Heineken draw puts it up to Leinster and Munster

LEINSTER AND Munster have been handed tough assignments following yesterday’s Heineken Cup draw in Cardiff, while for once, lady luck bestowed a little favour on Ireland’s third team in the tournament, Ulster.

Leinster have been pitted against the new French champions Clermont Auvergne, who they beat in last season’s quarter-final at the RDS, English Premiership runners-up Saracens and the Pierre Berbizier-coached, cash rich Racing-Metro 92.

The draw will carry an obvious resonance for Leinster’s new coach Josef Schmidt as the New Zealander spent three productive years as backs’ coach with Clermont, culminating in the club winning the Bouclier de Brennus for the first time this season.

Clermont have signed Crusaders hooker Ti’i Paulo, Waikato Chiefs and New Zealand international backrow Sione Lauki, while coach Vern Cotter has enticed Perpignan backs coach Franck Azema to fulfil Schmidt’s former role.

Saracens, under former Springbok and London Irish centre Brendan Venter, were mugged by a late try in the English Premiership final by Leicester Tigers centre Dan Hipkiss and the South African-dominated club have several outstanding players, including hooker Schalk Brits.

Parisian club Racing-Metro 92 have also been waving their cheque book with abandon and their most significant signing is Argentine playmaker and outhalf Juan Martin Hernandez from the Natal Sharks. They have also captured French international wing Benjamin Fall, Italian utility back Mirco Bergamasco, Perpignan scrumhalf Nicolas Durand and prop Julien Brugnaut, the latter leaving Munster after one season.

The 2006 and 2008 European kingpins Munster face an equally onerous task in trying to extricate themselves from pool three.

Munster have never lost to Magners League champions Ospreys in Europe but the stellar Welsh franchise are capable of beating any team in the tournament.

Toulon, conquerors of Connacht in the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at the Sportsground have continued to recruit aggressively, signing Australian flanker George Smith, former All Black tighthead Carl Hayman, wing Paul Sackey, Stade Français centre Geoffroy Messina and Sale Sharks secondrow Dean Schofield.

Cedric Heymans and South Africans Nico Breedt and Wynard Olivier are also reputed to be in discussion with the French club.

Bob Casey’s London Irish proved in winning at the RDS during the pool stage of the tournament just how formidable a squad the Exiles possess and but for a series of injuries might have gone further in the competition.

Exiles coach Toby Booth admitted: “Normally when the Heineken Cup draw is made there is a “Group of Death” and it looks like pool 3 will be that group this year. There’s no denying that it will be challenging but if you want to be associated with the best teams in Europe, as London Irish does, then you have to test yourself against the very best and we certainly will be doing that next season. Our progress in the group will be a useful benchmark to how far the club has developed in recent years.”

Brian McLaughlin’s Ulster are grouped along with Bath, whom they beat home and away in the most recent staging of the tournament, 2010 runners-up Biarritz Olympique and Italian side Aironi (formerly Viadana), arguably the best draw of the Irish provinces.

Reigning champions Toulouse have been drawn alongside London Wasps, Glasgow Warriors (they beat them home and away at the pool stage en route to winning) and Newport Gwent Dragons.

Pools 1 and 5 would seem to be a straight shoot-out between Cardiff and Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers and Perpignan respectively.

The difficulty for Leinster and Munster is, given the competitive nature of their groups, only one team from each is likely to make the play-offs.

Once again those pools that contain Italian teams could provide the two best runners-up slots.

Fixtures:Round 1 – October 8th/9th/10th; Round 2 – October 15th/16th/17th; Round 3 – December 10th/11th/12th; Round 4 – December 17th/18th/19th; Round 5 – January 14th/15th/16th, 2011; Round 6 – January 21st/22nd/23rd; Quarter-finals – April 8th/9th/10th; Semi-finals – April 30th/May 1st; Heineken Cup Final – May 21st/22nd, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

HEINEKEN CUP 2010/2011

POOL 1

Cardiff Blues, Northampton Saints

Edinburgh

Castres Olympique

POOL 2

LEINSTER

Clermont Auvergne

Saracens

Racing Metro 92

POOL 3

MUNSTER

Ospreys

London Irish

RC Toulon

POOL 4

Biarritz Olympique

Bath

ULSTER

Aironi Rugby

POOL 5

Leicester Tigers

Scarlets

Perpignan

Benetton Treviso

POOL 6

Toulouse

London Wasps

Glasgow Warriors

Dragons