Keith Wood will confine himself to a place on the bench for the return meeting between Pool D leaders Harlequins and Cardiff at the Stoop today, where there is bound to be tension in the air in light of Tony Rees' 90-day ban after Harlequins cited him for kicking Gareth Llewellyn at the Arms Park.
"To be honest, a back injury before the start of the season set me back a bit and, although I've played in every game this season, already I'm conscious of the fact that it's a 40-week season," said Wood yesterday.
For all Andy Keast's hopes to the contrary, there is bound to be some bad blood for this match. "I hope there is no animosity left over from our last meeting," said Harlequins' rugby director yesterday.
Some pressure has been taken off Cardiff with their win over Munster, coupled with their healthy points differential and with Harlequins actually doing them a favour by beating Bourgoin. Even if they lose, a quarter-final play-off would follow a home victory over European Conference champions Bourgoin on Saturday week.
The most intriguing match of the weekend is the probable pool A decider between Leicester and Toulouse at a capacity Welford Road. At stake, to all intents and purposes, is an automatic quarter-final place as Leicester seek to complete a highly creditable treble over the four-times French champions and inaugural Cup winners.
Following their comprehensive 37-11 semi-final home win over Toulouse last season, Leicester won 22-17 at Les SeptDeniers a fortnight ago. Thus, Leicester have a strong psychological edge for "le crunch", as Martin Johnson intimated yesterday. "On their day, Toulouse can beat anyone, but if we can reproduce the form that sustained us in Toulouse, then our victory chances are strong."
Guy Noves, the Toulouse coach, admitted that last year's semi-final especially is "a really bad memory. Leicester dominated Toulouse in every aspect of the game. That day we were up against a very good Leicester side." Today's one looks better and with Emile N'Tamack only beginning his recuperation and Christophe Deylaud still sidelined, Toulouse don't. Leicester await a late fitness check on Joel Stransky.
In Pool B, surprise debutants Glasgow could take a huge stride toward an unlikely play-off place by repeating last month's stirring success over a strangely out-of-form Swansea.
Pool C continues its fascinating path when Pontypridd play host to the Scottish Borders today before Brive entertain Bath tomorrow. Curiously, by my calculations, if Ponty and Brive make home advantage tell and they go on to finish second and third in this pool, then there is every chance of Brive hosting Pontypridd in a play-off rematch of last month's infamous clash.
Pool E pace-setters Pau and another unhappy Welsh club, Llanelli, plan to put £20,000 fines for foul play behind them by enhancing strong quarter-final chances with away wins over Caledonia and Treviso respectively.
There could be a surprise here though as, collectively, the Welsh are notoriously poor travellers.
