From an Irish perspective, it’s certainly a peach of a draw for Munster, while Connacht won’t mind getting Zebre again. Ulster might find themselves in a bit of a battle and will need every point they can muster away from Ravenhill.
But pool one stands out for many reasons, and my being a Leinster fan isn’t one of them. The Leinster/Ospreys rivalry has been intense in recent years, but they have had a tendency not to meet on equal footing…it has usually been during an international window, or with one team having a big match the week before or the week after. This home-and-away pairing will finally pit their full squads against each other and should be classics.
As for Northampton, well we have a bit of history with them as well, don’t we? Sky will be all over those two matches. And with the Saints adding North & Fotuali’i to their squad they will certainly mean business. Castres have proven in recent weeks they’re not to shabby either. Dare we call this “The Pool Of Death”?
Elsewhere, look out for Glasgow. I wouldn’t mind seeing odds on them winning that pool, yes, even with the reigning champions in it.
Meanwhile it seems Johnny Sexton can’t get away from Clermont or the Scarlets as he has drawn them for the second year in a row! That will be an interesting pool…I wouldn’t chalk it up for Les Jaunards just yet.
What do you make of it? JLP
POOL 1
LEINSTER
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
OSPREYS
CASTRES
POOL 2
TOULON
CARDIFF BLUES
GLASGOW WARRIORS
EXETER
POOL 3
TOULOUSE
SARACENS
CONNACHT
ZEBRE
POOL 4
ASM CLÉRMONT AUVERGNE
HARLEQUINS
SCARLETS
RACING METRO
POOL 5
ULSTER
LEICESTER TIGERS
MONTPELLIER
BENETTON TREVISO
POOL 6
MUNSTER
PERPIGNAN
EDINBURGH
GLOUCESTER
AMLIN DRAW
POOL 1
BIARRITZ
SALE SHARKS
WORCESTER WARRIORS
OYONNAX
POOL 2
BATH RUGBY
NEWPORT-GWENT DRAGONS
BORDEAUX-BEGLES
MOGLIANO
POOL 3
BRIVE
NEWCASTLE FALCONS
CALVISANO
BUCHAREST
POOL 4
LONDON WASPS
VIADANA
BAYONNE
GRENOBLE
POOL 5
STADE FRANCAIS
LONDON IRISH
I CAVILIERI PRATO
OLYMPUS XV
