So then, Munster in with Perpignan, Edinburgh and Gloucester - you'd have to like that group Ormond.

Ulster have Leicester, Montpellier and Treviso - they'll be happy with that i'd say.

Leinster have a right humdinger of a group. Northampton, Ospreys and Castres!!! Jaysus that's tough.

And Ourselves, just little old Toulouse, Saracens and Zebre.....Well our aim has to be to equal what we did this season and hopefully better it. 3 wins with a few losing bp's would be nice - 4 wins would be great.

You got your wish so Ormond ha ha

Tribe, that's a tough enough group for us. The home games in Ravenhill will be bankers, but they are 3 very tough away games. Treviso have undone many a teams ambitions with a win in Italy, while Ulster only broke their French soil duck last year. Montpellier will be tough. Leicester will be hard at Welford road. If Ulster do get through, I don't expect a home quarter, it will be as group winner but one of the two lowest. Still, Ulster along with Leinster and Munster will take this draw. A tough pool stage is what is needed. This thing of an easy pool is a con, you're never prepared for the knock-outs. If they intend winning the competition, they'll have to knock out some of these teams early on. Tough group for Connacht, but they'll expect a few wins against Zebre and to scare Toulouse and Sarries a scare in Galway.

From a Leinster perspective Tribe, its a bit of a toughie. It could have been "easier" but it could have been worse on the other hand too. I would be confident of Leinster along with Ulster and Munster qualifying. Would be confident of three home wins but the away games for Leinster are very tricky. Connacht will of course problems for anybody at home and won't be there to make it easy for Toulouse or Sarries.

05/06/2013 15:26:39
tribeinbrum
So then, Munster in with Perpignan, Edinburgh and Gloucester - you'd have to like that group Ormond.
Ulster have Leicester, Montpellier and Treviso - they'll be happy with that i'd say.
Leinster have a right humdinger of a group. Northampton, Ospreys and Castres!!! Jaysus that's tough.
And Ourselves, just little old Toulouse, Saracens and Zebre.....Well our aim has to be to equal what we did this season and hopefully better it. 3 wins with a few losing bp's would be nice - 4 wins would be great.
Happy with the group.
Ye will not get 3/4 wins. Where do you get 3/4 wins with a few losing bps??
Yeve improved quite a bit but really tribe? There is optimism and there is delusion

05/06/2013 15:27:11
Dubsfan28
You got your wish so Ormond ha haHappy enough
05/06/2013 15:37:35
Loughduff Lad
Tribe, that's a tough enough group for us. The home games in Ravenhill will be bankers, but they are 3 very tough away games. Treviso have undone many a teams ambitions with a win in Italy, while Ulster only broke their French soil duck last year. Montpellier will be tough. Leicester will be hard at Welford road. If Ulster do get through, I don't expect a home quarter, it will be as group winner but one of the two lowest. Still, Ulster along with Leinster and Munster will take this draw. A tough pool stage is what is needed. This thing of an easy pool is a con, you're never prepared for the knock-outs. If they intend winning the competition, they'll have to knock out some of these teams early on. Tough group for Connacht, but they'll expect a few wins against Zebre and to scare Toulouse and Sarries a scare in Galway.
Ye're 3 games are not bankers? How are they? Montpelier are very strong and have improved a huge amount and have strong backers and strengthening a lot for next season. Yes first in Ulster group not likely to be home quarterfinalist.

Well thanks for shattering my dreams there Ormond - next you're going to tell me Santa and the tooth fairy aren't real!!!

We should be beating Zebre home and away and i'd like us to turn the Sportsground into a proper fortress and really put it up to both Toulouse and Sarries there. Whats not to say we could beat both of them at home???? I certainly fancy our chances against Saracens - and Toulouse.

May be delusional but why not. We've turned over Quins and Biarritz at home in the H Cup, along with the team who did the double this season so maybe i'm not a complete header in thinking we can get four wins.....

05/06/2013 16:25:58
tribeinbrum
Well thanks for shattering my dreams there Ormond - next you're going to tell me Santa and the tooth fairy aren't real!!!

We should be beating Zebre home and away and i'd like us to turn the Sportsground into a proper fortress and really put it up to both Toulouse and Sarries there. Whats not to say we could beat both of them at home???? I certainly fancy our chances against Saracens - and Toulouse.

May be delusional but why not. We've turned over Quins and Biarritz at home in the H Cup, along with the team who did the double this season so maybe i'm not a complete header in thinking we can get four wins.....
Toulouse and Sarries are totally different to Quins and Biarritz. Toulouse and Sarries much stronger
Ye should be looking to turn the Sportsground into a fortress but try that in the pro12 first
Well Toulouse are the best club in history of Heineken Cup and have squad to match. Sarries are much stronger as well with likes of Ashton, Vunipola, Burger, Joubert
Ye will not get 4 wins. 3 would be what ye will at max get.

5/06/2013 16:12:38
ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 4755

Ye're 3 games are not bankers? How are they? Montpelier are very strong and have improved a huge amount and have strong backers and strengthening a lot for next season. Yes first in Ulster group not likely to be home quarterfinalist.
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Ok, maybe not bankers, but other than Saints last year (where Ulster messed up completely - they were way over confident after beating Saints with a try bonus the week before) Ulster are near unbeatable at home in the Heineken. Nobody likes going there. We beat Leicester and Clermont there in 2011/12 competition and (bar the Saints game) you need to go back to 2008 for the last time Ulster were beaten at home in the Heineken. I'd say most bookies would have Ulster at very short odds for the three home games.

It will be a tough group though, the runner up will not likely have enough points to get one of the runner up places, and the winner of the group will, like we said, not likely have a home draw. Tough, but sure what other way would you have it.

Connacht's new academy players
James Connolly (Back Row)
Conor Kindregan (Lock)
Rory Moloney (Back Row)
Saba Meunargia (Tight-Head Prop)
Sean O'Brien (Back Row/Lock)
David Panter (Back Three)
Rory Parata (Centre)
Jacob Walsh (Loose-Head Prop)

Decent players including a few who've mainly played in other provinces at youths/schools level
Parata is the son of a New Zealander and has been playing in Cork in Sundays Well from where he made Munster Youths, moved to Rockwell College and played Schools Cup this year. Played Connacht 19s last September after not making Munster 19s squad. Played Irish 19s in april
Sean O Brien is from Galwey. Captained Irish 19s in April, played Connacht 20s last September and will be there captain this September. Was in School in Cistercian Roscrea.
Saba is from Georgia, been in Ireland for years, in school in Athlone. Played Irish 19s in April.