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Great blog, I know everyone keeps going on about Munster and Lienster as two of the favourites for the Hieneken Cup but dont count out Ulster this season. They have made great strides in the off season with new coach Brian McLaughlin reviving the team. Their performance last Friday against the Scarlets was the full package and its great to see a lot of the young boys breaking into the team. Once again Ulster have a very hard group with Edinburgh, Bath and Stade Francais, i just hope they turn some heads in Europe as they have been doing in the magners league.

Mmmmm "don't count Ulster out", we'll see. Personally I do count my province out. Realistically Ulster should win tonight against Bath but after that I don't know. Ulster have already lost at home to Edinburgh so that does not bode well and I'd expect Stade to wipe the floor with everyone else in this pool. I can see Ulster possibly winning at home to Edinburgh and possibly ending our woeful record of not having won on English soil but that's as good as it gets.

For me this years HEC is the usual suspects Leinster, Munster and the big boys in France with a possibility that one English team may get a favourable quarter-final draw and make the semis.

I really hope Rugby doesn't fall into the same trap as football with the European events and end up with a boring and repetative set of teams sharing a competition that is only designed to win ratings on tv by squeezing out any club that is deemed as 'little'.

Oops, too late

Out of the English teams I can only see London Irish and Saints making inroads this season - I cannot see Leicester dominating a team whilst they are without Flood (not a big fan of Staunton, as he doesnt get the backline moving like it should do). Bath, Quins and Gloucester could struggle this season, due to off field antics and wholesale squad changes - nothing from early season suggests that they will challenge for the HC.

Leinster ahve to be favourites, but surely there is no way that all of the French clubs can flop like they did last season? With all the money they have one of Toulouse, Clermont or Stade must be serious contenders this time round.

Be interesting to see which Welsh team does the best out of their group - I cannot see Cardiff or Ospreys finishing top of their groups and with teh Scottish teams seemingly getting better too, its going to be a very close call this year!

Im a gambling man but with such good quality and competitive teams in the running for the heineken cup im keeping my money in my pocket!

I'd like to see edinburgh and glasgow do well being scottish and all, but my prediction is the winner will come from Leicester, munster or London Irish.

blog was ok generally, but what a dismissive comment about edinburgh and glasgow, Edinburgh and Glasgow are far from a laughing stock now, but the game north of the border could do with one of the two making a statement on the European stage to build on the progress made in the Magners League.
That is a total cop out and no reflection on their chances. you could say the same about any club "leicester have done well but need to perform to show their european pedigree". Do I get a job as a pundit now!

Can anyone tell me how do Munster and Leinster qualify as two of the favourites?

25 mins to read 4 lines, why should britain tremble?

35, reading with the speed of a striking sloth!

Savscot on point 8 possibly it may be that Leinster are the current champions and that Munster have won 2 out of the last 4.

I think Mike Tindall is being mischievous suggesting Heineken Cup rugby is on a par with a Test match. If it was then surely these players would be excelling in international rugby, which they very often aren't. Northern Hemisphere sides still struggle against the top nations from Down Under, and the same in the Six Nations where England players who are considered fantastic in the Heineken Cup don't perform for their national side - Steffon Armitage was a classic case last season.

jovial, Leinster maybe, Munster have lost 3 of their last 5 and lost one of their best players, one of the favourites?

Yip savscot and it's amazing each year at around this time Munster go through a blip in form and then come back with a bang in the heiny.

because Munster and Leinster are the strongest teams..simple..not just quality and size of squad, also have the experience of winning..

The Irish are starting to dominate the competition, which is very impressive and belies the resources available to them as a snmaller country to both France and England. I think Leinster must be favourites and Munster are a machine, so likely winner to come from those two. French clubs will surely do better than last season, I cannot see one of their reps not making the final. English clubs look weak this year, Bath look out of their depth at this level, Gloucester are in disarray, Harlequins have suffered due to Bloodgate and aren't where they were last year. Leicester will always give a good account of themselves but Staunton is average, expect them to get through pool. Northampton look good, think they can reach KO phase and London Irish should also. But I don't see any of them winning. Welsh perhaps not as strong as last season, Cardiff weaker, Ospreys mercurial. Toulouse Vs Leinster final.

On the Ulster Comments: Yes while we have improved this year from last, we still are not good enough to compete, witness the fact that each game we'v so far been able to put together around 40minutes of good rugby, which, as against edinburgh, is not enough to win matches at ML level never mind HC. Our defence at the moment is far too passive at times, and can let in very soft tries (versus edinburgh and the scarlets last week, where they scored two tries because our defence fell asleep and didnt track numbers).

On Leinster and Munster being considered favourites: COME ON NOW, of course they're considered favourites, both while maybe lacking the depth of some english squads, ooze international class, and have proven track records in the past few years in both HC and ML...oh and not to mention Ireland won the grand slam and had (at the start) the largest lions contingent they've ever had...

I reckon that Leinster will win, but from England, I think that the L Irish have the best team at the moment

Not much love for London Irish among the comments. I think they are the English side most likely to shine, as they are a team that is growing and have picked up more experience of the big, pressure matches. Not sure they are strong enough to win, but could go to the semis and prove a tough obstacle.

I think Munster are slight favourites this year. They have a relatively easy group which they will top so that means more than likely a home QF. They are never beaten in Thomond so they are more or less in the semis already. Not sure about leinster. While they were superb last week-have they peaked too soon? They played with all the intesity of a Heineken Cup semi final but it was only a Magners League match and I think tonights game could be very tough. Leinster need a bonus point win tonight and stop Irish from getting one.

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London Irish nice game good result

I can't really understand what all this hype about munster and leinster is all about. fair play to leinster, as they played very well to lift the trophy last year and munster, however boring, are big game players, however this hasn't really been to case in the last couple of years. why is no one talking about either perpignan or especially toulouse!? perpignan showed their class in the top 14 final last year and toulouse are the most exciting team in world rugby and on their day could beat any nation let alone club. they're the only team to have won this cup three times and if you look at their bench that just shows what an exceptional team they are. they destroyed a sale team that didn't play badly and until the last five, had only scored three points. toulouse to win!

Close call this season, could be any team that wins at the moment. The french clubs seem to be getting stronger as do the scottish. The Irish have been playing well all year and Leinster are the reigning champs. The welsh clubs seem to have had a bad start to the season, although the Dragons seem to have upped their game. After the blues beating quins on saturday their my favourate of the welsh clubs to win espeically after reaching the semis last year. But realisticly the final will be between teams from France and/or Ireland.

I was impressed with Glasgows performance against Biaritz at the weekend but I don't think they will have enough.

I do like the look of the Ospreys though

'I can't really understand what all this hype about munster and leinster is all about. fair play to leinster, as they played very well to lift the trophy last year and munster, however boring, are big game players, however this hasn't really been to case in the last couple of years.'

What the cr*p are you drinking! Leinster are the reigning champions and Munster won it the year before. How does your sentence on Munster 'this hasn't been the case in recent year' stand up when it is less than 18 months since they lifted the trophy and less than 6 since they reached the semi-final stage!!!!!! idiot!!

This is a bit old now, any chance of updating our discussions?