The ERC have announced the dates for the opening four rounds of the Heineken Cup and it appears that Ulster Rugby have a received a favourable draw, favourable that is in terms of the travelling supporter – it might be a bit more tricky on the pitch.
Ulster kick of the competition with Aironi Rugby at home on Friday 9th October and will need make short work of the Italian new boys under the Friday night lights of Ravenhill. Obviously the Italians are an unknown quantity but Ulster are going to have to target a bonus point win here because it ain’t going to get any easier.
Hopefully a good win will fill Ulster full of confidence for their away trip to Biarritz where I think we’re going to need to pick up a win if we are to go through this group – no easy task but Ulster have been close enough before in Parc des Sports Aguiléra and there is a chance that they might just catch the Basque giants napping early on in the competition.
Bath are the great conundrum of this season’s competition and the fixtures are going to be considerably harder than last year but Ulster get the edge with the English aristocrats having to visit Ravers first on a crisp and windy Saturday afternoon in December and they will not enjoy it! The return fixture the following Saturday will be tough but I think Ulster will need to hang on to at least a losing bonus to stay in the hunt for the group.
Hopefully Biarritz will have done something silly like lose one of their back to back fixtures with Aironi by the time they visit Ravenhill in January and Ulster romp home leaving a bonus try win against the Italians as the only remaining barrier for Ulster to finish top of the group.
I’d take that – what a weekend in Italy that could turn out to be!
Fixtures
|
Date |
Opponents |
Kick Off |
|
Fri 9 Oct 10 |
Aironi (Home) |
19:30 |
|
Sun 17 Oct 10 |
Biarritz (Away) |
16:00 |
|
Sat 11 Dec 10 |
Bath (Home) |
13:35 |
|
Sat 18 Dec 10 |
Bath (Away) |
13:35 |
|
W/E 15 Jan 10 |
Biarritz (Home) |
TBA |
|
W/E 22 Jan 10 |
Aironi (Away) |
TBA |
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