RUGBY/European Cup draw: Yet again, Ulster have been dealt a cruel hand in the Heineken European Cup being drawn against Stade Francais and Gloucester in Pool Six yesterday. The task of new coach Mark McCall is made even more daunting by the presence of the ever-improving Cardiff Blues.
"The difficulty of our pool isn't a shock to us given our seeding as the third Irish side. That always means we get the top French team," said McCall. "We are getting used to meeting Stade Francais and we know a lot about Cardiff Blues. They improved a great deal last season and are bound to be even stronger with the influx of players from the Celtic Warriors.
"And then there is Gloucester. They have proved themselves to be one of the top teams in England in recent years and it is obviously going to be a tough trip to Kingsholm.
"The number one priority for the season will be to make the last eight of the Heineken Cup - that's something we've failed to do since we won the title back in 1999. The standard has risen every season since then, but we feel we can be very competitive and we're looking forward to starting at home against the Blues."
Leinster and Munster are up against respectable opposition but will both be expected to progress.
Alan Gaffney's Munster have drawn the European Challenge Cup champions NEC Harlequins. These two matches will leave the shop window wide open for the large Irish contingent at 'Quins - especially the recently capped Gavin Duffy and new signing Jeremy Staunton.
The Neath-Swansea Ospreys will provide a stern test. All the Welsh sides are expected to improve after the disbanding of the Warriors to leave just four super-clubs, while Munster will need no introduction to Castres Olympique having traded blows on six previous occasions in the competition.
The pool matches are spread out over two-week blocks in October, December and January.
"The way the fixtures have fallen means we will have to travel to France immediately after the November internationals finish. That won't be easy for us, but we'll just have to get on with it," said Gaffney.
Another downside is they must go to 'The Stoop' for their final pool match on the third weekend in January (exact times and dates of matches will be decided between the ERC and television broadcasters in mid-August).
Leinster's toughest challenge will come from Zurich Premiership runners-up Bath but, if they rediscover their form of two seasons ago under new head coach Declan Kidney, they should be able to deal with Benetton Treviso and Bourgoin. Their fixture format is generous as they start and finish against Italian opposition, while also playing Bath and Bourgoin at home before Christmas.
All the Irish sides will be pleased to have avoided Pool One alongside Leicester, Wasps and Biarritz. Pool Three is not much easier as it contains Northampton, Llanelli and the 2003 champions Toulouse, leaving Pool Five as the weakest, on paper, with the French and English contingent being Perpignan and the Newcastle Falcons.
The competition celebrates its 10th anniversary this season with the final in Murrayfield on the weekend of May 21st/22nd.
