Beginning our Heineken Cup Previews with Pools One and Two, we look at who we think will be the movers and shakers and reveal the first contenders for the Jerry Flannery/Ellen DeGeneres doppelganger of the pool award.
Pool One
Teams: Edinburgh, Munster, Racing Metro, Saracens
Top Dogs: Munster
They may not be the force of old, but considering the amount of injuries and retirements that affected their playing pool last season, they were arguably in a weaker position then and still managed to finish top of the pool after six wins from six.
A lot will depend on how they fare away to Racing Metro in France this weekend, but with two home games to follow thereafter, a losing bonus point or better would put them in a very decent position going forward.
Whipping Boys: Racing Metro
In a group where three of the teams topped their pools last year, Racing look as if they will be up against it this time around. The French side are notoriously bad travellers and if they don’t get a positive result against Munster, it could be a very long and very difficult pool phase for Pierre Berbizier’s men.
Star Man: Paul O’Connell (Munster)
An obvious choice perhaps, but the quicker Munster have their spiritual leader back, the better. He’s getting on in years, but he’s no less influential or inspirational and Munster are simply a better side with him in it.
Lion-in-wait: Donnacha Ryan (Munster)
Looked a bit rusty in his first outing back against Leinster at the weekend, but if he can replicate last season’s performances for club and country, his versatility could force him into the reckoning next summer.
The Jerry Flannery/Ellen DeGeneres doppelganger of the pool award: Simon Mannix/Shane Warne
Catchy title, eh? It’s not a player that wins the award in this pool but Munster backs coach Simon Mannix, who is a dead ringer for Aussie cricket legend and ultimate lad’s lad Shane Warne. Rumours that he puts the likeness to good use with Warne’s squeeze Liz Hurley have yet to be substantiated.
Pool Two
Teams: Benetton Treviso, Leicester Tigers, Ospreys, Toulouse
Top Dogs: Toulouse
The kingpins of European Rugby stuttered through last season’s competition and their Heineken Cup campaign ended with a whimper with defeat to a very beatable Edinburgh side in the quarters. They’ll be out to make amends this time around and with a decent start in the Top 14 behind them (six wins from eight); stopping them from topping the pool will take some doing, even with Leicester and Ospreys around.
Whipping Boys: Benetton Treviso
They could well cause an upset on home soil over the course of the pool stages as they did against Biarritz last season, but in a group as competitive as this one, last place beckons for the Italian side.
Star Man: Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse)
We picked him as Toulouse’s star man this time last year and although he didn’t wield the influence he has in the past in what was a disappointing campaign for the French side, he was coming off the back of a year in which he almost single-handedly drove his national side to the cusp of a shock World Cup victory and was rightly awarded the IRB Player of the Year.
Far fresher this time around, Toulouse will look to the inspirational Dusautoir for leadership in a group where the final outcome is bound to be mighty close.
Lion-in-wait: Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
When Warren Gatland sits down to select the Lions squad, the back row is likely to command most of his time such is the competition for places amongst all four representative nations. Tipuric is playing out of his skin for Ospreys at the moment and impressive Heineken Cup and Six Nations campaigns might just secure his place on the plane Down Under.
The Jerry Flannery/Ellen DeGeneres doppelganger of the pool award: Martin Castrogiovanni/Giant Haystacks
There were any number of stocky men with long hair and a beard we could have compared with Castrogiovanni, but few look as similar as the late English wrestler Martin Ruane, more commonly known as Giant Haystacks. The resemblance is uncanny, don’t you agree?
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