
Ospreys (ouch)
Treviso

Pool 3
Biarritz
Harlequins
Connacht
Zebra (lucky devils in this pool)

Pool 4
Northamptom
Ulster
Glasgow
Castes

Pool 5
Leinster
Clermont (ouch)
Scarlets (ouch)
Exeter Chiefs

Pool 6
Cardiff
RC Toulon (:/)
Sale Sharks
Montpellier

Ooh Clermont in the Leinster pool

Leinster and Clermont back in the same pool!

Cardiff's pack are going to be smashed by Toulon

gowales wrote:Cardiff's pack are going to be smashed by Toulon

Hey, we beat them in Toulon last time we played

wales606 wrote:

gowales wrote:Cardiff's pack are going to be smashed by Toulon

Hey, we beat them in Toulon last time we played

True, but look at that pack compared to your pack next year

now they will even more miss Jenkins

Wales606 - only have IE6 in the office (Yeah, I know ) so the "Live Feed" runs like a

http://www.tg4.ie/en/tg4-player/tg4-player.html

Imagine Toulouse, Leicester, Ospreys!

And they do! And unlucky Scarlets.

Pool 2 and 5 :/

Scarlets main focus should be on the Pro 12 next year...

Biarritz once again getting a soft draw...

Everything riding on the Blues then!

Munster will be happy with their group

I think the competition next year could be the strongest it's ever been.

Pool 6 and Pool 3 look the easiest for the top sides

Connacht stand a REAL chance!

Pool 1:
Munster Rugby
Edinburgh Rugby
Saracens
Racing Metro 92

Pool 2:
Toulouse
Leicester
Ospreys
Benetton Treviso

Pool 3:
Biarritz Olympique
Harlequins
Connacht Rugby
Zebre

Pool 4:
Northampton Saints
Ulster Rugby
Glasgow Rugby
Castres Olympique

Pool 5:
Leinster Rugby
Clermont Auvergne
Llanelli Scarlets
Exeter Chiefs

Pool 6:
Cardiff Blues
Toulon
Sale Sharks
Montpellier

Discussion

Pool 1 - this should surely be full of thrillers down to the wire if Edinburgh, Racing and Munster keep the kind of style they did in last tournament. On the surface it might be hard to call but I don't see anything else than a Munster win here: things might be close but the pool will probably end up with an Amlin runner up.

Pool 2 - Arguably a group of death, with the French champions, the English runners up and the PRO12 champions all in the same pool and all showing recent form. With Treviso in the mix there will probably be a runners up spot for whoever comes second provided they can dominate whoever is third as well. This really is the hardest pool to call, but I'll put my money on, for the first time - Ospreys. To the wire. No Amlin or HC for 2nd place.

Pool 3 - Well, most would say Conor O'Shea must be jumping for joy, but he will not forget the late loss to Connacht last season which almost completely derailed his campaign. Biarritz again somehow manage to draw the lowest ranked Italian side and really should have done so much better in the Heineken Cup by now - if they can take Harlequins away they'll of course be on their way. For me this pool will be dominated by Harlequins, in for a shout of top place seed, with Connacht surprising many to come 2nd, but fall into the Amlin.

Pool 4 - A pool where home and away advantage could be the difference in the end. With Ulster having dominance over Glasgow I can't see Glasgow challenging this year unless they can reverse that form. Northampton will put up a sturdy fight but Castres will probably provide Ulster's biggest challenge, which I reckon they'll just surpass, even if they lose the away game. Ulster to top the table with Northampton in second for an Amlin spot.

Pool 5 - Well well well, Leinster and Clermont, the phoney war? This pool, with no disrespect to Scarlets of Chiefs, can only be a two horse race. Leinster and Clermont will be looking to put 20 points away against the other two opponents to ensure they can surely qualify - I think they will and the second place team, likely Clermont, will go through to the next HC stage as a runner up.

Pool 6 - Even without a Scottish or Italian team this is a relatively weak pool that will have an Amlin runner up. Although Cardiff are in the top tier, their performances last year do not inspire the fans or neutrals, and they will struggle against the French outfits especially. I see Toulon taking the spoils; a gracious re-entry into HC rugby.

Blanco sure has a lot of money

whocares wrote:Biarritz once again getting a soft draw...

and they always get an Italian as well!

What an introduction to the HC for Exeter!

Pool 3 looks like heaven

Pool 2 and 5 look like hell.

Pool 1 is the pool of death imo, Pool 5 Clermont and Leinster should qualify easily

gowales wrote:Pool 6 and Pool 3 look the easiest for the top sides

Not with Toulon in pool 6, and Montpellier are no pushovers

gowales wrote:Pool 1 is the pool of death imo, Pool 5 Clermont and Leinster should qualify easily

Pool 1 over pool 2?

So Montpellier and Toulon should go through

And Biarritz luck f Italian teams continue

gowales wrote:So Montpellier and Toulon should go through

wales606 wrote:

gowales wrote:Pool 1 is the pool of death imo, Pool 5 Clermont and Leinster should qualify easily

Pool 1 over pool 2?

Zebra will be destroyed, Connaught could challenge but very unlikely.

Pool 1 has Munster, Saracens, Edinburgh and Racing Metro. Definitely in my eyes

Happy with that!

gowales wrote:

wales606 wrote:

gowales wrote:Pool 1 is the pool of death imo, Pool 5 Clermont and Leinster should qualify easily

Pool 1 over pool 2?

Zebra will be destroyed, Connaught could challenge but very unlikely.

Pool 1 has Munster, Saracens, Edinburgh and Racing Metro. Definitely in my eyes

Oh my bad you said pool 2. Still i reckon Pool 1 is harder to get out of.

gowales wrote:

wales606 wrote:

gowales wrote:Pool 1 is the pool of death imo, Pool 5 Clermont and Leinster should qualify easily

Pool 1 over pool 2?

Zebra will be destroyed, Connaught could challenge but very unlikely.

Pool 1 has Munster, Saracens, Edinburgh and Racing Metro. Definitely in my eyes

Toulouse, Leicester and Ospreys - treviso are no pushover either, they drew with the O's and came close against Sarries last time.

Holy crap - pool of death for Edinburgh. After Munster and Saracans I was hoping for an easy 4th team but Racing are probably one of the strongest 4th seeds!

I'll definitely class qualifying from this group as a bigger acheivement than winning the group this year!

Biarritz finished outside the qualification spots in the Top14, only got in by winning the Amlin. Harlequins have to fancy their chances in that group. Could easily be a group where top 2 qualify for the 1/4s as there are 2 pretty weak teams in Connacht and Zebre. As long as Harlequins don't choke in Galway again.

Standulstermen wrote:Happy with that!

Yes Stand, I'll take that.

True but Treviso just brings it down imo. Toulouse should beat Treviso quite convincingly with their squad(s). I doubt their will be any rollockings in Pool 1

That's the toughest pool I can remember Toulouse being drawn in!

I like pool 4, it looks very open on the paper with all of those teams having a chance (although Ulster is still favourite).

jeffwinger wrote:Biarritz finished outside the qualification spots in the Top14, only got in by winning the Amlin. Harlequins have to fancy their chances in that group. Could easily be a group where top 2 qualify for the 1/4s as there are 2 pretty weak teams in Connacht and Zebre. As long as Harlequins don't choke in Galway again.

I don't see two teams coming out of that. I think Connacht can pick up at least 3 wins in that group.

As far as Scottish teams are concerned, they're practically the exact right pools to make the two teams push on. If Edinburgh have made progress in the HC they should finish at least second in their pool ... not necessarily qualifying mind you ... If Glasgow have progressed, given their RABO form too, they should fancy top spot.

These things may not happen, but it's nice that 'progress' is a high bar at the moment for our clubs.

Im definatley going to the leinster clermont game!! Cant wait

I'm glad we got Clermont in the pool. I'd be more confident of finishing above them over 6 games, than of beating them in a one off knockout match. We've knocked them out of the last three HC's in a row. In the two knockout matches it couldn't have been any closer. In the pool of 2010/11 we got through quite comfortably. They must be getting sick of us. Will they finally get revenge this year?

Ah man, we got Clermont and Ulster last year (beaten semi finalist and beaten finalist in the end) and this year we get Tolouse and Ospreys. We can't catch a break at the minute. Oh, well better suck it up and get resting those key players because it's gonna be a tough one.

Quins should absolutely smash their group. Connacht were let's face it, lucky, at their place last time as the pitch was a bog and they just kicked and tackled. Any hint of firm ground with Quins pack looking better and better as time goes on, that should be a trouncing at the Stoop and a narrow victory out in Ireland. Biarritz are flakey at best and Zebre will be a comfortable 10 pointer.

Sarries are going to have fun and if they have a fully fit squad (unlike their flanker based woes this season) could upset the Irish applecart and dump Munster out. Exeter will probably not qualify but will earn some friends and a whole lot of respect along the way, flashy they are not but they are organised and strong in every facet of play.

From a Munster point of view its ok. Theres no easy games but they're all winnable too.

Pool 2 looks to be the pool of death. Even Treviso are capable of winning a few matches.

That's a decent point Feckless I hadn't considered it,better to have them in the pool than relying on the luck of the draw to avoid an away semi-final.

I feel better about the group now,thanks.