AMLIN CUP CHAMPIONS Leinster will face beaten Premiership finalists Northampton Saints, Top 14 winners Castres and Welsh outfit Ospreys in next season’s Heineken Cup.
The draw was made for the 2013/14 pool stages in Dublin this afternoon. And new Leinster boss Matt O’Connor knows he’ll have his work cut out for him in his first campaign in charge with the Irish province.
Ulster — beaten by Leinster in the RaboDirect Pro12 decider — were drawn with Leicester Tigers, Montpellier and Treviso. Munster may well think they’ve got off lightly with a pool including Gloucester, Perpignan and Edinburgh. The last Irish province in Europe’s elite competition, Connacht, will welcome Saracens, French heavyweights Toulouse and Zebre to Galway next season meanwhile.
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“We were massively disappointed not to get out of our pool last season,” said Leinster skipper, Leo Cullen afterwards. “We came unstuck due to a number of factors but all the boys are mad keen to reach the knockout stage again – that is what it’s all about for us.
“Last season we had to reassess – it was a new challenge for us in the Amlin Challenge Cup and the chance to win a trophy. Having the semi-final and final at the RDS was a real incentive and we had three great days in the competition. There was a great atmosphere in final against Stade Francais. It was a brilliant occasion that I will always remember, but there was still a sense that we wanted to be at the Aviva Stadium the following day.
“It’s always funny at this time of year because it seems so far away. The finals were only a few weeks ago and obviously Northampton reached the Aviva Premiership final, which is no mean feat. I also watched Castres cause a bit of an upset by winning the Top 14. It’s a tough pool all round – all the teams are pretty evenly matched. You always have to beat the best teams to win the Heineken Cup,” he added.
What do you think?
The full draw:
Pool 1:Leinster, Northampton Saints, Ospreys, Castres Pool 2: Toulon, Cardiff Blues, Glasgow, Exeter Chiefs Pool 3: Toulouse, Saracens, Connacht, Zebre Pool 4: Clermont Auvergne, Harlequins, Scarlets, Racing Metro Pool 5:Ulster, Leicester, Montpellier, Treviso Pool 6:Munster, Perpignan, Edinburgh, Gloucester
Woeful Heineken Cup draw for Leinster but Munster sit pretty
AMLIN CUP CHAMPIONS Leinster will face beaten Premiership finalists Northampton Saints, Top 14 winners Castres and Welsh outfit Ospreys in next season’s Heineken Cup.
The draw was made for the 2013/14 pool stages in Dublin this afternoon. And new Leinster boss Matt O’Connor knows he’ll have his work cut out for him in his first campaign in charge with the Irish province.
Ulster — beaten by Leinster in the RaboDirect Pro12 decider — were drawn with Leicester Tigers, Montpellier and Treviso. Munster may well think they’ve got off lightly with a pool including Gloucester, Perpignan and Edinburgh. The last Irish province in Europe’s elite competition, Connacht, will welcome Saracens, French heavyweights Toulouse and Zebre to Galway next season meanwhile.
“We were massively disappointed not to get out of our pool last season,” said Leinster skipper, Leo Cullen afterwards. “We came unstuck due to a number of factors but all the boys are mad keen to reach the knockout stage again – that is what it’s all about for us.
“Last season we had to reassess – it was a new challenge for us in the Amlin Challenge Cup and the chance to win a trophy. Having the semi-final and final at the RDS was a real incentive and we had three great days in the competition. There was a great atmosphere in final against Stade Francais. It was a brilliant occasion that I will always remember, but there was still a sense that we wanted to be at the Aviva Stadium the following day.
“It’s always funny at this time of year because it seems so far away. The finals were only a few weeks ago and obviously Northampton reached the Aviva Premiership final, which is no mean feat. I also watched Castres cause a bit of an upset by winning the Top 14. It’s a tough pool all round – all the teams are pretty evenly matched. You always have to beat the best teams to win the Heineken Cup,” he added.
What do you think?
The full draw:
Pool 1: Leinster, Northampton Saints, Ospreys, Castres
Pool 2: Toulon, Cardiff Blues, Glasgow, Exeter Chiefs
Pool 3: Toulouse, Saracens, Connacht, Zebre
Pool 4: Clermont Auvergne, Harlequins, Scarlets, Racing Metro
Pool 5: Ulster, Leicester, Montpellier, Treviso
Pool 6: Munster, Perpignan, Edinburgh, Gloucester
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Connacht Draw Leinster Munster Pool Ulster