Let the battle begin

As the top teams in Europe prepare for war, Stuart Barnes looks at the Heineken Cup contenders.

Who will be crowned champions of europe?

Here we go; the Heineken Cup. Two of the nastiest looking pools I can remember and what looks like a stroll in the park for Toulouse. Ah but the game on paper and the game on grass (or mud if we get unlucky) are two different matters altogether. So many questions, so many angles; will French dominance be maintained, will the big Irish two reassert their selves, will the English clubs prove last year's worst ever performance was just one of those things or is the 3 million Euro discrepancy between them and the French too great a barrier to overcome? Will Treviso maintain their good home form and the question no one in England seems to have asked is, will a Welsh region break their duck - and if so will it be the less starry eyed Cardiff Blues? Where do we start? Well, I think for a change, this column should be given over to a brief analysis of the six pools.

Pool One - Level of difficulty (5) (1 is pool of death - last time I use the phrase this season folks - 6 is pool of life)

Cardiff Blues - The Saints are the favourites for this pool but I reckon the bookmakers are guilty of being anglophile. How quickly we forget the storming of Marseilles and the confidence that will give them. Casey Laulala is a key component and needs to be 100%; if he is at his peak the Blues are my tournament dark horses. Castres - In the shadow of Toulouse but tough at home; however a smaller squad than the big guns means they find it harder to fight on European and French fronts. They may hold the key to the pool. Who beats them in France may nick the pool Edinburgh - They have more chance of packing Murrayfield out for a pool game than coming out of this pool into the last eight. Normally able to spring a shock in Edinburgh they have made an unusually slow start to the season and appear to be below par Northampton - Expect them to start with a bang Friday night. Five points is essential but there remain tactical and goal kicking question marks that make them more likely to qualify as best runners up from this pool

Pool 2 (2)

Clermont Auvergne - The heroes of last year's competition. Heroes always have feet of clay and Brock James produced the heaviest footed effort from a decent fly half in years to prevent them qualifying in Dublin in the quarter final. Now finally French champions and massive contenders but hard to tip because the pool is so brutal Leinster - Saturday night's win against Munster was a reminder for any of us fool enough to write them off not to. They have the experience to scrape out of this pool but not the power of the pack to regain their crown Racing Metro - The newboys are going well in France and are a popular talking team here as pundits know and love Sebastien Chabal and Juan Martin Hernandez. Lionel Nallet is a lock that deserves the utmost respect too but first year inexperience will do for them. They should be the weakest of the quartet! Saracens - This is hellishly difficult for Saracens and a big crowd at Wembley won't disadvantage Leinster in less than a fortnight. They are a tough team to beat and on a winning roll but perhaps lack the class behind although I for one will not dismiss their chances of creating a shock in Europe and taking out two of the big guns

Pool 3 (1)

London Irish - It will be harder for them to win the Premiership than make it out of pool three alive. Not only must they start with a win against Munster but they needs deprive them of a bonus point because Munster will doubtless give them nothing when the English come as sacrificial lambs, once again in round six. Munster - They are not winning any beauty contests this season but despite a narrow loss in Dublin seem the team to beat in this pool with the combination of vast experience and cleverness at the point of contact; And then there is Thomond Park. They are favourites to qualify although this will test them to their legendary limits The Ospreys - Not shown enough this season but the manner in which they pushed Biarritz to the limits in last year's quarter final suggests they are ready and capable of producing some major performances although a fit Mike Phillips is integral to their hopes Toulon - Jonny Wilkinson, George Smith, Felipe Contepomi all great names, all a little beyond their prime. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is their current world class act but for all the glitz and glamour Toulon lack experience and a back line to produce the moments of magic required to turn the tight games that are bound to be a feature of this pool

Pool 4 (3)

Aironi - The weaker of the two Italian teams and thus the weakest team in the tournament. They are improving and did almost beat Edinburgh at the weekend but how much does that say? Bath - If they play as they did against Gloucester they can concentrate on domestic matters. Fans will be hoping they were too bad to be true but the manner in which the tight five tired is alarming given the same thing happened in Northampton. The sunnier prognosis is that on a dry day they can play and are less fearful on the road than their main challengers Biarritz - While Bath were losing a local derby at home Biarritz were winning their Basque clash away at nearby Bayonne. They have pedigree in this tournament and players of the highest calibre but they are not happy away from home; capable of claiming this pool with a little to spare but also likely to combust when least expected. Ulster - The third and often overlooked Irish challenge. They have steadily improved and in Ravenhill have a bona fide fortress but until they believe they can beat decent opponents on the road the lack of self belief is likely to hold them back. Stephen Ferris is set to establish himself as an outstanding player bordering on world class.

Pool 5 (4)

Leicester - England's champions are struggling with injuries and form but Sunday's defeat was nothing to panic over. The league won't be lost with one bonus point defeat in Watford but the pool could be lost in Treviso. They have the experience and squad to prevail but they will be keen to get their first match out the way Perpignan - Fearsome at home but mediocre in Europe. At their very best they are a 50/50 call with Leicester but despite a magnificent centre pairing in David Marty and Maxime Mermoz, despite a collective brute of a pack they have tendencies to go walkabouts...often in Italy! Scarlets - They are in decent nick and producing some sharp stuff behind the scrum. George North is a name for the future on the wing but David Lyons and his forwards will be tested if they are to compete with two of Europe's best packs. They will produce some fireworks but will probably butn out at pool stage Treviso - Their victory against Perpignan changed the French attitude to their pool last year. A truly dangerous outfit who have already claimed Leinster's scalp in the Magners League; hard to see them doing much on the road but they could be king breakers in Italy

Pool 6 (6)

Glasgow - Like Edinburgh, struggling through the early Celtic League rounds but more than capable of springing a surprise if underestimated. Alas, having beaten Toulouse away two years ago, those days are gone and it's hard to see how they can dream of even a qualifier spot for the Amlin Trophy London Wasps - Twice winners with a proud record but this team lacks the pack and the precision to threaten this season. Sunday could be a gruelling experience but their tenacity could see them scrap their way to wins at the other venues and if Toulouse have won all five games find themselves with a gifted qualification against the already top seeded champions in round six...maybe that's testing my crystal ball beyond its limits! Newport Gwent Dragons - Paul Turner squeezes everything he can out of Wales's poor relations but that has never proved enough and it will not this time around, especially with a few injuries in the camp. Easy on the eye but too often easy for the more potent pack Toulouse - Save the favourites until the very last team. They have to be favourites for the tournament because the pool is one from which they should qualify as one of the top seeds. Home advantage in the quarter and then semi makes them tough to bet against, especially when a number of the challengers will be battering themselves into Heineken oblivion in other pools. They have a team capable of playing it tight and loose, high class performers and the ultimate European pedigree. That is not to say they will win the competition for a fifth time but they are the team to beat..... PS I have not forgotten the Amlin but until the 9th, 10th and 11th best teams from the Heineken are known the competition is a little bit like Hamlet without a Prince. Connaught, Harlequins and Bayonne is the pick of the pools and I hope Exeter take the opportunity to have a crack at high flying Montpelier........how many hours to go? Enjoy it all Stuart

Stuart answers your emails...

Got a question for Stuart? Email him at skysportsclub@bskyb.com or use the feedback form below...

Munster rising

Hi Stuart, I watched Munster v Leinster in the Magners League this evening and as a Munster supporter I have two questions for you. One Do you think Munster even though have lost to Leinster this evening have changed their game plan and seem to be better going forward with the new interpretations at the break down and hence are starting to get better quick ball hence being more competitive than last season. Second do you think Redden and Sexton should be the half back partnership instead of O'Leary and O'Gara for the upcoming November Test Matches for Ireland. Interested in hearing your views.
Chris from Limerick STUART REPLIES: First, I think, Saturday night notwithstanding, that Munster has been the best European breakdown team of recent years and any alterations, however slight in this area, always are a potential advantage. Secondly I think the half back situation should be neither of your proposals. I would go for O' Leary and Sexton. It is about time Declan Kidney gave Sexton a run at the position.

Deflated Sarries

Stuart, did Brendan Venter have a point when he said he was left deflated after Sarries win against Leicester? Surely even a one point win against the Tigers is worth celebrating - especially after the Twickenham final?
Oliver Cochrane STUART REPLIES: Oliver, Saracens should not have allowed Leicester a bonus point. The visitors were gone on the hour mark and Venter's team slipped off their standards and let them in. Performance - long term - creates the environment to secure the victories that really count and while the result was good the second half performance was average. Certainly more will be needed in the Auvergne this weekend, much more. As for revenge, nothing to do with Sunday's game.... Stuart, what are your views on Mike Brewer at Sale? My impression may be wrong, is that he wants to the team to play his game plan and not what they see in front of them. I don't think you get the best from your players unless they believe they're trusted to call the plays that they're actually out there playing. It's a big thing with Geech that in pressure situations players forget calls, moves so on and so forth, but they remember what you make them feel like and they play with that confidence (or lack of) too. STUART REPLIES: Mike Brewer wouldn't be the first Premiership club coach to demand his players follow his plan to the minutest detail. Monsieur Saint-Andre was such a man. McGeechan's old wisdom in remembering coaches cannot make the big plays in the heat of the battle is a minority opinion, albeit a correct one and he has some work cut out at Bath after a mindless and passionless hammering at the hands of Gloucester on Friday.

Thoughts with Gavin Quinnell

Stuart, I was horrified to hear about Gavin Quinnell's injury. It would be good to see another Quinnell back in a Scarlets shirt and I hope his recovery is quick. I was told by someone at the game that Gavin was involved in an earlier incident during the game and that it was a boot that made contact with his eye, and that it wasn't an accident. The player involved has been cited, but surely there is no place in our game for thuggery like this?
Dai Jones STUART REPLIES: Dai, All our thoughts are with Gavin and of course, there is no place in the game for thuggery. I have not seen the game and therefore cannot comment on the specific incident but generally the players know what 'legitimate intimidation' is and what oversteps the mark. I don't think anyone should make too hasty a judgement on the basis of secondary evidence.