Heineken Cup - Good draw for champions

Eurosport - Tue, 09 Jun 19:56:00 2009

European champions Leinster have been handed a favourable draw for the 2009/10 Heineken Cup.

RUGBY Leinster Heineken Cup Champions 2009 - 0

Leinster have been drawn in Pool 6 with London Irish, Scarlets and Brive, none of whom reached the knock-out stages of last season's tournament, though the Irish did feature strongly in the Guinness Premiership where they made the final.

"Every pool in next season's tournament is a tough one and we know that going to Brive will be extremely challenging," Leinster coach Michael Cheika said.

"The draw has thrown up plenty of potentially high-quality matches and I can't wait for us to start defending the title."

Last season's beaten Heineken Cup finalists Leicester have a more challenging route through Pool 3, which also includes Ospreys, French domestic finalists Clermont and Viadana.

Arguably the hardest task awaits those sides in Pool 5, where three-times champions Toulouse will face Cardiff Blues - beaten semi-finalists this year - Harlequins and Sale.

The draw will give the French giants a chance to avenge their quarter-final defeat to the Blues in April, while Harlequins will have to be at their best if they are to repeat their quarter-final appearance of last season.

While many will consider Pool 5 as the 'pool of death', teams in Pool 1 might beg to differ, where European specialists Munster have been drawn with French champions Perpignan, fast-improving Northampton and Treviso.

Nor will there be any easy games in Pool 4 for crisis-hit club Bath. Last season's beaten quarter-finalists are joined by Stade Francais, Ulster and Edinburgh, who finished second in the Celtic League.

In the remaining group, Biarritz will be confident of progressing from Pool 2, where they face Gloucester, Dragons and Glasgow.

The Pool 2 draw also sees former England wing Iain Balshaw, who moves to Biarritz this summer, up against his former club Gloucester.

The 2009/10 tournament features eight of the nine previous Heineken Cup champions, with only twice winners Wasps absent from Europe's premier club competition.

2009/10 Heineken Cup pools

Pool 1: Munster, Perpignan, Northampton, Treviso

Pool 2: Biarritz, Gloucester, Dragons, Glasgow

Pool 3: Leicester, Ospreys, Clermont, Viadana

Pool 4: Bath, Stade Francais, Uslter, Edinburgh

Pool 5: Toulouse, Cardiff Blues, Sale, Harlequins

Pool 6: Leinster, London Irish, Scarlets, Brive

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport

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  1. And what's handsomeguy comment to do with anything?

    From roxycappo, on Tue 9 Jun 3:56PM

  2. Sugruejames Munster will be fortunate to get out of­ their group. Only for their fortunate defeat of­ Monteban last year they were out. They've a much­ bigger task this time. They're slow­ starters.
    firstchoicepm 'gracious' didn't­ think you'd understand the word. They way Cardiff­ went out was beyond. Ther's surely a better way to­ decide matches.

    From roxycappo, on Tue 9 Jun 3:54PM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    it will between munster and leinster..lets hope they­ meet in d final this time..the way it should have bein­ this year

    From sugruejames55, on Tue 9 Jun 2:10PM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I hope I can be a well-educated man's someone­ special. I have long legs, blond hairs and blue eyes.­ Im kind, well-educated, humurous and cute. Reach me at ­ _____W ealthyFinder C o M_____

    From handsomeguy1492, on Tue 9 Jun 1:12PM

  5. All look tough , standards getting better & better­ each year , glad though that the tigers are not in­ group 5 , does look the toughest group , hope Cardiff­ do well for the simple fact that even though they went­ out in the cruellest fashion this year they were­ exceptionally gracious in defeat

    From firstchoicepm, on Tue 9 Jun 12:44PM
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