Ready to rumble: Sportsmail's guide to the Heineken Cup

By Chris Foy for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

The Heineken Cup kicks off this 週末 as 24 teams will 戦う／戦い to 勝利，勝つ the 栄冠を与える that Leinster won at Twickenham in May. Here, Sportsmail's Chris Foy gives his guide to the six pools and the teams 伴う／関わるd.

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POOL ONE

A classic Pool of Death. Three of these four reached last season’s ４半期/4分の1-決勝戦, with Edinburgh making it to the last four. The Scots belied their league struggles with epic home-and-away 勝利，勝つs over Racing Metro, the rich French 味方する who have just 調印するd Olly Barkley from Bath. Munster don’t seem to be the 軍隊 they were but Saracens, now with Chris Ashton’s prolific finishing, have the calibre to finish 最高の，を越す.

予報するd qualifier: Saracens.

Edinburgh

Coach: Michael Bradley.
Captain: Greig Laidlaw.
Ground: Murrayfield (capacity: 67,144).
Last year: 半分-final. ERC 最高位の: 13.
星／主役にする man: Tim Visser (wing) ? Scotland’s 巨大（な） ‘飛行機で行くing Dutchman’ has 現れるd as a try-scorer extraordinaire.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 125-1.

Munster

Coach: 略奪する Penney.
Captain: Doug Howlett.
Ground: Thomond Park (26,000).
Last year: ４半期/4分の1-final. ERC 最高位の: 4.
星／主役にする man: Ronan O’Gara (飛行機で行く half) ? The 退役軍人 has won countless 圧力 games for his 州 in Europe.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 14-1.

Racing Metro

Coach: Pierre Berbizier.
Captain: Jacques Cronje.
Ground: Stade Olympique Yves du Manoir (14,000).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 29.
星／主役にする man: Juan ツバメ Hernandez (飛行機で行く half) ? ‘El Mago’ (The Magician) is a regal playmaker at his best.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 66-1.

Saracens

Coach: 示す McCall.
Captain: Steve Borthwick.
Ground: Vicarage Road (18,214).
Last year: Qtr-final. ERC 最高位の: 20.
星／主役にする man: Schalk Brits (hooker) ? South African is a combative 今後 with the 技術s of a midfield 支援する.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 16-1.

開始 fixtures ― Saturday: Edinburgh v Saracens, 1.35; Racing Metro 92 v Munster, 1.35.

POOL TWO

Leicester are hell-bent on making 修正するs for failing to reach the knock-out 行う／開催する／段階s. Richard Cockerill’s 味方する can 進歩 if they 避ける a pile of 傷害s, but Toulouse ? awash with 実験（する） talent ? are the team to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域. The Ospreys 保持する clout up 前線 but their wait for European glory is 運命にあるd to go on.

予報するd qualifier: Toulouse.

Leicester

Coach: Richard Cockerill.
Captain: Geordan Murphy.
Ground: Welford Road (24,000).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 9.
星／主役にする man: Ben Youngs (scrum-half) ? 支援する from 傷害 to galvanise the Tigers with his high-octane running.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 14-1.

Ospreys

Coach: Steve Tandy.
Captain: Alun Wyn Jones.
Ground: Liberty Stadium (20,520).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 14.
星／主役にする man: Adam Jones (支え（る）) ? Every 味方する craves a 最高の，を越す tighthead and the Welsh 地域 arguably have the world’s best.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 40-1.

Toulouse

Coach: Guy Noves.
Captain: Thierry Dusautoir.
Ground: Stade Ernest Wallon (19,000).
Last year: Qtr-final. ERC 最高位の: 2.
星／主役にする man: Dusautoir (flanker) ? Rugged, 奮起させるing leader, 残虐な in defence and a menace at the 決裂／故障.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 5-1.

Treviso

Coach: Vittorio Munari.
Captain: Antonio Pavanello.
G 一連の会議、交渉／完成する: Stadio Comunale di Monigo (9,000).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 28.
星／主役にする man: Robert Barbieri (Flanker/No 8) ? A 支援する-列／漕ぐ／騒動 bruiser with a handy knack of 得点する／非難する／２０ing tries.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 2000-1.

開始 fixtures ― Friday: Ospreys v Treviso, 8pm. Sunday: Toulouse v Leicester, 3pm.

POOL THREE

Aviva 首相の職 支持する／優勝者s Harlequins 苦しむd a shock 敗北・負かす at Connacht last season but having won in Toulouse, Conor O’Shea’s men will believe they can 扱う a trip to Biarritz. The most Connacht and newcomers Zebre can 目的（とする） for is an upset 勝利，勝つ at home.

予報するd qualifiers: Harlequins, Biarritz.

Biarritz

Coach: Laurent Rodriguez.
Captain: Imanol Harinordoquy.
Ground: Parc des Sports Aguilera (13,400).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 3.
星／主役にする man: Dimitri Yachvili (Scrum-half) ? The little general makes the Basque team tick and is a renowned goal-kicker.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 14-1.

Connacht

Coach: Eric Elwood.
Captain: Gavin Duffy.
Ground: Sportsground, Galway (9,000).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 24.
星／主役にする man: Dan Parks (飛行機で行く-half) ? The Australian-born, former Scotland No 10 is an experienced playmaker.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 1000-1.

Harlequins

Coach: Conor O’Shea.
Captain: Chris Robshaw.
Ground: Twickenham Stoop (14,282).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 11.
星／主役にする man: Nick 復活祭 (No 8) ? 退役軍人 former captain is on song and hasn’t lost hope of a 実験（する） 解任する.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 10-1.

Zebre

Coach: Roberto Manghi.
Captain: Marco Bortolami.
Ground: Stadio XXV Aprile (5,000).
Last year: N/A. ERC 最高位の: N/A.
星／主役にする man: Salvatore Perugini (支え（る）) ? A one-time cornerstone of the Italy scrum who made his 示す in Europe at Toulouse.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 5000-1.

開始 fixtures: Saturday: Zebre v Connacht, 1.35pm, Harlequins v Biarritz, 6pm

POOL FOUR

Northampton lost the 2011 final to Leinster in agonising fashion after 嵐／襲撃するing into a big lead, but have one of the most formidable packs in the tournament. Ulster have 答える／応じるd to the 粉々にするing death of their young centre, Nevin Spence, by 広範囲にわたる all before them in 最近の weeks and with their blend of South African and home-grown 質 支えるd by the return of Tommy 屈服する.

予報するd qualifier: Ulster.

Castres

Coach: Laurent Travers.
Captain: Matthias Rolland.
Ground: Stade Pierre Antoine (10,000).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 27th.
星／主役にする man: Romain Teulet (十分な 支援する) ? Goal-kicking 十分な 支援する has been a club stalwart since tournament debut 11 years ago.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 80-1.

Glasgow

Coach: Gregor Townsend.
Captain: Alastair Kellock.
Ground: Scotstoun Stadium (5,000).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 19th.
星／主役にする man: John Barclay (Flanker) ? One-time Scotland captain who is renowned as a classical openside poacher and forager.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 200-1.

Northampton

Coach: Jim Mallinder.
Captain: Dylan Hartley.
Ground: Franklin’s Gardens (13, 591).
Last year: Pool.ERC 最高位の: 6th.
星／主役にする man: Courtney 法律s (Lock/flanker) ? When fit, he is an 運動競技の 運送／保菌者, strong in the 空気／公表する and a 難破させるing-ball tackler.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 20-1.

Ulster

Coach: 示す Anscombe.
Captain: Johann Muller.
Ground: Ravenhill (11,700).
Last year: 走者s-up.
ERC 最高位の: 8th. 星／主役にする man: Stephen Ferris (Flanker) ? 人物／姿／数字 of monumental 影響（力） for his home 州, even though his 膝s are creaking.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 18-1.

開始 fixtures: Friday: Ulster v Castres, 8pm, Sunday: Northampton v Glasgow, 12.45pm

POOL FIVE

Exeter jump in at the 深い end on their debut in Europe’s 首相 event ? starting with a trip to Dublin to 直面する the 支持する／優勝者s. Leinster have a raft of 実験（する） players and have 始める，決める new 基準s of attacking cohesion thanks to Joe Schmidt’s 奮起させるd coaching. Clermont have a staggering array of firepower and 今後 clout, with 輸入するs such as 物陰／風下 Byrne, Nathan Hines and Sitiveni Sivivatu. The Scarlets are not the 軍隊 of old but they have a potent 支援する line.

予報するd qualifiers: Leinster, Clermont.

Clermont Auvergne

Coach: Vern Cotter.
Captain: Aurelien Rougerie.
Ground: Stade Marcel Michelin (18,000).
Last year: 半分-final. ERC 最高位の: 7th.
星／主役にする man: Wesley Fofana (Centre) ? フラン’s 最新の midfield sensation was at the heart of run to last four last season.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 8-1.

Exeter

Coach: 略奪する Baxter.
Captain: Tom Hayes.
Ground: Sandy Park (10,744).
Last year: N/A. ERC 最高位の: 34th.
星／主役にする man: Tom Johnson (Flanker) ? The 支援する-列／漕ぐ／騒動 dynamo has been instrumental in the 長，指導者s’ rise, 収入 England 承認.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 500-1.

Leinster

Coach: Joe Schmidt.
Captain: Leo Cullen.
Ground: RDS 円形競技場 (18,500).
Last year: 支持する／優勝者s. ERC 最高位の: 1st.
星／主役にする man: Richardt Strauss (Hooker) ? まっただ中に the 世帯 指名するs, the South African who may play for Ireland has been 優れた.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 7-2.

Scarlets

Coach: Simon Easterby.
Captain: 略奪する M cCusker.
Ground: Parc y Scarlets (15,180).
Last year: Pool. ERC 最高位の: 18th.
星／主役にする man: George North (Wing) ? 巨大（な） 星／主役にする of むちの跡s’ Grand 激突する and World Cup （選挙などの）運動をする. Surely a 実験（する） Lion-in-waiting.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 50-1.

開始 fixtures: Saturday, Clermont Auvergne v Scarlets, 3.40pm, Saturday, Leinster v Exeter 3.40pm

POOL SIX

Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal, has been amassing an ‘army’ and this may be the year when his 軍隊／機動隊s 征服する／打ち勝つ Europe. The French club have such remarkable depth that their pool 競争相手s 直面する a seemingly impossible 戦う／戦い. Yet, the Blues （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 Toulon in the Amlin Challenge Cup Final two years ago and have a few high-calibre players of their own, although the new 政権 is already under 解雇する／砲火／射撃. Sale return on the 支援する of six straight league 敗北・負かすs leaving them 底（に届く） of the 首相の職. Montpellier are fourth in the 最高の，を越す 14, but can’t hope to 辛勝する／優位 out their compatriots in this pool.

予報するd qualifier: Toulon.

Cardiff Blues

Coach: Phil Davies.
Captain: Andries Pretorius.
Ground: Cardiff 武器 Park (13,000).
Last year: ４半期/4分の1-final, ERC 最高位の: 5th.
星／主役にする man: Sam Warburton (Flanker) ? むちの跡s 船長／主将 has had 傷害 問題／発行するs but when fit he is a mong world’s best No 7s.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 66-1.

Montpellier

Coach: Fabien Galthie.
Captain: Fulgence Ouedraogo.
Ground: Stade Yves du Manoir (14,719).
Last year: Pool, ERC 最高位の: 30th.
星／主役にする man: Mamuka Gorgodze (Lock/支援する 列／漕ぐ／騒動) ? Colossal Georgian known as ‘Godzilla’ who England struggled to 扱う at the World Cup.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 66-1.

Sale

Coach: Bryan Redpath.
Captain: Dave Seymour.
Ground: Salford City Stadium (12,000).
Last year: N/A, ERC 最高位の: 25th.
星／主役にする man: Richie Gray (Lock) ? Yet to 攻撃する，衝突する 十分な throttle since move from Glasgow but Scots’ talisman is a major talent.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 200-1.

Toulon

Coach: Bernard Laporte.
Captain: Joe 先頭 Niekerk.
Ground: Stade Felix Mayol (14,500).
Last year: N/A. ERC 最高位の: 12th.
星／主役にする man: Steffon Armitage (Flanker) ? の中で all the 全世界の superstars, the English openside has been the most 一貫した performer.
肩書を与える 半端物s: 7-1.

開始 fixtures: Sale v Cardiff Sunday 12.45pm, Toulon v Montpellier Sunday 8pm

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