Irish provinces thrown in pools at deep end

Rugby/ European Cup: Tickets for the 2007-2008 Heineken Cup final, which will be held in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium for the third time on May 25th next year, will go on sale tomorrow.

Irish supporters are usually among those in the early rush, but even the most optimistic of their number might be biding their time after a brute of a draw for the provinces yesterday.

Munster, champions two years ago and with a record nine successive appearances in the knockout stages, have probably never had a tougher draw in that time. Pitted with the reigning champions, Wasps, Declan Kidney's men must also face their nemeses of last season, Llanelli, as well as Clermont Auvergne.

The latter may not have the pedigree of some other French sides, but they came within three minutes of their first ever French Championship when unluckily beaten in the final by Stade Français just two weeks ago.

Leinster's "reward" for being the top Irish seeds by dint of their third-place finish in the Magners Celtic League is to be drawn with the competition's two most successful sides, three-time champions Toulouse and two-time winners Leicester, as well as their Scottish bugbears Edinburgh.

At first glance, Ulster's draw might appear more favourable than that of Leinster and Munster, but realistically they will probably start as third favourites in their pool behind the free-spending Ospreys and the English Premiership finalists Gloucester, whatever about those notoriously dilettantish Frenchmen from Bourgoin.

Given the opening round of matches arrives hot on the heels of the World Cup, one can only imagine what condition the core of the Munster and Leinster players who backbone the Ireland team will be in come the second weekend in November.

Munster have relatively little history with their pool rivals.

They beat Wasps 49-22 at Thomond Park in 1996 prior to that epic semi-final defeat at Lansdowne Road in 2004.

Last season's quarter-final loss to Llanelli was, remarkably, their only meeting with Wales's Euro standard-bearers, who have reached the knockout stages eight times, and they have never met Clermont Auvergne.

Realistically, all four are contenders in a group in which it will be a huge surprise if two progress.

"It's a very tough draw," said Kidney yesterday, admitting it demonstrated how the provinces cannot afford to put all their eggs in one basket.

"It underlines how very important it will be to be going well in the Magners League. You can't just focus on one competition. It will be a huge challenge for us.

"Hopefully we will be providing players for the national team but it will be important to bring players through in the Magners League (in September and October). It will be brilliant for the fellas in the World Cup and a brilliant challenge for those who don't make the World Cup."

Between them, Leicester and Toulouse have competed in eight finals, which is eight more than Leinster, and despite their memorable quarter-final win in Toulouse in the 2005-2006 season, Leinster have a particularly ominous track record against their three pool rivals. In 16 European Cup meetings against this trio Leinster have won only five, drawn one and lost nine.

They have losing records against each of them, 2-0-3 against Toulouse, 3-0-4 against Leicester, 1-1-2 against Edinburgh, their one win against the Scots offset by two away defeats and a home draw in the 2000-2001 campaign that effectively cost them a quarter-final place. "It's a tough draw but it will be an exciting group," commented Paul McNaughton (Leinster management committee), who reckoned it should ensure full houses of 19,000 at the RDS for all three home games. "The old cliche applies, but you have to beat the best. Ironically, we were the Irish number-one seeds."

Indeed, one of the immediate side effects of being a top seed is that you have only a one-in-five chance of being drawn against one of the two Italian sides, as the other one is seeded.

As an aside, Leinster have just appointed a new fitness coach in Jason Cowman, who returns to the post after a year's sabbatical after the return to Australia of Brad Harrington, while Kurt McQuilkin has come on board as a specialist defensive coach. Mike Brewer is also remaining on the coaching ticket and will not be taking the reins at Lansdowne.

Munster, for their part, have brought in Paul Derbyshire from Warrington to replace Damien Mednis, who has also returned to Australia, as fitness and conditioning coach.

Ulster will also find it tough to progress from their group, even though the Ospreys have never advanced in four attempts. Against that Swansea did, and the Ospreys are the reigning Celtic League champions.

Since making the 2001 semi-finals, Gloucester have made only one quarter-final in four attempts, but they are a young, improving side who topped the English table this year.

Bourgoin must surely give the tournament a proper effort one of these years, having lost 31 of their 42 matches in seven campaigns.

One only has to look at the other pools to appreciate how unlucky the Irish teams were. Perpignan need kicking if they don't progress from a pool featuring Treviso (notional first seeds), the Dragons (the lowest-ranked Celtic League qualifiers) and London Irish, who will also fancy their chances.

Stade Français, too, will be odds-on favourites to win group three against Bristol, Cardiff and Harlequins. And Serge Blanco, bête noire of the ERC and rugby establishment and a leading figure in almost bringing the tournament to its knees, ought again to be delighted with yet another favourable draw for Biarritz, who for the second year running have Scottish and Italian opponents, Glasgow and Viadana, as well as Saracens.

The match schedule and fixtures will be confirmed in the latter half of July, with two rounds in November, two in December and two in January.

The Irish provinces will be grateful to still be standing come January.