Gerry Thornley runs the rule over the six Heineken Cup Pools.
POOL 1
London Wasps
Last three seasons: Cup winners, Challenge Cup winners, Pool stages.
Formguide: Missing up to eight test frontliners thus far, yet their famed blitz defence has helped keep the reigning Euro and English champions in touch domestically with five wins on the trot. This suggests the hunger is still there.
Star turn: Lawrence Dallaglio. Simply a massive influence, with plenty of good rugby left in him. Warren Gatland can hardly have contained his glee when 'Lol' announced his international retirement.
Prospects: Biarritz at home tomorrow will go a long way towards determining their campaign and they'll need their pack to be nearer full-strength for pivotal back-to-back meetings with Leicester.
If they survive all that, given their built-in rests and fitness levels, they're liable to get stronger as season progresses.
Biarritz Olympique
Last three seasons: Semi-finalists, quarter-finalists, pool stages.
Formguide: Bought in Imanol Harinordoquy, Damien Traille and others over the summer and though a flying start domestically was undermined by four straight, if narrow, losses, they remain the most prolific side in France and have regrouped with wins over Narbonne and Brive to go third.
Star turn: Behind their bullying, mauling tight five and alongside the enforcer-in-chief, Serge Betsen, the ridiculously gifted Harinordoquy could provide Biarritz with the cutting edge they've previously lacked.
Prospects: Not likely to make the desultory start of last year at Lansdowne Road and after the autumn internationals it may be in their interests to have Calvisano back-to-back. But away wins to the English former champions could be beyond them.
Leicester Tigers
Last three seasons: Pool stages, quarter-finalists, winners.
Formguide: The Tigers have their claws back, maintaining their end-of-season rejuvenation under Alan Wells to assume leadership of the Premiership in England after a run of six games unbeaten.
Star turn: Harry Ellis. The nippy, sniping scrumhalf can be a handful, and will break regularly behind the snarling veterans up front.
Prospects: Will be smacking their chops at the prospect of Calvisano's visit, against whom they average 42 points from four previous Cup meetings.
Back-to-back meetings with Wasps are liable to make or break their pool campaign, though ultimately may not have the backline class to win a third cup.
Ghial Rugby Calvisano
Last three seasons: Pool stages, pool stages, pool stages.
Formguide: Two wins in 18 previous European Cup ties, the experienced Italian campaigners set the early pace in the Italian Super 10 with five consecutive wins before suffering recent losses to rivals Parma and Treviso.
Star turn: Paul Griffen, their ex-Canterbury Kiwi outhalf with the prominent sideburns, will provide an experienced and rugged presence amid what is likely to be another chastening European experience for the Italians.
Prospects: In a word, bleak. After getting Leicester and Wasps in each of the previous three years, now they get both, as well as a crack French outfit.
It's coach Claudio Appiani you'd feel sorry for. Calvisano will score points, especially in the Centro Sportivo San Michele, but they'll concede plenty more.
Pool forecast
In a dog-eat-dog slugfest between the big three, it could well be that they share four wins apiece. Thus it's hard to see a second-best qualifier emerging. Perhaps the English duo will cancel each other out and allow Biarritz to slip through on bonus points, but the smart money would still be on the reigning champs.
FIXTURES: Today: Leicester v Calvisano (2.45); Tomorrow: Wasps v Biarritz (3.0) Sky. Sat Oct 30th: Biarritz v Leicester (3.0) Sky; Calvisano v Wasps (1.30). Sat Dec 4th: Biarritz v Calvisano (6.30). Sun Dec 5th: Wasps v Leicester (3.0) Sky. Sat Dec 11th: Calvisano v Biarritz (4.0). Sun Dec 12th: Leicester v Wasps (3.0) Sky. Jan 7th/8th/9th: Leicester v Biarritz; Wasps v Calvisano. Jan 14th/15th/16th: Biarritz v Wasps; Calvisano v Leicester.
POOL 2
Bath Rugby
Last three seasons: Challenge Cup semi-finalists, Challenge Cup finalists, pool stages.
Formguide: Rejuvenated by John Connolly, they topped the league table last season in England when benefiting from few test call-ups but currently the 1998 European champions are ensconced in mid-table after three brutish battles in a row.
Star turn: Olly Barkley, one of the great white hopes of English rugby, appears to be weighed down by expectation and hasn't really been commanding the number 10 shirt at the Rec, but no doubting his talent.
Prospects: A fine juggernaut of a pack, potent in the set pieces, but they're already looking a little battered and bruised and you wonder if they'll have the resources and attacking clout to go a long way.
Leinster
Last three seasons: Pool stages, semi-finalists, quarter-finalists.
Formguide: Revived by Declan Kidney after last year's horrors, their classy, potent backs have cut loose when the pack has held the upper hand but defeats away to the Dragons and the Ospreys suggest they're still looking for cohesion.
Star turn: Brian O'Driscoll. His influence/presence was most acutely felt when injuries against Perpignan, in the semi-final two years ago, and Sale at home last season, saw Leinster implode. But the key man may yet prove to be David Holwell.
Prospects: Fate has decreed they collide with two hard-nosed packs for whom scrums are a prime statement of intent. Bath at home (Lansdowne Road?) looks a pivotal game, and autumn tests will hit, but they could flourish when their main rivals have been battered by domestic fare.
Benetton Treviso
Last three seasons: Pool stages, Challenge Cup, pool stages.
Formguide: With seven cup campaigns under their belts and a respectable haul of 11 wins from 36 games, Italy's standard bearers in Europe are well primed given they're setting the pace once more domestically.
Star turn: As ever Alessandro Troncon, the stout-hearted Azzurri scrumhalf and captain, will give Treviso's litany of test players (the Dallan brothers, the talented Sergio Parisse et al) a steadying tactical hand and leadership.
Prospects: Playing them first up at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo, where they've recorded eight of their 11 wins, is probably the worst time to catch them. They may take a scalp or two along the way. May not be pool kings, but could be kingmakers.
Bourgoin
Last three seasons: Pool stages, pool stages, Shield pool stages.
Formguide: Classic French case of travail on their travels, and not exactly blessed with a compelling European pedigree; as is their wont they've been winning domestic home games, losing away ones and lie fifth alongside Castres and Agen.
Star turn: Pascal Pape, the imposing, talented 24-year-old lock broke into the French World Cup squad last year and is now more of a key man after the summer loss of Sebastien Chabal, a beast of a backrower and a local cult hero.
Prospects: Liable to lose interest if they fall out of touch, as happened when Munster toughed it out in the Stade Pierre Rajon last season.
But, with their rugged, mauling pack, and the boot of Alexandre Peclier, well capable of beating any of their group rivals at home.
Pool forecast
Not inconceivable that one of the two best runners-up could emerge from this potentially unpredictable pool, with Leinster perhaps the most likely to sustain their challenge and Bath to join them in the last eight.
FIXTURES: Today: Bath v Bourgoin (2.15); Benetton Treviso v Leinster (1.30). Fri Oct 29th: Bourgoin v Treviso (6.30). Sat Oct 30th: Leinster v Bath (5.15) RTÉ/Sky. Sat Dec 4th: Treviso v Bath (4.0); Leinster v Bourgoin (5.15) RTÉ/Sky. Fri Dec 10th: Bourgoin v Leinster (8.30) Sky; Sat Dec 11th: Bath v Benetton Treviso (2.15). Jan 7th/8th/9th: Bath v Leinster; Treviso v Bourgoin. Jan 14th/15th/16th: Leinster v Benetton Treviso; Bourgoin v Bath.
POOL 3
Stade Toulousain
Last three seasons: Runners-up, winners, pool stages.
Formguide: No team have a better Euro pedigree (44 cup wins) than the French but the underrated Yann Delaigue's departure (as well as Cedric Desbrosse in midfield) leaves them thin at half-back. They've been trundling along domestically, though Guy Noves may have a long campaign in mind.
Star turn: Frederic Michalak. When he is at his strutting best so, too, inevitably are Toulouse, but, if anything, the onus on him appears to have intensified given the departure of Delaigue.
Prospects: With a raft of injuries, an uninspiring summer turnover of personnel, and likely to be hit by autumn tests, one wonders if Toulouse have the strength in depth for what will be an even more arduous campaign. But, still liable to again pace themselves better than most French teams.
Northampton Saints
Last three seasons: Pool stages, quarter-finalists, pool stages.
Formguide: Have made relatively little impact since success of 2000, and have struggled in virtually every department this season. Topped the Premiership after two games, but have scored just one try in losing the last five and hit by injuries to Steve Thompson and Paul Grayson.
Star turn: Mark Robinson. In a different era the scrumhalf might have a truckload of All Blacks caps and, with Matt Dawson gone and Grayson injured, carries a heavier load now.
Prospects: At a low ebb and likely to again struggle for tries and bonus points, they might before long find their minds focused far more urgently on lowly Premiership standing.
Llanelli Scarlets
Last three seasons: Quarter-finals, quarter-finalists, semi-finalists.
Formguide: Welsh standard bearers in Europe but they've suffered an alarming fall from grace this season, losing four out of six to slip 17 points off the Ospreys' Celtic League pace.
Star turn: Signs are that, like the team, Scott Quinnell is an ebbing force but nobody can have a more galvanic, talismanic effect on the Scarlets.
Prospects: Much hinged on must-win opener at home to Toulouse last night and while they can probably cock a snook at the Celtic League more than most, Stephen Jones's loss is still being felt and they'd want both feet in the quarters before return visit to Toulouse.
Glasgow Warriors
Last three seasons: Challenge Cup, pool stages, pool stages.
Formguide: Signings of Canuck prop Kevin Tkachuk and Kiwi lock Dan Turner have bulked up a lightweight tight five and wins over fellow Scots and last time out Ulster suggest they'll be a potential mid-table Celtic League force in Europe.
Star turn: Dan Parks. As the Aussie-born outhalf showed with his 24-point haul against Ulster, he looks like being the pivotal man for both club and country this season.
Prospects: Draw has been kind, giving them faltering Northampton at home first up, even if it comes with a five-day turnaround before playing Toulouse away. Might take a couple of scalps at home without really mounting a challenge.
Pool Forecast
Toulouse mightn't have hit the ground running, but with Llanelli and Northampton seemingly on a downward curve, once more the draw has been kind and could suit their habit of strengthening as the campaign progresses.
FIXTURES: Last night: Llanelli v Toulouse. Tomorrow: Glasgow v Northampton (1.0) Sky. Fri Oct 29th: Toulouse v Glasgow (8.30) Sky* (delayed transmission). Sat Oct 30th: Northampton v Llanelli (1.0) Sky. Sat Dec 4th: Northampton v Toulouse (3.0). Sun Dec 5th: Glasgow v Llanelli (1.0) Sky. Sat Dec 11th: Toulouse v Northampton (4.0) Sky. Sun Dec 12th: Llanelli v Glasgow (1.0) Sky. Jan 7th/8th/9th: Llanelli v Northampton; Glasgow v Toulouse. Jan 14th/15th/16th: Northampton v Glasgow; Toulouse v Llanelli.
POOL 4
Munster
Last three seasons: Semi-finalists, semi-finalists, runners-up.
Formguide: No team will come into the tournament with more desire. Scoring more freely, they appear to have hit form with three successive wins, though truer tests await.
Star turn: Fully fit, injury-free and retaining an innate eye for the tryline, Christian Cullen has scored eight tries in six games and could provide the X factor in Munster's magnificent obsession but Ronan O'Gara is the key man. If he wobbles, Munster wobble, but when he plays well, as he usually does, ditto Munster.
Prospects: Behind a hard-nosed pack and settled halves, Cullen has given them a potency perhaps missing heretofore, but test call-ups may have a debilitating effect and they wouldn't want any injuries in the front row or at halfback.
NEC Harlequins
Last three seasons: Challenge Cup winners, Challenge Cup semi-finalists, pool stages.
Formguide: Out of the cup for the last two years, although they did win last season's Parker Pen, Quins have lost all seven league games this season but they have toughened up in recent narrow defeats to Gloucester and Leicester.
Star turn: Jeremy Staunton. Turning down Wasps for Quins looked a questionable move but he's nailed down his favourite number 10 jersey and if Quins could establish more of a platform the mercurial one has the talent to flourish.
Prospects: Liable to improve when Simon Maling, the excellent ex-All Black lock from Otago, and Geo Cronje arrive in the engine room, though this is offset by Matt Henjak's Wallaby call-up, and by then anyway they may be focusing their attentions on their lowly league position.
Castres Olympique
Last three seasons: Challenge Cup, Shield winners, semi-finalists.
Formguide: Heavy spenders in the close-season, with Kees Meeuws due to join Yann Delaigue, Paul Volley and Mark Denney (all Cup winners).Unbeaten leaders domestically after six rounds before seven-all draw at home to Stade Francais last week arrested run of three defeats.
Star turn: Yann Delaigue may assume the kicking duties from the misfiring Richard Dourthe, while Volley has already assumed a decision-making, leadership role on the pitch.
Prospects: Pivotal opening game against the Ospreys today but with a trek to Quins next before hosting Munster in favourable conditions in round three, the draw gives them every chance of building momentum and staying interested.
Neath-Swansea Ospreys
Last three seasons: Pool stages, pool stages (as Neath and Swansea), pool stages (as Swansea).
Formguide: Plucked at the Warriors' carcass and added ex-Wellington scrumhalf Jason Spice over the summer, they are the form side in Wales. They and Treviso are the only unbeaten teams in European top flights.Confident and well-drilled, though poor Euro pedigree.
Star turn: Gavin Henson. Not as brittle as previously, at last he's delivering on his talent, and reverting to the outhalf role has given the Ospreys points galore and possibly the biggest touch finds in Europe.
Prospects: On a roll, which if they maintain it away to Castres will make them dangerous for Munster tomorrow week. It will be interesting to see how they react to defeat, mind, recalling how the wheels came off last season, especially if that happens in France this evening.
Pool Forecast
A good three-way tussle, on paper anyway. Munster should get off to a winning start but with a five-day turnaround after the autumn tests for the daunting trip to Castres, the trek to unbeaten Ospreys in round two looks pivotal. If they win, they know their way through the pool complexities better than anyone.
FIXTURES: Today: Munster v Harlequins (5.15) RTÉ/Sky; Castres v Ospreys (6.30). Sat Oct 30th: Harlequins v Castres (3.0). Sun Oct 31st: Ospreys v Munster (3.0) Sky. Fri Dec 3rd: Castres v Munster (8.30) Sky. Sun Dec 5th: Ospreys v Harlequins (3.0). Sat Dec 11th: Munster v Castres (5.15) RTÉ/Sky; Harlequins v Ospreys (3.0). Jan 7th/8th/9th: Munster v Ospreys; Castres v Harlequins. Jan 14th/15th/16th: Ospreys v Castres; Harlequins v Munster.
POOL 5
Edinburgh Rugby
Last three seasons: Quarter-finals, pool stages, pool stages.
Formguide: Quarter-finalists last year for the first time, admittedly when catching an underdone Toulouse on the opening weekend in a weak pool. After opening three defeats this term, have won two of their last three.
Star turn: Todd Blackadder. The former All Black captain leads by deed and word, and Edinburgh looked rudderless when he went off in Donnybrook, while Marcus Di Rollo has looked lively in midfield.
Prospects: Still missing key men in Simon Taylor and Tom Phillip. Tough opener last night and such is the high threshold for qualifying will probably need to win their next four to stay in with a chance. Looks beyond them.
Perpignan
Last three seasons: pool stages, runners-up, pool stages.
Formguide: Have signed some good young French under-21 stars like Nicolas Durand and Jean-Philippe Grandclaude as well as Romanian flanker Ovidiu Tonita. Though last week's 22-0 defeat at low-lying Pau highlighted typically poor French form away, they lie joint top with Toulouse domestically.
Star turn: Bernard Goutta, the 32-year-old flanker, remains the warrior of the team and typifies their Catalan spirit while another key man is Manny Edmonds, whose game has flourished in France and may prompt a return to the Wallaby fold next season.
Prospects: Former All Black Scott Robertson and even Danny Herbert may yet recover from injury to supplement a big-name, cosmopolitan squad and if they get some points from their trips to Newcastle and Newport they'll be well primed to make the quarter-finals.
Newport Gwent Dragons
Last three seasons: pool stages, pool stages (as Newport), pool stages (as Newport).
Formguide: Hand-picked point-scoring backs from the Warriors to complement a proven pack and then gambled on the ex-Kangaroo rugby league coach Chris Anderson. Thus far everybody has settled in. Caught cold in week two at Cardiff, they've since won five on the bounce.
Star turn: Gareth Cooper, the livewire Welsh scrumhalf, has lived up to expectations alongside fellow former Warrior Ceri Sweeney while Gareth Wyatt has been scoring for fun, but flanker Jason Forster is their enforcer.
Prospects: With last year's solid base, the Dragons could yet be the pick of the Welsh regions. Given their strong home form, the opening fixtures probably fall as they would wish and could leave them well placed for the pool run-in.
Newcastle Falcons
Last three seasons: Challenge Cup, Challenge Cup, pool stages.
Formguide: Initial three league wins may have flattered them and a last-ditch draw at home to Saracens ended a run of three successive defeats to the heavyweight trio of Gloucester, Leicester and Wasps at nearly 40 points per game.
Star turn: With some bloke called Wilkinson sidelined for at least the autumn Dave Walder is likely to assume the kicking and playmaking duties and will need to make a decent fist of it.
Prospects: Their Euro pedigree is decidedly undistinguished and their pack doesn't look equipped for the hard slog but given ball and a dry track their conveyor belt of young finishers (Michael Stephenson, Mathew Tait, Tom May, Jamie Noon and Epi Taione) will do damage.
Pool Forecast
One of the more open, unpredictable pools. Perpignan ought to have the clout and class to come through but any one of the other three could make it. The Dragons - in the best form and with an excellent home record even before the summer arrivals - could be the ones to surprise them.
FIXTURES: Last night: Perpignan v Edinburgh (8.30) Sky* (delayed transmission). Today: Newport v Newcastle (1.0) Sky. Sun Oct 31st: Edinburgh v Newport (1.0) Sky; Newcastle v Perpignan (2.30). Sat Dec 4th: Newport v Perpignan (2.30). Sun Dec 5th: Newcastle v Edinburgh (2.30). Sat Dec 11th: Perpignan v Newport (7.0); Edinburgh v Newcastle (5.30). Jan 7th/8th/9th: Perpignan v Newcastle; Newport v Edinburgh. Jan 14th/15th/16th: Newcastle v Newport; Edinburgh v Perpignan.
POOL 6
Stade Francais
Last three seasons: quarter-finalists, Challenge Cup quarter-finalists, pool stages.
Formguide: The French champions, now coached by Fabien Galthie, have been grinding out wins to stand fourth despite a plethora of backline injuries (Brian Liebenberg, Ignacio Corleto, Juan Hernandez and Raphael Poulain) as well as Christophe Moni and Pieter de Villiers.
Star turn: Mauro Bergamasco has rediscovered the form that made him the prized backrower in Europe two or three years ago though as important will be the long-serving campaigners up front, Marconnet, Auradou and James.
Prospects: Tomorrow's visit of Gloucester looks huge. It could be the launching pad, though Ravenhill has accounted for three of their six losses in Ireland and entering into the Kingsholm lair, they wouldn't want Gloucester in touch.
Ulster
Last three seasons: pool stages, pool stages, pool stages.
Formguide: For five seasons since their 1999 triumph Ulster have failed to get out of competitive pools, despite inching ever closer on the back of three unbeaten home campaigns. Along with a summer turnover and injuries, three successive home defeats have undermined that Ravenhill mystique.
Star turn: Andy Ward remains the hard man for the long road and David Humphreys the talisman, while if injury free, the talented Roger Wilson can give their forward play some badly needed dynamism.
Prospects: Much hinged on last night's must-win opener at home, just to buttress them for the daunting assignments away to the pool's big two as well as reviving that Ravenhill factor. A daunting ask, though.
Cardiff Blues
Last three seasons: pool stages, pool stages, pool stages.
Formguide: Perennial underachievers, after yet another summer of player turnover their home form has been decent enough but despite two early tries in Limerick last week the Blues put up another typically spineless away display.
Star turn: Dynamic, ball-carrying USA Eagles number eight Kort Schubert looks a hell of a signing, breaking the tackles of David Quinlan and Shane Jennings in the drawn Donnybrook seasonal opener.
Prospects: Singularly bleak. The departure of Iestyn Harris leaves them looking a little short in the creative department and their last three Euro campaigns brought no reward on the road. Even if they catch Stade in dilettante mood next week, it's hard to see the Blues maintaining a challenge.
Gloucester
Last three seasons: quarter-finalists, pool stages, shield semi-finalists.
Formguide: Unbeaten in 10 cup games at Kingsholm, their six away defeats were all against top-rank opponents. Going well enough domestically, with six wins out of seven, despite Henry Paul's unconvincing place-kicking and adopting a bit more of a kicking game.
Star turn: Behind the Cherry and White bruisers up front Andy Gomarsall's superb passing range and workrate flourish while Duncan McRae is the key man in giving their game control and direction.
Prospects: There seems a brittleness about them in big away tests but they'll be in the box seat if they win in Paris today, where they've secured the French team's state-of-the-art training centre, and if still in sniffing range when Stade come calling to Kingsholm they'll take some stopping.
Pool Forecast
Looks like being a two-way fight between Gloucester and the Parisian Globetrotters, who, if they can get healthy and stay interested, tend to finish well. It could be that both will go through, with Gloucester leading the way.
FIXTURES: Last night: Ulster v Cardiff Blues. Today: Stade Français v Gloucester (4.0). Fri Oct 29th: Cardiff v Stade Français (7.30) Sky. Sat Oct 30th: Gloucester v Ulster (3.0). Sat Dec 4th: Stade Français v Ulster (2.0) Sky; Gloucester v Cardiff (7.30) Sky. Sat Dec 11th: Ulster v Stade Français (1.0) Sky; Cardiff v Gloucester (2.30). Jan 7th/8th/9th: Ulster v Gloucester; Stade Français v Cardiff. Jan 14th/15th/16th: Gloucester v Stade Francais; Cardiff v Ulster.
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