Time for speculation is over as the Pools for the 2012 Heineken Cup have been announced.
Ulster have been drawn in Pool 4 for the 2011-12 Heineken Cup. The Draw has placed Ulster alongside English giants Leicester and the strong French side Clermont Auvergne. Aironi join the others giving the pool a truly European feel.
It’s a Pool fairly similar in composition to last years group with Ulster facing Aironi for the second season in sucession and it’s pretty much like for like with Tier 1 Leicester replacing Biarritz and the more stoic Tier 2 Clermont replacing Bath.
Ulster can take some comfort in that both Clermont and Leicester finished second in their groups last season, winning fewer games than Ulster along the way, with Leicester finishing behind Perpignan and Clermont finishing behind eventual winners Leinster. Aironi of course finished bottom of Ulster’s group but did record one of the biggest surprises in ERC history by beating Biarritz in the Italian’s first campaign.
More importantly all three teams can be put down as pretty good away trips with Clermont being one I’m particularly looking forward to.
With regards to the other Irish sides, Heineken Cup newcomers Connacht face a huge challenge in their first forray into the prestigious competition being drawn with Toulouse, Harlequins and Gloucester in what could be put forward as the toughest group.
Leinster by comparison have it fairly easy having been drawn with Bath and Glasgow, both of who have struggled in the group stages in recent years, however they must be wary of Montpellier who my have the style of play to cause a few upsets.
Munster’s group looks like it’ll be a pretty dour affair and I fancy the Scarlets to cause a few upsets against the forward heavy competition.
With this being World Cup Year a lot will depend on when particular teams face each other as there will definately be some tired bodies returning from New Zealand. Perhaps an November win for Ulster in Tiger country could be just the thing to put Ulster through to the quarterfinals for the second season running.
The weekends of the 2011/12 tournament are:
Round 1 – 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 November 2011
Round 2 – 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 November 2011
Round 3 – 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 December 2011
Round 4 – 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 December 2011
Round 5 – 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 January 2012
Round 6 – 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 January 2012
Quarter-Finals – 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 April 2012
Semi-Finals – 27 / 28 / 29 April 2012
FINAL – 18 / 19 / 20 May 2012
Full draw below.
Pool 1: Munster, Northampton , Scarlets , Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff , London Irish , Edinburgh , Racing
Pool 3: Leinster , Bath , Glasgow , Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester , Clermont , Ulster , Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz , Ospreys , Saracens , Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse , Harlequins , Gloucester , Connacht
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7 Responses to “Heineken Cup: Tough Group for Ulster”
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I think the tigers will remember a certain song! ……
Memories of the 33-0 beating still fresh in my head!
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Hmm! That was just after a World Cup as well!
Hope your old man has got the trip to Clermont sorted!
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working on it …….. company jet taking off from the carpark at the factory …… corporate tickets for the game …….. mmmmm dream on !!
and fanatical supporters who love their rugby. Not the easiest place in the world to get to by air … unless you like paying air france horrendous amount of yoyo’s, but the SNCF trains are worth a look from Paris or Lyon.
Clermont is a nice city with beaucoup de bars and restaurants
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The trains from Paris are very expensive by the looks of things.
Anyway…will you be doing a wee rough guide thingy for the Euro games?
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Yep Browner I’ll be looking at something this weekend on Clermont Auvergne
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The next step is the game order my own option of choice would be playing Leicester early and late with Clermont in December. Leicester play a very play by numbers style – pounding forwards and then wide rather predictable unless Aironi recuit then they too could be described as predictable — forwards playing keep ball and high ball down field.
Clermont if memory serves are another team that prefer to play a forward dominated game.
Provided Ulster can put out the best XV it is a” do-able” pool although we all could debate what is Ulsters’ best XV and never agree.
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For once i’m inclined to agree with the Mote. It is “do-able” to qualify from this group…not easy, by any means, but certainly achievable. There are reasons to be cheerful a-plenty in this draw.
Tigers are not the team of years ago – yes, they are big and strong and play the Premiership bish-bash-bosh style so beloved by Sky….but they are not comparable to the side of Johnson, Back etc and much like the last time they came to Ravenhill, they will be coming off the back of a gruelling World Cup.
Clermont are much the same – with a powerhouse of a pack, but more of a cutting edge behind in Rougerie etc…but are they to be feared at Ravenhill. I don’t think so. In fact, like plenty of French teams before them….i think they will be less than impressed with having to travel to Belfast on a wet windy Friday night….or even a bright sunny Saturday afternoon.
As for Aironi – no disrespect intended – but we must target them for the double, including the Away win (with BP) They will be no easy-ride….but perhaps Clermont and Tigers might not fancy that trip either…who knows?
One thing i do know is that qualification from this group is in Ulster’s hands. With the likes of Pienaar, Muller, Ferris, Trimble, Payne, Afoa, Wannenburg etc in the side – we should fear no-one. THAT is the message that Brian needs to be preaching from now until kick-off.
Forget all the doom and gloom merchants on the UAFC site – according to some we may as well not bother turning up. Forget all the experts and pundits on Sky who kiss the arse of the English Premiership at every opportunity…the fact remains that we are Ulster. Some by birth, some by virtue of adoption – makes no difference….we’re a breed apart….and now’s the time to prove it. Last season was a stepping stone, just one along the path to joining the European elite again. And if Ulster as a team and as an entity want to do that – then qualification from this group is another step on that same path. Canny game management and securing BP’s will enable that aim…in fact i think BP’s will be crucial in this group, especially on the road. We’ve come a long way from the second half collapse in Biarritz. Ulster as a team are wiser, stronger and more determined- and make no mistake – neither Leicester nor Clermont will be relishing coming to Ravenhill. Bring them on. SUFTU!!!
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