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07 October 2008
The Heineken Cup, Europe’s
premier club competition, kicks into action on Friday with
France boasting seven representatives in this year’s
24-strong intake, including debutants Montauban.
They face a daunting first
match away to holders Munster, who triumphed over Toulouse
in last year’s final, and set off under Tony McGahan’s
stewardship seeking to match the French club’s record of
three HC trophies.
The Friday-night clash at
new-look Thomond Park will test Montauban’s European
ambitions to the full – they are in the so-called ‘Pool of
Death’ along with Clermont and Sale Sharks - and captain
Marc Raynaud was happy to admit it provided an attractive
distraction from their main goal this season.
“For us the main focus is
on our national championship [Top 14], but we will also in
the European tournament,” he said.
Some French clubs have not
been averse to sending out virtual second-string teams in
European competition and it remains to be seen what starting
XV Montauban put out when they travel to Ireland.
“We will try to play to
the maximum of our capabilities and we know it is going to
be tough against the European champions,” admitted French
international Raynaud. “But we are going to enjoy it as much
as we possibly can, and play for pleasure.”
Pleasure might not be the
first thing on his mind when he walks out in front of a
sell-out 26,000 at Thomond Park but coach Laurent Labit
believes it will prove a valuable learning experience for
his players.
“We are a small club and
will be looking more to learning and improving than becoming
instant giant killers,” he said.
Kidology or realism? Only
time will tell.
In Pool one’s other match
Clermont entertain the Guinness Premiership’s Sale Sharks,
with director of rugby Jean-Marc Lhermet acknowledging there
will be no easy games.
Clermont, who were the
only team to beat Munster last season, have vowed to stay
true to their attacking instincts.
“People have described
this as the ‘Pool of Death’ and it does seem as though it is
going to be very tough to get out of it. But we will attack
the opposition with everything we have got,” said Lhermet.
Sale are coached by former
French international Phillipe Saint-Andre, who rested
several of their key players for last weekend’s EDF Energy
Cup opener.
Former All Black Luke
McAllister, Welsh scrum half Dwayne Peel and French talisman
Sebastian Chabal should all be fresh after their weekend
off, but Sale will be without Oriol Ripol who broke an arm
in their Edgeley Park defeat.
They will also have to
make do without hooker Sebastien Bruno who is expected to
miss the entire group stages after rupturing a bicep. Lock
Sean Cox is also on the crock list, and could be out until
March.
Beaten finalists Toulouse
start their campaign at home to Bath on Sunday but will be
without Jean-Baptiste Ellisalde, who is undergoing
ultrasound treatment for kidney stones.
The French international
had been due to make his playing comeback in last Friday’s
Top14 match against Castres but was pulled out at the last
minute after suffering kidney pain.
He can play at either
scrum or fly half but with Byron Kelleher and David Skrela
already combining well there this season it shouldn’t prove
too much of a loss for Toulouse.
Former All Black Kelleher,
who has recently picked up the Top 14 Player of the Year
award, has been in scintillating form this season, while
Skrela is currently the division’s most accurate place
kicker.
Current Top 14 leaders
Stade Francais will definitely be without scrum half
Alexandre Albouy for their opening game away to Ulster after
he injured his right knee against Montauban on Saturday.
Initial reports suggest
Albouy could be out for up to a month, and there are also
doubts over rugby league convert Mark Gasnier.
The highly touted Australian has only had two
outings (both on the wing) for the Paris club since
completing his code-switch, but limped out of Saturday’s
clash nursing an ankle injury after going for an
up-and-under.
Stade’s Australian coach
Ewen McKenzie, who has overseen seven wins out of seven so
far in Top 14, admitted to being nervous about playing in
Europe’s premier club tournament.
“It’s all new for me
because it will be the first time I have been involved with
the Heineken Cup,” he said.
“The Heineken Cup is a
much coveted trophy, so the pressure is on. It doesn’t help
the nerves that we start against Ulster in Ravenhill, at a
ground where we’ve never won before.”
Perpignan entertain
Italian side Treviso, but will have to make do without
Fijian number eight Henry Tuilagi, who broke his arm in last
week’s domestic clash with Toulon.
While the Catalans
continue to count down the days to Dan Carter’s arrival –
just in time for the Leicester Tigers double-header in
December - coach Jacques Brunel is hoping to improve on last
year’s quarterfinal exit.
Meanwhile, struggling
Castres face the daunting task of a trip to Guinness
Premiership champions Wasps, with a rejuvenated Danny
Cipriani back in the starting line-up after his lengthy
lay-off.
The French side have been
in woeful form this season and look destined for another
testing 80 minutes as they head to London without form or
confidence, a disastrous combination when taking on the
English giants, and former Heineken Cup winners.
Biarritz, buoyed by last
week’s 46-3 demolition of Montpellier, travel to Kingsholm
to take on a Gloucester side captained by England
international Mike Tindall.
The West Country outfit
have a reputation for wilting when the heat is and Tindall
said the time for excuses had now passed.
“As a group we expect
heads to roll if we don’t deliver, without doubt. We’ve
passed the point as a team where we can say we’ll learn from
our mistakes. We’re now at the point where we should be
competing and winning things,” said the World Cup winner.
“That’s the expectation
the outside world puts on us and it’s what we should expect
of ourselves.”
Biarritz, despite last
week’s win, remain a club under pressure after an
indifferent start to the new campaign, and a loss at
Gloucester, while not devastating, will only increase the
speculation about a possible new head coach.
Friday
Munster v Montauban (21.00)
Perpignan v Benetton Treviso (21.00)
Saturday
Clermont v Sale Sharks (14.35)
Wasps v Castres (16.00)
Ulster v Stade Francais (16.30)
Gloucester v Biarritz (18.30)
Sunday
Toulouse v Bath (16.00)
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