Rugby: Tapping into the feel-good factor of a first northern hemisphere triumph in the World Cup, the Heineken European Cup kicks off with a bunch of salivating ties. Truly, the ninth running of the best "club" competition in the world could be the best yet.
England's success undoubtedly adds to the intrigue. Imagine how the Gallic motivational juices will be flowing in anticipation of two mouth-watering Anglo-French affairs this weekend. This afternoon Stade Francais host Leicester in a star-studded repeat of the brilliant 2001 decider, liable to have 20-plus World Cup players, while there is a meeting of two genuine dark-horse contenders in Wasps and nouveau riche Perpignan tomorrow.
The Irish provinces have provided one winner, two finalists, and three semi-finalists in the last four years, but Munster and Leinster have once again absorbed the biggest hits from the World Cup - and that's aside from the Christian Cullen and Felipe Contepomi setbacks.
History has taught us that we should look most hopefully toward Munster. They overcame a similar time frame and worse World Cup hangover four years ago to reach the final and in the disappointment of Munster and Leinster losing semi-finals last season, it was somewhat overlooked that Munster had another mighty campaign; winning the Celtic League, that "miracle match" against Gloucester, a knock-out victory at Welford Road, before losing by a point away to the eventual champions.
You'd have put your house on them beating Perpignan at Lansdowne Road, and look how Toulouse have reaped the rewards. No less than Leicester the previous two years as champions, being drawn with Leeds Tykes, Neath-Swansea Ospreys and Edinburgh Rugby in Pool Two has already pointed the French aristocrats to another home quarter-final.
Munster, instead, have been permed with Bourgoin (as intimidating an opener as they could get), Benetton Treviso and Gloucester again. The return of tough-tackling Sebastien Chabal, a.k.a. The Terminator, and prop Olivier Milloud will add further grunt and grind to this settled, old-style French outfit, who reached the French Challenge Cup final and won three out of four pool matches in the French championship this season.
"They have some talented backs but they have a huge pack and play a forward-orientated game," says Munster coach Alan Gaffney, who has watched them twice. "They scrum hard and have a particularly strong maul. It's a tough opener, especially after just two weeks' preparation, no doubt about it. But I'm always confident with these guys, because as they've shown they're capable of wondrous things."
Playing Bourgoin away and Gloucester away in Munster's first three games is not, Gaffney admits, ideal. Nor can Benetton Treviso, who have taken 10 scalps in their previous six cup campaigns, be considered the normal Italian soft touches.
They welcome back 11 World Cup players, and Gaffney has had them watched by Killian Keane. "They're a very handy side. They maul and maul and maul in that Italian/Argentinian style. They won't be a Viadana and we'll certainly need to be on our mettle to beat them over there."
Then there's Gloucester, whose purchase of Ronan O'Gara's old sparring partner Duncan McRae from the Lions tour will give their back-to-back meetings added needle - as if they needed any. And Gaffney makes the point that with their World Cup heroes back in harness, the Cherry and Whites aren't much different in personnel from last season.
With Biarritz, Sale and Cardiff in Pool Three, Leinster, arguably, have marginally the best of the Irish draws, though they are under greater pressure to win their opener at home to Biarritz this afternoon, simply because winning home games is virtually imperative to qualifying for the knock-out stages.
Sacrificing Donnybrook, where they haven't been beaten in Europe for a dozen ties dating back to November 1998, the Contepomi registration gaffe and injuries to Denis Hickie and Leo Cullen compound concerns about their advancement. But, at their best, they would be good enough to win the pool.
Ulster improve their performance and European ranking every year yet, much to Alan Solomons's chagrin, their draw gets tougher. Knowing he sounds like a stuck record, the Ulster coach bemoans "a flawed system" which produces six pool winners and two runners-up whose qualification is enhanced by the presence of Italian whipping boys.
At least the introduction of bonus points could minimise this imbalance, as well as clarifying matters entering the final weekend of the pool stages.
Having shared pool honours with Northampton and Biarritz last season, only to miss out on tries scored, this time they've been paired with French champions Stade Francais, a.k.a. the Latino Parisians, and Leicester, though both have yet to fire.
"It's actually become more difficult for us because Gwent Dragons are a tougher outfit than Treviso or Cardiff were in the last two years," says Solomons, who admits that tomorrow's opener in Rodney Parade is probably a must-win game for them.
The competition is still far from perfect, and luck will still play a big part - obtaining bonus points might be easier on dry days, or catching English or French sides later on when they are out of contention and have one eye on domestic leagues.
Nevertheless, as in seven of the previous eight years, the winners are more likely to come from England or France. Of England's six entrants, Wasps (a good bet at 8 to 1 given they welcome back Lawrence Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey, Joe Worsley and Stuart Abbott from the World Cup) have remained the form side, while Northampton and Leicester have the track record.
Toulouse, with their World Cup men back, head France's strongest hand yet.
Because of their huge World Cup contingents, Perpignan and especially Stade Francais will gel as the tournament progresses.
In expanding their Catalan base, Perpignan are negotiating with Barcelona to host any putative "home" knock-out games at the Nou Camp. Verily, the Heineken Cup continues to reach parts even the World Cup or Six Nations cannot.
ODDS (Courtesy of Paddy Powers): 10/3 Toulouse, 6/1 Munster, 8/1 Stade Francais, Leinster, Wasps, 12/1 Llanelli, Gloucester, 14/1 Leicester, 16/1 Northampton, Perpignan, 25/1 Agen, Biarritz, 33/1 Sale, Ulster, 40/1 Bourgoin, Celtic Warriors, 80/1 Leeds Tykes, 100/1 Edinburgh, Neath/Swansea Ospreys, 125/1 Gwent Dragons, 150/1 Cardiff, 500/1 Borders, 2,500/1 Benetton Treviso, 10,000/1 Calvisano.
