With the Heineken Cup looming large on the horizon, we take a closer look at each group. Next up, Pool Three.
BIARRITZ
Director of rugby: Patrice Lagisquet
Captain: Imanol Harinordoquy
Best finish: Finalists in 2006 and 2010
Key signing: Aled Brew
Player to watch: Dimitri Yachvili
Pool odds: 10/11
HARLEQUINS
Director of rugby: Conor O'Shea
Captain: Chris Robshaw
Best finish: Quarter-finals in 2009
Key signing: Dave Ward
Player to watch: Nick Evans
Pool odds: 10/11
CONNACHT
Director of coaching:Eric Elwood
Captain: Gavin Duffy
Best finish: Pool stages in 2012
Key signing: Dan Parks
Player to watch: Mike McCarthy
Pool odds: 25/1
ZEBRE
Director of rugby: Roberto Manghi
Captain: Gonzalo Garcia
Best finish: Maiden campaign
Key signing: Daniel Halangahu
Player to watch: Mauro Bergamasco
Pool odds: 500/1
How we see it: Two-time finalists Biarritz and English champions Harlequins have probably be given the easiest draw of all and both will strongly fancy their chances of qualifying for the last eight, even if they don't win the group. Connacht surprised many by derailing Quins' campaign last year with a shock win at the Sportground but the Irish side will struggle to compete away from home. Heineken Cup debutants Zebre are the weakest team in the competition and the big guns will expect to pick up a full house of points against them.
Key fixture(s) in Pool: Biarritz have a strong pedigree in European competition and always seem to find an extra gear on the big ocassion. If Quins can beat the Basques on the opening weekend they'll set themselves up nicely for the rest of the campaign and might even be able to rest a few players for the return leg in January.
Prediction: 1 Harlequins, 2 Biarritz, 3 Connacht, 4 Zebre
Fixtures:
13 Oct: Zebre v Connacht
13 Oct: Quins v Biarritz
20 Oct: Connacht v Quins
20 Oct: Biarritz v Zebre
7 Dec: Connacht v Biarritz
8 Dec: Zebre v Quins
14 Dec: Biarritz v Connacht
15 Dec: Quins v Zebre
11/12/13 Jan: Quins v Connacht
11/12/13 Jan: Zebre v Biarritz
18/19/20 Jan: Biarritz v Quins
18/19/20 Jan: Connacht v Zebre
Comments
makemehappy says...
jmehrtens - you're clearly correct. Its a joke that Connacht are even considered as a team worthy of being in pot 3.
Whilst they did beat Harlequins, that was a one off, so I don't think anything should be drawn from that result.
There's not a team in the competition who wouldn't like to be in this group, and that basically says everything.
Posted 16:10 12th October 2012
BiggyFint says...
The West Awake Connacht ABU!
Posted 12:41 12th October 2012
liam2me says...
Connacht, the worst side in Ireland last season, beat the Hairyqueens, tge best side in England, so I wouldn't write them off
Posted 19:13 11th October 2012
jmehrtens says...
@kid_diablo
You are indeed correct they indeed did well in the Amlin even though only in 2010
Nevertheless I think most teams prefer Connacht above all other clubs in pot 3 and 4 with the exception of zebres. And Harlequins got them both.
Still seems weird to me you earn a point for automatically qualifying.
Posted 13:08 11th October 2012
kid_diablo says...
@jmehrtens: they are in pot 3 because they have done well in the amlin in the past few years which still earns any team european points.
Posted 10:00 11th October 2012
jmehrtens says...
Shows that there is something seriously wrong with the qualification system when Connacht 'earns" a place in pot 3 because they rank above the likes of Racing Metro, Sale, Castres, Bourgoin, Montpellier etc.
All because they get a point for automatically qualifying for The HC
And next year they will rise above London Irish or Gloucester even if they fail to beat the Zebres.
Posted 07:55 11th October 2012