The last weekend of Heineken Cup pool matches and all you need is a degree in quantum physics to work out who’ll go through!

Rhys Ruddock, photo from http://bit.ly/iaIVp8

There’s enough stuff on my blog this week with fixtures and tables (at the bottom) to break the wheel on your mouse!


The last weekend of Heineken Cup pool matches and all you need is a degree in quantum physics to work out who’ll go through!

Let’s give an example – in pool four, if Biarritz beat Bath (with a bonus point) and Ulster beat Aironi (with a bonus point) by 56 more points than Biarritz beat Bath (and the cow jumps over the moon) then Ulster go through but if Bath beat Biarritz (and the cow jumps over Pluto)...it is about this stage that my eyes glaze over At the moment, Northampton, Leinster, Toulon, and Toulouse have qualified, while Barritz and Ulster, and Perpignan and Leicester are tied on points at the top of their groups. One each of these two will go through, and then the two best runners up overall. The next three best 2nd placed clubs go into the Amlin Challenge Cup. We’ll reconvene after the last matches to see how it worked out, OK? Everybody with me? Here is a proper analysis of the last round: http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16016_6673930,00.html
And let’s hope the dish still gets to run away with the spoon.

It’s a huge pity that it looks like none of the Welsh sides are going to qualify for the final. When the finals were held in Paris, it was contested between two French sides, but there’s not going to be any Welsh spoken on the field in Cardiff. The Ospreys would surely have been the front runners to claim a final spot but they seem to have faltered in the final straight. Wales seems to be suffering a bad run of injuries at the moment, (Jones, Jenkins, Shanklin etc) to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, to lose one international may be regarded as a misfortune, to lose more than one looks like carelessness. Even a proto Welsh international like Gavin Henson is out for three week, another turn in his sad story, which will surely be made into a film one day. While I’m not sure who’s going to play Gavin and Charlotte (suggestions please), I do know that Bob Dylan’s ‘Hey Mr Tangerine Man’ is going to feature on the soundtrack.

Racing Metro 92 vs Leinster

I’m really looking forward to this one after last weekend. Leinster are going to be pushing hard for a good placing in the top 8. Racing pulled a few of their top player for last week’s match against Clermont, and with not a lot to play for this weekend will probably do the same again. Leinster to finish with a flourish and get the bonus point. Changes from last week Darce, Boss and Ruddock will all be looking for a good showing.

Aironi Rugby vs Ulster

It will pretty miraculous if Aironi beat Ulster and Aironi have also used their miracle card in beating Biarritz. So a big win for the Ulstermen and then they want Bath to beat Biarritz, which is a pretty tall order, pretty huge actually, but if they can just deny them a bonus point there will always be a soft spot for Bath in Ulster.

Munster vs London Irish

Munster will be aiming for an Amlin Challenge Cup place, they have lost their touch overseas, but at home Thomond Park is still a fortress, and I’m expecting a bit of venom in their play after last week’s disappointing loss. Exiles will be looking to pick up where they left off last week, but it’s going to be tough. Too tough, Munster to get the win but possibly not the bonus point. They may be out of the Heineken Cup this year, but this table shows the legacy they leave behind (ex Wikipedia)

Most Appearances

Player                       Club                                           Games


John Hayes               Munster                                     98

Ronan O'Gara           Munster                                    96

Peter Stringer            Munster                                    89

Anthony Foley          Munster                                    86

David Wallace          Munster                                    84

Shane Horgan           Leinster                                    83

Fabien Pelous           Dax, Toulouse                          81

Martyn Williams Pontypridd, Cardiff, Cardiff Blues   79

Alan Quinlan             Munster                                  78

Marcus Horan           Munster                                  77

Amazing really.

Connacht vs Cavalieri Prato

Connacht will look to build on their win last week and rack up some points, go the men in green!

Other matches I’m looking forward to are Ospreys/Toulon, Biarritz/Bath, Castres /Northampton, Perpignan/Scarlets, and Wasps/Toulouse. What a feast!



Heineken Cup

Friday , January 21

Saracens vs Clermont Auvergne 20:00

Racing Metro 92 vs Leinster 20:00

Saturday , January 22

Biarritz vs Bath 13:30

Aironi Rugby vs Ulster 13:30

Munster vs London Irish 15:30

Ospreys vs Toulon 15:30

Castres vs Northampton 17:45

Edinburgh vs Cardiff Blues 17:45

Sunday , January 23

Perpignan vs Scarlets 13:00

Leicester vs Benetton Treviso 13:00

Newport-Gwent D'gons vs Glasgow 15:00

Wasps vs Toulouse 15:00

Amlin Challenge Cup

Thursday , January 20

La Rochelle vs Rovigo 19:45

Gloucester vs Agen

Saturday , January 22

Cetransa El Salvador vs Sale

Petrarca vs Brive 14:00

Connacht vs Cavalieri Prato 18:00

Harlequins vs Bayonne 18:00

Sunday January 22nd

Rugby Parma vs Stade Francais 14.00

Leeds Carnegie vs Bucuresti 14.00