ULSTER WILL be the first of the four Irish provinces in action in round five of the Heineken Cup on Friday, January 13th, in what is arguably the tie of that weekend when they host the Leicester Tigers at Ravenhill.
Involved in a three-way tussle with Clermont in Pool four, the loser on the night will effectively see their European aspirations scuppered. Ulster have already beaten Clermont and Aironi at home and would dearly love to conjure a repeat of the last time the teams met in Belfast, seven years ago when the Irish province memorably triumphed 33-0.
The television details for the final two rounds have yet to be announced but there is little doubt that the Sky Sports cameras will be at Ravenhill that night. Ulster lead the pool on 14 points, two clear of the Tigers and three ahead of Clermont, who travel to Italy that weekend.
On the same night the qualification picture in pools two and five is also likely to become clearer when Racing Metro 92 take on leaders, Edinburgh Rugby, at Stade Yves du Manoir in Paris, and Ospreys go up against Benetton Treviso at the Liberty Stadium. Depending on what happens in Belfast there is every chance that Brian McLaughlin’s team will be a focal point for live coverage again when they travel to Stade Marcel Michelin in the final round of pool games on Saturday, January 21st.
Munster, the only remaining side in the tournament with a 100 per cent record, host Castres Olympique at Thomond Park on Saturday, January 14th on the same day and at the same time that Connacht play at the home of the four-time European champions, Toulouse. One game that will definitely be covered live that Saturday is the meeting of Harlequins and Gloucester at The Stoop as it is the only game scheduled for the 6pm slot. Seven days later Munster will face the Northampton Saints at stadium:mk in Milton Keynes, while Connacht have a six-day turnaround to their final pool match as they host Harlequins at what should be a packed Sportsground on Friday, January 20th. Munster should go into the final round of matches perfectly placed to chase a home quarter-final while Connacht would dearly love to secure a victory that their performances in a debut season in the competition have merited.
Leinster have a couple of lunch-time kick-offs. They travel to Firhill on Sunday, January 15th, to take on their nearest pool rivals the Glasgow Warriors (12.45pm) while six days later they host French side Montpellier at the RDS (1.30pm). A full schedule of live television coverage for the final two rounds of the Heineken Cup will be announced at a later date.
ROUND 5, Friday, January 13th, 2012.
Pool 2: Racing Metro v Edinburgh, Stade Yves du Manoir (8pm). Pool 4: Ulster v Leicester, Ravenhill (8pm). Pool 5: Ospreys v Treviso, Liberty stadium (8pm).
Saturday, January 14th, 2012. Pool 1: Scarlets v Northampton, Parc y Scarlets (1.30pm). Pool 3: Montpellier v Bath, Stade Yves du Manoir (1pm). Pool 4: Aironi v Clermont Auvergne, Stadio Brianteo, Monza (1.30). Pool 1: Munster v Castres, Thomond Park (3.40). Pool 2: London Irish v Cardiff Blues, Madejski stadium (3.40). Pool 6: Toulouse v Connacht, Stade Ernest Wallon (3.40). Pool 6: Harlequins v Gloucester, The Stoop (6pm).
Sunday, January 15th. Pool 3: Glasgow v Leinster, Firhill (12.45). Pool 5: Saracens v Biarritz Olympique, Vicarage Road (3pm)
ROUND 6, Friday, January 20th.
Pool 6: Connacht v Harlequins, Sportsground (8pm); Gloucester v Toulouse, Kingsholm (8pm).
Saturday, January 21st. Pool 3: Bath v Glasgow, Recreation Ground (1.30pm); Leinster v Montpellier, RDS (1.30pm). Pool 4: Leicester v Aironi, Welford Road (3.40); Clermont v Ulster, Stade Marcel Michelin (3.40). Pool 1: Northampton v Munster, stadium:mk (6.0); Castres v Scarlets, Stade Marcel Michelin (6pm).
Sunday, January 22nd.
Pool 5: Treviso v Saracens, Stadio Comunale di Monigo (1pm); Biarritz v Ospreys, Parc des Sports Agulera (1pm) Pool 2: Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro, Cardiff City stadium (3.15); Edinburgh v London Irish, Murrayfield (3.15).
