Get ready for a few more big days out!
The Heineken Cup dates have been announced with Ulster facing a tough opener at home to Clermont. Having said that getting any French side at home for the first game has to be a bonus as they can take a while to warm to the competition.
Next up is the Tigers away and it may be sufficiently early in the competition for the English giants to be short some of their World Cup stars but it’s always going to be a tough game irrespective of who turns out. A losing bonus would be the target for Ulster here setting them up nicely for the back to back fixtures against Aironi in December.
Leicester are not going to like visiting Ravers in January and this is likely to be the decisive game in the Pool for Ulster. A win is expected, but a very narrow one, and it will all be a question of bonus points at that stage. All that we can hope for is that the group is still live for the following weeks trip to Clermont and that by that stage the French have turned their attention back to the Top 14.
A historic away win in France for our second successive Heineken Cup Quarter Final – I’m there already!
Sat 12 November 2011 @ 15:40 – Clermont (Home)
Sat 19th November 2011 @ 18:00 – Leicester (Away)
Fri 9th December 2011 @ 19: 30 – Aironi (Home)
Sat 17th December 2011@ 14:30 - Aironi (Away)
13/14/15 January 2012 - Leicester (Home)
20/21/22 January 2012 – Clermont (Away)
Here’s our rundown on the competition and what they have been up to over the summer.
Aironi had a very difficult début season. They initially struggled to compete in the Magners league as was. Their popular and effusive coach, Franco Bernini, was sacked in November after a run of disappointing loses. They suffered a number of heavy defeats but often when they did lose (particularly at home) they did so by a single score. This is shown by the 8 Losing Bonus points received in 22 games.
They finally registered their first win against French team Biarritz in December in the Heineken Cup. This was a massive shock and, though the actual result had little effect on the final placings it gave Ulster a huge boost in their campaign as they chased topped spot.
Aironi’s first and only Magners League win came at home against Connacht on 26 March, which they won 25-13. They finished bottom of the league in 12th.
By all accounts they have strengthened the squad with the addition of the following players for the 2011-12 season Tommaso D’Apice (Roma), Frans Viljoen (Cheetahs), Filippo Ferrarini (Crociati), Tyson Keats (Hurricanes), Luciano Orquera (Brive), Naas Olivier (Cheetahs), Ruggero Trevisan (Crociati), Andrea Masi (Racing-Métro).
Often referred to as the bridesmaids of French Rugby, Clermont have never really reflected the strength of their team with the requisite number of trophies. After finishing runner up 10 times in the Top 14 they did manage to lift the trophy in 2010, their centenary year. The tag of nearly team continues in Europe where they have appeared in only one Heineken Cup final but did manage to lift the challenge cup a couple of times.
Clermont have bought particularly well this season and there wil be a few familair faces for Ulster fans wit h the addition of Benoît Cabello (Brive), Benjamin Kayser (Castres), David Skrela (Toulouse), Regan King (Scarlets), Sitiveni Sivivatu (Waikato), Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors), Nathan Hines (Leinster), Daniel Kotze (Aurillac), Gerhard Vosloo (Brive) and Lee Byrne (Ospreys) to their squad.
They could end up Ulster’s biggest challenge in this group if the new faces get a chance to gel.
Leicester have been the most successful team in English Premiership history, and lost narrowly to Saracens in the 2011 play-offs, but looking back at their honours roll it is a bit of a surprise to note the date of their last Heineken Cup success. They did however compete in the final in 2007 and 2009 and are the second most successful club in the tournament history.
English Premierships Wins: 1988, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2010
Heineken Cup Wins: 2001, 2002
This season they’ve brought in the following; Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Graham Kitchener (Worcester Warriors), Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks), Micky Young (Newcastle Falcons), Niall Morris ( Leinster), Julian Salvi (Brumbies), with the much maligned Tait being perhaps the most exciting.
The early away fixture is going to be crucial in this group. If Ulster can get at least a bonus point they have every chance of qualification.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.