Leinster - big chance again this season at 9/1.

By David Gee

Sky Bet's Odds Compare All Prices

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	2pts double Leinster and Toulouse to win their respective pools at 5/2 (Betfred).	Our outright picks both look solid in their respective groups.
	2pts on Toulouse to win the Heineken Cup at 7/1 (Betfred & totesport).	Should easily qualify for knockout stages and price looks too big.
	2pts on Leinster to win the Heineken Cup at 9/1 (general).	Last season's champions have every chance of defending their crown.
	1pt on Glasgow to win Pool Two at 6/1 (extrabet).	Have threatened in last couple of seasons and can cause a surprise here.
	1pt on Edinburgh to win Pool Four at 7/1 (Ladbrokes).	Too big a price for a side who, on their day, could easily beat main rivals.

Pool One

Munster reached the knockout stages with ease last season but came unstuck against Leinster in an all-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park in front of a world-record crowd for a club match and they go into this season's tournament as one of the favourites yet again. They currently lie mid-table in the Magners League having lost two games already but there is no finer side in Europe and whilst they may not fully deserve quotes of 4/6 to top this pool, they are still by far the most likely winners of this pool. Perpignan will be seen as their main rivals in this group as the Catalan outfit are sitting at the summit of the French Top 14 table having won six of their eight matches. Northampton's presence in this pool will ensure that this won't be a walk in the park for either side and they have also started their season well and will be eyeing a place in the Guinness Premiership play-offs if they can keep up the same level of form which sees them lie fourth in the league at the moment. Treviso will once again be whipping boys and would have struggled in any other group but with three strong sides to contend with here, they couldn't be backed at any price. Given Munster's start to their domestic season, it looks as if they have been priced up on reputation alone but it would be foolhardy to suggest that they're not the same force as they have been in the past couple of seasons and they can't really be opposed here. Northampton could give them most to think about as Perpignan can be a bit flaky in Europe and you can easily see them losing a couple of games on the road over the winter.

Verdict: Munster

Pool Two

This group looks set to be fought out between Biarritz and Gloucester and whilst most layers have the French side as favourites, Hills can't split the pair and make them 11/8 apiece. John Isaac's men have made a decent start to their domestic campaign, lying fourth in the Top14 having won five of their eight matches. Gloucester have made a mixed start to their Guinness Premiership campaign and have basically struggled since their opening day victory against Bath at Kingsholm. Anyone wanting to take on the French side might want to look twice at Glasgow, who have made a satisfactory start to their Magners League campaign and have threatened to make an impact in Europe over the past couple of seasons. They managed to take the scalp of Toulouse in France last year and if they can bring a bit of consistency to their game, they could easily spring a surprise in this pool and the 6/1 with Extrabet is worth taking. The Dragons have actually made a similar start to Glasgow in the Magners League and could be a tough proposition at home. However, they have traditionally struggled away from Rodney Parade and this should hold them back once more.

Verdict: Glasgow

Pool Three

This should be the most intriguing pool in this season's Heineken Cup as Leicester, Clermont and the Ospreys all have good claims of topping this group. This means it's imperative to win this pool as it's unlikely that any two sides will dominate meaning that none of these sides are likely to qualify as one of the best runners-up. The Tigers have made their usual solid start to the Premiership and are one of the only sides in that division that have the resources to cope with a push both in Europe and at home. Clermont are second in the Top14 and lie just two points behind leaders Perpignan. They were one of the major beneficiaries of the influx of top players into France during the close season and their squad looks particularly strong on paper. The Ospreys have taken Llanelli's place at the major Welsh province in this competition in recent years andhave made another strong start to the season, currently sitting third in the Magners League only two points off the pace. There is very little that can be said about Viadana's chances in this pool and they'll be lucky to get a bonus point during their whole campaign. This is one of the toughest groups to call this season and it could easily go one of three ways. Leicester have an enviable European pedigree to call upon and are the only one of the big three sides here that can be relied upon to win away from home. Clermont lost games in Europe they should have won last season and seem to lose their nerve at crucial moments during the season whilst the Ospreys are consistent enough but you wouldn't expect them to beat both Leicester and Clermont which they'll probably have to do. Hence, Leicester are the picks but they're not attractively priced at 6/4 here and this pool - as interesting as it is - is best left alone for betting purposes.

Verdict: Leicester

Pool Four

Stade Francais are the odds-on favourites to top this pool and you can see why the layers are running scared as they have managed to shrug off an indifferent start to their domestic campaign to rise to mid-table. However, quite whether they should be odds-on is a moot point as although they're clearly in decent nick at the moment, they have not totally convinced in recent weeks and will need to be on top of their game if they are to dominate this pool. The layers think that Bath will be their main contenders in this group and Steve Meehan's men have certainly made progress since the summer, when the scandal surrounding the dismissal of four of their players for refusing to take a drugs test threatened to overshadow their season. However, whilst they sit mid-division, they have only won the one game and will need to up the ante if they are to figure here. Arguably the form sides coming into this pool are Ulster and Edinburgh and it was the latter who got off to a flyer in the Magners League and who could well figure prominently in this season's tournament (up to the knockout stages at least). They face a tough task against Stade in Paris on the opening weekend but have won on French soil before and could well spring a surprise. The 7/1 offered by Ladbrokes about Edinburgh winning this group is too big for a side that could easily beat both Bath and Stade on their day and should be taken. Ulster are actually currently second in the Magners League at the moment but have now shown that they can be beaten at home in Europe and there is no longer an aura surrounding Ravenhill. They can definitely ruffle a few feathers but it's difficult to see them topping this group.

Verdict: Edinburgh

Pool Five

This pool should be relatively straightforward for Toulouse as I couldn't back the other three sides will stolen money at the moment and whilst they could all easily improve, their recent performances don't suggest that that will be happening any time soon. The French side themselves have hardly set the Top14 alight but have been performing well enough to suggest that they can do their usual trick of qualifying for the knockout stages without any bother. Cardiff are second favourites at around 3/1 but they have been poor in the Magners League and have only won one of their five games so far. Harlequins are better than they have shown so far this season but the ghost of 'Bloodgate' still looms large over the Stoop and you could argue that they are lucky to be in this year's renewal of this tournament at all. There's no way of knowing what a return to Heineken Cup rugby will do to the side but the percentage call is to oppose them at 5/1 - I'm not sure they'd be a bet at that price even ifthey were in rude health. Sale have really struggled in the Premiership so far this season and have not been the good things at fortress Edgeley that they should have been. They won't be without their supporters at 14/1 but it's difficult to see them going to places like Toulouse and getting a result and they will have to settle for minor honours at best. If Toulouse get through to the knockout stages, then they'd have a very good chance of reaching the final and the 7/1 offered by totesport and Betfred looks worth taking - anything can happen when they reach the semis but they have a much better chance of getting there than the odds suggest and they look a value bet.

Verdict: Toulouse

Pool Six

Last year's champions Leinster kick off the defence of their title against London Irish this weekend and if they manage to win this game, they should be in the driving seat in Pool Six. Michael Cheika's men finally shrugged off their tag of European bridesmaids last season and this could well give them the confidence to go on and make their mark against the cream of Europe. They are currently at the top of the Magners League and this season may well be the year they replace Munster as the team to beat from the Emerald Isle. However, London Irish should provide stern opposition as they have been in free-scoring form in the Guinness Premiership this season and not only do they currently sit second in the league but have also picked up three bonus points and if they can do this in Europe, they will surely qualify as one of the best runners-up at least. Brive are mid-table in the Top14 at the moment and have been strong at home but weak away from the Stade Municipal. They should win their fair share of home games but it's difficult to see them picking anything up away from France. The Scarlets used to be the side to beat in the Heineken Cup and anything other than a place in the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup was seen as failure. However, this has all changed in recent seasons and their domestic form so far suggests that they will be up against it again here, having only won one game from their five matches so far. Leinster have looked very solid here and whilst there is always the chance they will slip into their old ways, they could be replacing Munster at the head of Irish rugby and are actually a bigger price to top their pool. They could go all the way again.

Verdict: Leinster