The Autumn Internationals are over, but before we embark on festive jolliness we've got the
Heineken Cup double header, the third and fourth rounds of the group competition - the first games of the double headers were played this weekend, here are a few of my thoughts:
Pool One
Northampton put themselves in pole position for qualification with a win at home to Cardiff Blues.
Northampton 
are my "not so dark" horses for the competition, I think on their day they're capable of beating any team. Beating
Cardiff in
Cardiff 
will be a very stern test, if the pack shows up like it did at the weekend then they stand a really good chance (though they'll need to sort their discipline at the breakdown).
Cardiff need to sort out their set piece plays - poor line outs and scrums ultimately cost them this game and I'm sure this weeks training will be dominated by training in those areas.
As for the other two in the group, if
Castres can repeat their victory in
Edinburgh it'll put some real pressure on the Saints. Edinburgh are improving but they seem to switch off at key points in the game and let the opposition in, three losing bonus points from three games isn't good enough but their play suggests that they're still going to give anyone a good game.
Pool Two
With
Saracens narrowly beaten at home to the millionaires of
Racing Metro and
Leinster losing away to
Clermont, pool two is now a three way battle with Saracens left bringing up the rear. I've been disappointed with Saracens showing in this competition after their good run in the domestic league - I expected better though of course they have suffered from being in a very tough group.
Maybe the off the field situation with Venter have finally started having an affect? Well worth a look is his
after match interview - with all the attention he's been getting for being so controversial, it's nice to see the guy has a sense of humour as well!
On to more serious matters, this is a really tough pool to call. I have to favour Leinster though, they should beat Clermont at home, especially as it's at the Aviva where there should be a good crowd. I also reckon they'll beat Sarries at home (though by then a certain
Mr Henson should be at fly half for Sarries) and probably get at least a losing bonus point away to Racing.
Pool Three
Another disappointing performance from an English side, this time
London Irish. Again, they should be performing better than they are, but again it's a tough group (are there any "easy" groups in this competition though?). Irish were punished by a clinical
Wilkinson who is starting to show some of his old form again - I'd be suprised if he's not a strong contender to slip back into his number 10 shirt for England come February based on this performance.
Toulon do look strong in other departments though, their big number eight,
Joe van Niekerk had an especially good game.
Munster were once again too much for the
Ospreys and I expect them to follow up their win with another when they visit Swansea. For all their talent and big match stars in their team, Osprey's once again look like falling short. Is it time to start thinking of a new game plan? The groups there for Munster to take, I expect Toulon to be their main challengers and maybe even squeak through as best qualifiers.
Pool Four
Shock of the day in this group with
Aironi defeating the beaten finalists from last year,
Biarritz. Biarritz remain top but the group is closing in around them. I was pleased that the Italians finally got a win under their belt this year. The first year in the
Magners League is going to be tough for them and I hope that this can spur them on to more results. It's important for the Italian national team that these clubs start getting results and learning how to win against quality opposition.
Yet again, England's representative in this group had a disappointing result, this time Bath away to
Ulster. I like the look of Ulster this year, they have a very strong pack and in Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Wallace they have some quality half backs. Bath v Ulster at The Rec will be what this group is all about in terms of a best qualifier - I think Biarritz will probably qualify automatically.
Pool Five
Poor old
Treviso! Played three, lost three and one measly bonus point - oh well, it's an experience for them! The rest of the group is incredibly tight though and this pool will surely come down to a few bonus points (which doesn't bode well for Treviso in the last match - away at
Leicester!).
The remaining three teams in this group are very evenly matched, I think Leicester may just edge the group, reversing their loss to
Perpignan when they go back to
Welford Road will set them up. Then it's between the Scarlets and Perpignan for what I think will be a second qualifier from this group. On the basis that the last tie between the two of them is in Perpignan I'm going to opt for them!
Pool Six
And finally, Pool Six where there was another English win. I think
Newport had a real chance to put something over on
Wasps in this game and they'll be kicking themselves that they haven't.
Tony Hanks will be looking for significant improvements from his Wasps team when they return home next week.
Like the Dragons,
Glasgow had a chance against
Toulouse, probably not as much of a chance though. I wouldn't bet on Toulouse giving them the same opportunity next week, though you never know with the French! This group will all come down to the Round 6 match between Wasps and Toulouse, even though they're at home I think Toulouse's class and experience in the competition should see them through, just.
And finally, the
Quins recorded a good win at home to
Connacht in the
Amlin Cup!
Is it any wonder that the All Blacks are a tough bunch to break down?? I never realised that one of their newest stars, Sonny Bill Williams is a boxer in the first place, let alone his decision to resume his boxing career - alongside playing for New Zealand!! I was under the impression that modern professional players had too many games to play and as such their bodies needed a rest - not ole Sonny it seems!!
