Heineken Cup round 4 What next?

Pool 1

Leinster would have expected this pool to be done and dusted but Saints’ revitalising and comprehensive victory at the Aviva has left the vaunted Dublin side stunned and made the pool a far from foregone conclusion. Castres is next up for Leinster, who will need to use the Festive season to retune their spluttering classic engine, get Sean O’Brien fit and somehow succeed in giving Heaslip a chance to rediscover some consistent form. But, for the Saints this much needed victory will give them hope and regain the momentum their season was enjoying before the Leinster visit. Ospreys will not be an easy match; they will sniff a chance to spoil the party and will need no second bidding to put one over the Saints. Qualification will now come down to very small margins and Leinster’s huge win at the Gardens makes them slight favourites to win the group, but it will come down to the wire.

Pool 2

After the debacle of the Blues’ opening game against the Chiefs for the Blues to be lying second in this very tough group is close to a miracle. The game against Toulon will now decide the fate of this group, but the Chiefs’ “never say die performance at the Stade Mayol should give Phil Davies’ men food for thought and the Blues are well capable of getting something out of the game. Toulon under the pragmatic Laporte will not panic and know that their last game against a despondent Glasgow should give the champions sufficient points to squeeze through.

Pool 3

Despite the Saracens’ comprehensive conquest of the hapless Zebre Toulouse’s gutsy and clinical performance in Galway gives them in reality total control of the group. Toulouse’s game with the Saracens will decide their fates but, with Toulouse facing the wretched Zebre in their last game; Saracens could well have reasons to rue their loss Toulouse at Wembley.

Pool 4

Clermont’s comfortable victory over the Scarlets leaves their destiny in their own hands. But, Vernon Cotter’s team will know that their match at the Stoop against the impressive Harlequins will be a significant test of their European aspirations. Friday 10^th January will be marked in red in the respective changing rooms. Harlequins are playing with such power, precision and belief that the two earlier losses in this campaign are looking like complete aberrations.

Pool 5

It is a cliché but you write Leicester off at your peril, the culture of self-belief and sheer bloody mindlessness was exemplified by their securing a last minute victory at Montpellier when to all intents and purposes the game was lost. The Tigers’ have rediscovered their European “mojo”. Ulster will have noted the quality of Leicester’s performance and will start to plan for a shoot-out at what will be a packed and raucous Welford road.

Pool 6

Munster has to go to the once foreboding and intimidating Kingsholm to secure this group before the final round of matches and they will be fancying their chances. The nature of their last gasp win at Perpignan can make a season and Munster will do all they can to harness the momentum. They have melded to the traditional Munster pragmatism a flexible, skilful and pacey approach that is paying considerable dividends. Gloucester’s European dream was shattered at a wet and deflated Kingsholm.