The Heineken Cup is here again, and we're here to give you the lowdown on the contenders. Here's our guide to Pool 1.
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The Heineken Cup is here again, and we're here to give you the lowdown on the runners for the silverware. Here's our guide to Pool 1.
London Irish
Prospects: The Exiles were drawn in the annual 'Pool of Death' alongside Llanelli, Toulouse and Ulster last time, and it told as they managed just one win from their six features. Despite finishing bottom of the pile, London Irish remain hugely competitive throughout and can count themselves unlucky not to have picked up a couple more wins after close battled with Toulouse and the Scarlets. The draw has been kinder to Brian Smith's men this season and they will certainly fancy there chances against the Dragons, while Treviso should guarantee them a couple of maximum points hauls. The test of the Irish's ambitions will come against Perpignan, with very few sides leaving the south of France with victories.
Key player: Shane Geraghty - The talented 21-year-old has a bright future in the game, as his brief cameo in the Six Nations proved. Better known for his free-flowing style of play and incisive running from fly-half, however he can also supply the goods with the boot.
Squad: Delon Armitage, Steffon Armitage, Bob Casey, Mike Catt, Danie Coetzee, Declan Danaher, Tomas De Vedia, Casey Dunning, Jonathan Fisher, Warren Fury, Shane Geraghty, Peter Hewat, Eoghan Hickey, Paul Hodgson, James Hudson, Gary Johnson, Nick Kennedy, Tonga Lea'aetoa, Juan Leguizamon, Stuart Mackie, Seilala Mapusua, Aidan McCullen, Nils Mordt, Dan Murphy, Phil Murphy, Topsy Ojo, David Paice, Faan Rautenbach, Bryan Rennie, Peter Richards, Kieran Roche, Dominic Shabbo, Richard Skuse, Jeremy Staunton, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Richard Thorpe, Gonzalo Tiesi, Tom Warren.
Prediction: The Exiles are struggling in the Guinness Premiership, and although the Heineken Cup could provide a welcome distraction or even a boost to their season, it probably won't be enough of a boost to see them get through to the knockout rounds.
Perpignan
Prospects: The Catalans were pipped to a place in the knock out stages of the competition by Wasps last season, having seemingly looked destined for the quarter-finals. Perpignan did beat eventual winners Wasps 19-12 at the Stade Aimé Giral, but defeats to Castres and then the Londoners cost them. The French side have recruited heavily in the close season, with the likes of Percy Montgomery, Chris Cusiter, and Heny Tuilagi arriving at the Stade Aimé Giral. Yet it appears not to be working so far, with the side crashing twice in the top 14 to Montpellier and tiny Albi. Perpignan have a formidable home record though, and will be the side to beat in Pool One.
Key player: Percy Montgomery - The South African full-back should settle into life in France with ease after his goal-kicking heroics at the World Cup. One of a number of overseas players to arrive in the south of France this season, Montgomery has previously played in the Heineken Cup with pool rivals the Dragons. He returns to the tournament a better player and will have sides worried about giving away silly penalties.
Squad: Rimas Alvarez Kairelis, Thomas Anies, Sebastian Bozzi, Gerrie Britz, Julien Candelon, Sebastien Chobet, Damien Chouly, Chris Cusiter, Nicolas Durand, Perry Freshwater, Charles Geli, Jean-Philippe Grandclaude, Guilhem Guirado, Nathan Hines, Gavin Hume, Mickael Ladhuie, Nicolas Laharrague, Grégory Le Corvec, Christophe Manas, Federico Martin Aramburu, David Marty, Nicolas Mas, David Mele, Steve Meyer, Percy Montgomery, Samueli Naulu, Olivier Olibeau, Jean-Pierre Perez, Adrien Plante, Jérôme Porical , Kisi Pulu, Cédric Rosalen, Jérôme Schuster, Marius Tincu, Ovidiu Tonita, Henry Tuilagi , Viliami Vaki , Guillaume Vilaceca.
Prediction: Pool winners, and home quarter-finalists.
Newport Gwent Dragons
Propsects: The Dragons are returning to the top table of European club rugby after a season's sabbatical in the Challenge Cup. The Welsh region reached the semi-finals of the second tier competition last season before losing to the eventual winners Clermont. Newport's last venture in the top European tournament saw them fail to reach the knockout stages as Munster and Sale dominated the group. It is difficult seeing the Dragons making their way past the pool stage this season, however their battles with London Irish could prove pivotal to their hopes of coming away with something. Beating Perpignan could be a step too far for the Dragons, although they should have few troubles easing past Treviso.
Key player: Colin Charvis - At 31 the former Wales captain may be in the twilight of his career, but he remains a quality operator. With almost 50 European appearances for Swansea, Newcastle and the Dragons, the Welsh side will need all of Charvis' experience.
Squad: Joe Bearman, Adam Black, Gareth Chapman, Luke Charteris, Colin Charvis, Jamie Corsi, Kieran Crawford, Ben Daly, Phil Dollman, Paul Emerick, Lewis Evans, Wayne Evans, Nic Fitsemanu, Rhodri Gomer-Davies, Hugh Gustafson, Andrew Hall, James Harris, Lee Harrison, Adam Jones, Steve Jones, Dan Lydiate, Alistair Lyon, Gareth Maule, Kevin Morgan, Richard Mustoe, Michael Owen, Richard Parks, Jamie Ringer, Gethin Robinson, Peter Sidoli, Ashley Smith , Ceri Sweeney, Aled Thomas, Martyn Thomas, Rhys Thomas, Alex Walker, Andy Williams, Gareth Wyatt.
Prediction: Improve from last year they may have, but it is tough to imagine the Dragons progressing beyond the pool stages, there are too many pitfalls likely on the road.
Treviso
Prospects: The traditional whipping boys of the European Cup, the Italians lost all six of their games in the 2006/7 competition, although they did score 11 tries in total. Despite having lost heavily in both their encounters with eventual winners Wasps, they did give a good account of themselves in the clashes with Castres and Perpignan. It is difficult not to see anything but another tough campaign for Treviso. Italy might be coming on leaps and bounds on the international stage, however the club teams remain someway behind Europe's elite. There is little doubt that they will push sides for the first 60 minutes, however the power of Perpignan, the Dragons and London Irish will brush them aside in the last 20.
Key player: Brendan Williams - The Australian-born full-back averages a try either other game in the European competitions having crossed 15 times in 30 matches for Treviso and Petrarca. Now 29, the two-time Italian player of the year remains a potent threat to the best defences.
Squad: Zane Ansell, Michael Barbieri, Robert Barbieri, Lucas Borges, Gabriele Brussolo, Vittorio Candiago, Andrea Ceccato, Enrico Ceccato, Salvatore Costanzo, Nicolas De Gregori, Benjamin De Jager , Gaston De Robertis, Pedro di Santo, Marco Filippucci, Marius Goosen, Dale Heidtmann, Michael Horak, Will Johnson, Dion Kingi, Roderick Labuschagne, Hottie Louw, Andrea Marcato, Nathan Mauger, Matteo Muccignat, Emiliano Mulieri, Silvio Orlando, Scott Palmer, Antonio Pavanello, Enrico Pavanello, Simon Picone, Mark Riva, Andrea Sartoretto, Franco Sbaraglini, Fabio Semenzato, Alberto Sgarbi, Michele Sutto, Diego Vidal, Brendan Williams.
Prediction: Treviso might be able to pull off a couple of surprises in Italy, but that is about as far as the extent of their ambitions could go.
