A look at pool three
HEINEKEN CUP PEDIGREE: Leinster have more of it than the other three put together, having finally found what they were looking for with two titles in the last three years. Winners in 1998, Bath have progressed from the group stages on four occasions, though not in the last two years, when they have lost nine of their 12 ties. Montpellier, first-time French finalists last season under Fabien Galthie, are debutants, while Glasgow have never reached the last eight in a dozen attempts.
FORMGUIDE: With their World Cup men back in the fold, Leinster found their winning touch against Munster last week to lie second in the Pro 12, but Glasgow have backed up their earlier victory in the RDS with four successive wins to lift themselves to fourth in the Pro 12. Bath sit mid-table after four wins and four defeats. Montpellier have been left off the pace in 12th with two wins in nine sans their World Cup men, and were idle last week due to the outbreak of mumps in Lyon.
FORECAST: The draw could have worked out better for Leinster, a la last season when having French debutants (Racing) at home first-up. Instead, they travel to Montpellier, complete with their Georgian props and key ball-carrier Mamuka Gorgodze back in harness along with Fulgence Oedraogo and Francois Trinh-Duc, (below) and have moved their marquee opener against the champions from the 14,700-capacity Yves du Manoir to the near 33,000-capacity Stade de la Mosson. Montpellier incurred an ERC fine for their Challenge Cup squad selection last season but their team selection will be a pointer, and they'll surely be up for it. Bath away in the first of their December meetings makes those back-to-back clashes trickier, and a la Edinburgh, Glasgow, winners in Toulouse three seasons ago, will stay honest and take scalps, making it likely only one team will progress. Leinster are best equipped to do so.
ODDS: Leinster 2/7, Bath 4/1, Montpellier 8/1, Glasgow 50/1.
FIXTURES: Saturday, Nov 12th: Montpellier v Leinster; Sunday, Nov 13th: Glasgow v Bath; Sunday, Nov 20th: Leinster v Glasgow, Bath v Montpellier; Sunday, Dec 11th: Bath v Leinster, Glasgow v Montpellier; Saturday, Dec 17th: Leinster v Bath, Montpellier v Glasgow; Jan 13th-15th: Glasgow v Leinster, Montpellier v Bath, Jan 20th-22nd: Bath v Glasgow, Leinster v Montpellier.
