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Heineken Cup Prediction Thread

Leonormous Boozer

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Leinster and Sarries are hot favourites in the bookies at 2/1.

Clermont, Toulouse and Chiefs are contenders at 8/1 and 10/1.

Racing 20/1 and Munster 25/1 have an outside shot, definitely elevated due to that wanky pool.

I don't think Sarries are great value with their pool, they'll likely have to go away from home at least once to make the final.

Toulouse need to get their house in order in the top 14 so I could see them dropping a game or two in the pools as well. But they have the easiest pool after Leinster.

Clermont are well placed and will be keen to have a strong return to the tournament. They have a handy pool too.

Leinster should go 5/6 at the very worst, if Lyon aren't fussed again 6/6. Probably the most likely team to play the final.

Chiefs need to turn up in Europe, they really should get a semi but I'm not convinced. They could slip up in that pool too, not too difficult but not many gimmes.

Ster v Clermont in the dream Heineken Cup final, Ster to hit 5.
 
Final has to be minimum expectation for Leinster given the pool (no disrespect to Benetton, Northampton or Lyon but it's as easy a pool as you'll ever get at this level). A top two seeding leading to all home games through the knockouts has to be the aim.*

Saracens are the best team but don't have an easy pool, so life could be tricky for them. Been a while since the French produced a team actually capable of winning it, hope thay changes this year, as long as it's Clermont or Toulouse. Don't see much of a threat from the rest of the English in all honesty, Exeter have consistently flattered to deceive at this level and they're the best of the rest after Sarries.

Munster to lose to a vastly superior team in the semis as is tradition.

*after the world cup, it'll be nice to support a team that actually justifies my arrogance more than once every 10 years
 
I can't believe these tournaments kick off next week, I'm super excited. Leinster and Sarries always seem a head above everybody else, but they're still human, so ya never know. It's impossible for me to predict how the French teams will match up, since I never see them apart from these Cups ... of course, I'm sure the line is, "Even those of us who do watch them regularly have no idea how they'll do either," 'cuz o the whole French thing, but still. Is the Top14 televised in the UK?
 
Leinster and Sarries are hot favourites in the bookies at 2/1.

Clermont, Toulouse and Chiefs are contenders at 8/1 and 10/1.

Racing 20/1 and Munster 25/1 have an outside shot, definitely elevated due to that wanky pool.

I don't think Sarries are great value with their pool, they'll likely have to go away from home at least once to make the final.

Toulouse need to get their house in order in the top 14 so I could see them dropping a game or two in the pools as well. But they have the easiest pool after Leinster.

Clermont are well placed and will be keen to have a strong return to the tournament. They have a handy pool too.

Leinster should go 5/6 at the very worst, if Lyon aren't fussed again 6/6. Probably the most likely team to play the final.

Chiefs need to turn up in Europe, they really should get a semi but I'm not convinced. They could slip up in that pool too, not too difficult but not many gimmes.

Ster v Clermont in the dream Heineken Cup final, Ster to hit 5.
missed that sneaky little post..

For me Leinster and Sarries are favourites. Leinster have lots of depth and talent and they're very well coached. They'll top their pool easily.

Munster virtually always make the last 4 so they'll be there as well. Racing are all over the place. They can't fight the light switch in their disco stadium. They're running into each other in the dark. It's a new dance form in Paris apparently...

Dream final for me would be Toulouse v Leinster in Marseilles
 
I can't believe these tournaments kick off next week, I'm super excited. Leinster and Sarries always seem a head above everybody else, but they're still human, so ya never know. It's impossible for me to predict how the French teams will match up, since I never see them apart from these Cups ... of course, I'm sure the line is, "Even those of us who do watch them regularly have no idea how they'll do either," 'cuz o the whole French thing, but still. Is the Top14 televised in the UK?
well that's not entirely true. The which French will turn up blabla applies to the union. French clubs have done well over the years in both cups. It's the most competitive of all rugby competition for me. Very few mismatches a la Japan. This season is very open again.

Toulouse have made 6 finals with 4 wins in HCup so it's a competition we like. Clermont have done well in Europe as well. Lyon and Montpellier are still relatively new to Europe they'll have to learn how to win those big away games. I'm not sure Lyon have the squad depth to challenge both the league and Europe. They will struggle to hold on to the T14 league AND qualify out of their pool. One is likely to go.
 
well that's not entirely true. The which French will turn up blabla applies to the union. French clubs have done well over the years in both cups. It's the most competitive of all rugby competition for me. Very few mismatches a la Japan. This season is very open again.
Great point - and that's why I love this tournament!
 
It's sh*t that there's no real involvement from a Welsh perspective. Ospreys are gonna get spanked, we all know that.

I used to love Europe......
 
It's sh*t that there's no real involvement from a Welsh perspective. Ospreys are gonna get spanked, we all know that.

I used to love Europe......

Not too different from a broadly neutral English perspective. AFAIK, Sarries have said that they will be focusing on league survival, Chiefs should qualify from the group, but history prevents me from hanging too many hopes on that happening, none of the other English sides look that likely. With six bites of the cherry, sheer weight of numbers suggests that someone will make it through, but I can't see any of them being serious contenders.
 
I'm changing my prediction:
We're gonna win the whole thing at a canter.

We've got the perfect mix of Mancunians and Saffers to punch, headbutt and stamp our way to glory
 
A surprise winner could be on the cards this year. Clermont probably looked the pick after this round. Leinster and Toulouse looked good but will need to improve. Munster, Exeter, Racing and even Glasgow probably reckon they have a sniff with a bit of luck here and there too.
 
Toulouse and Clermont can make the last 4. Lyon owe their T14 lead to the World Cup. Racing and La Rochelle are useless. Racing have beaten Saracens B side they'll think they're invincible. La Rochelle are a shadow of the side they were in recent seasons under Garbajosa.
 
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Toulouse and Clermont can make the last 4. Lyon owe their T14 lead to the World Cup. Racing and La Rochelle are useless. Racing have beaten Saracens B side they'll think they're invincible. La Rochelle are a shadow of the side they were in recent seasons under Garbajosa.
Update on my predictions. Can't see any of the French teams making the final. Toulouse Clermont Racing if they qualify will exit in quarter or semi.
 
Looks like the quarter finalists will be

Leinster (already qualified)
Exeter (best bet for a top two seeding and the home semi alongside Leinster)
Clermont
Ulster (but as runners up unless they can pull off a result in France, not out of the question but they'll probably regret not getting more bonus points)
Toulouse
Two of Racing, Saracens and Munster
Probably Northampton despite the two beatings from Leinster as they're on in the best position of the second placed teams, Gloucester and Glasgow still have to play their group leaders again.
 

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