Heineken Cup 2009 Pool 1 Fixtures and Preview
Munster, Northampton Saints, Perpignan and Benetton Treviso
Oct 6, 2009
As usual, Munster are the team to beat when it comes to qualifying for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup, but last year's semi-finalists will have to work hard this year in what looks a very competitive pool.
Heineken Cup Munster
Munster, qualifiers for the knockout stages of the competition for the last 10 years, winners twice in the last four years, Magners league champions, suppliers of the backbone of the Irish Grand Slam side and providers of seven players to the original Lions squad including the captain Paul O’Connell. Not a bad CV.
Munster’s Thomond park ground has become a fortress in this competition. Leicester’s narrow win there in 2007 is the only time Munster has lost in 15 years at their Limerick ground matches. Now with an increased capacity after redevelopment, it will be even more formidable.
Munster have a limited game plan based around O’Gara kicking to the corners and letting the Munster pack grind the opposition into the mud. It isn’t pretty but it is very effective and not too many teams have found an answer to it.
Players to watch – Lions Captain Paul O’Connell, Irish Outside Half Ronan O’Gara, All Black legend Doug Howlett
Heineken Cup Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints have gone through a few twists and changes since they won the Heineken Cup in 2000. They were relegated from the Guinness Premiership in 2007, but bounced back after just one season. Their Franklin’s Gardens ground was redeveloped and is now a blueprint for what a top club rugby ground should be.
Last season was a mixed bag for the Saints, they finished in mid-table, virtually unbeatable at home, but when they went on the road, the only Premiership game they managed to win was against Worcester. They did manage to qualify for the semi finals of the EDF Energy Cup, but were knocked out by eventual winners Cardiff.
Their one major success came in the European Challenge Shield, the second tier competition which they won, beating French side Bourgoin 15-3 in the final.
They are currently sitting in fourth place in this year’s premiership with three wins out of five although both losses have been competitive and they have managed to win away from home.
Northampton Saints will probably hold their own at home, but are unlikely to win in Munster or Perpignan. They may hold the key to the group in allowing or denying bonus points to the two main contenders.
Players to watch – Dylan Hartley, abrasive kiwi born England international hooker, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, veteran Argentine second row.
Heineken Cup Perpignan
Perpignan suffered last year from being in the same pool as the Ospreys and Leicester Tigers. They held their own, winning all their home games and getting a five pointer at Treviso, but they couldn’t get enough bonus points to progress to the knockout stages.
This year they have started well in the French Top 14, winning six out of their first nine games, including a win over Toulouse, although in true French style, they have won only one of their games away from home.
They are likely to perform similarly to last year, winning all their home games and gaining an away win in Treviso. The big question is whether they can get those all important bonus points or sneak an away win at Northampton.
Players to watch, Nicholas Laharague, Jean-Phillipe Grandclaude and English prop Perry Freshwater, still doing the business at 36 years of age.
Heineken Cup Benetton Treviso
The Benetton money has enabled Treviso to attract some famous names such as Michael Lynagh and David Campese over the years. In the early days of the Heineken Cup, when they had the pick of the Italian players they were capable of springing the odd surprise.
These days, the Italian stars are all playing in France or England and Treviso have to make do with the second tier of players.
They have caused the odd upset over the last couple of years, notably beating the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade and Bath at home, but success this year will be measured by avoidance of the sort of hammering the Ospreys handed out to them last year.
Players to watch: Scrum half Steven Bortolussi
Heineken Cup Pool 1 Fixtures
10th Oct ’09 14:30 Treviso v Perpignan – Stadio Comunali di Monigo
10th Oct ’09 18:00 Northampton v Munster – Franklin’s Gardens
16th Oct ’09 19:00 Perpignan v Northampton – Stade Aime Giral
17th Oct ’09 13:35 Munster v Treviso – Thomond Park
11th Dec ’09 20:00 Munster v Perpignan – Thomond Park
12th Dec ’09 15:00 Northampton v Treviso – Franklin’s Gardens
19th Dec ’09 14:30 Treviso v Northampton – Stadio Comunali di Monigo
20th Dec ’09 16:00 Perpignan v Munster – Stade Aime Giral
15/16/17 Jan ’10 Treviso v Munster - Stadio Comunali di Monigo
15/16/17 Jan ’10 Northampton v Perpignan – Frankin’s Gardens
22/23/24 Jan ’10 Munster v Northampton – Thomond Park
22/23/24 Jan ’10 Perpignan v Treviso - Stade Aime Giral
Munster to qualify comfortably.
