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Tough tests and tricky battles: the Irish provinces react to yesterday’s Heineken Cup draw

Which Irish province is looking forward to a tie against the “aristocrats of European rugby?”

08/06/11 151 Views No Comments

ONLY A COUPLE of weeks have passed since Leinster pulled off their stunning comeback against Northampton in Cardiff, but thoughts have already turned to next season’s Heineken Cup and the road to Twickenham.

The draw for the 2011/2012 tournament was made yesterday, throwing up a number of mouth-watering ties in the pool stages. Munster versus Northampton? Toulouse versus Connacht in the Sportsgrounds? Yes please.

But enough about what we think – here are the provinces’ thoughts on next season’s groupings.

Tough tests and tricky battles: the Irish provinces react to yesterday’s Heineken Cup draw
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  • Leinster

    Drawn against: Bath, Glasgow & Montpellier (Pool 3). Odds: 4/1 Their reaction: “I think Montpellier will be tough, based on their game the other day against Toulouse. That was a massive effort, especially on the back of three massive efforts to get to the final. “Glasgow are a team we know pretty well. I think Wasps found this year you can’t take them lightly as losing in Firhill really undid their Heineken Cup campaign. They’ve usually got a decent upset in them. They beat Toulouse a couple of years ago in Toulouse, which was an outstanding effort as well, and Bath are the team I probably know least about. They haven’t been in a pool that I’ve been in for the last four years.” -- Joe Schmidt, coach

  • Munster

    Drawn against: Northampton, Scarlets & Castres (Pool 1). Odds: 8/1 Their reaction: "We're up against sides we know well. Northampton Saints, beaten finalists this year, had them in our group last season and then again in the quarter final, a final scoreline that day that didn't reflect the closeness of the game. "Then Scarlets, we play them twice a season in the League, never an easy touch. They've a good European pedigree and of course Castres have been around a long time." -- Anthony Foley, forwards coach

  • Ulster

    Drawn against: Leicester, Clermont & Aironi (Pool 4). Odds: 66/1 Their reaction: “This is the sort of opposition you want to face, these are the kind of occasions you work towards. “It’s going to be really exciting for the players to be facing a tried and tested team of Leicester’s calibre or coming up against a side like Clermont who play an exceptional brand of rugby. “This gives us a great chance to prove just how much of an improvement we have made. We said we wanted to dine at the top table and, in view of the group we find ourselves in, that’s exactly what we will be doing." -- Brian McLaughlin, coach

  • Connacht

    Drawn against: Toulouse, Harlequins & Gloucester (Pool 6). Odds: 1000/1 Their reaction: "We couldn’t have drawn a better side than Toulouse in our first season in the Heineken Cup. I have to be careful what I say about my fellow Irish provinces but I think they are the biggest name in European rugby. They are like Barcelona, the aristocrats of rugby. "They are the team that everyone wants to face and it is a huge boost to us that we will do so. "It has already been pointed out to me that we will play the winners of the last four Heineken Cups this season as we will play both Munster and Leinster in the Magners, and you play professional sport to compete against those sorts of teams." -- Gerry Kelly, Chief Executive
  • Drawn against: Bath, Glasgow & Montpellier (Pool 3). Odds: 4/1 Their reaction: “I think Montpellier will be tough, based on their game the other day against Toulouse. That was a massive effort, especially on the back of three massive efforts to get to the final. “Glasgow are a team we know pretty well. I think Wasps found this year you can’t take them lightly as losing in Firhill really undid their Heineken Cup campaign. They’ve usually got a decent upset in them. They beat Toulouse a couple of years ago in Toulouse, which was an outstanding effort as well, and Bath are the team I probably know least about. They haven’t been in a pool that I’ve been in for the last four years.” -- Joe Schmidt, coach
  • Drawn against: Northampton, Scarlets & Castres (Pool 1). Odds: 8/1 Their reaction:
  • Drawn against: Leicester, Clermont & Aironi (Pool 4). Odds: 66/1 Their reaction: “This is the sort of opposition you want to face, these are the kind of occasions you work towards. “It’s going to be really exciting for the players to be facing a tried and tested team of Leicester’s calibre or coming up against a side like Clermont who play an exceptional brand of rugby. “This gives us a great chance to prove just how much of an improvement we have made. We said we wanted to dine at the top table and, in view of the group we find ourselves in, that’s exactly what we will be doing.
  • Drawn against: Toulouse, Harlequins & Gloucester (Pool 6). Odds: 1000/1 Their reaction:

Read: More of Joe Schmidt’s comments in the Irish Times >

Read: Brian McLaughlin talks to the Belfast Telegraph >

Read: Barry Coughlan speaks to Gerry Kelly in today’s Irish Examiner >

About the author:

Niall Kelly
@niallkelly
niall@thescore.ie

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