The pools for the Heineken Cup and Amlin Cup 2013/14 have been drawn today. We will list them here for you but first a couple of comments on which will be tough and which should be easier routes to the next round.
In the Heineken Cup Pool 4 looks like a tough one, Pool 1 also tough but not quite so bad. Pool 2 looks like a easy rout for the champions Toulon. Pool 3 both Saracens and Toulouse should progress from there. Pool 5 Leicester but then tight between Montpellier and Ulster so maybe only one will progress. Finally Pool 6 will be a tough one to call.
Here are all the Heineken Cup Pools
Pool 1
Castres Olympique, Leinster Rugby, Northampton Saints, Ospreys
Pool 2
Cardiff Blues, Exeter Chiefs, Glasgow Warriors, Toulon
Pool 3
Connacht Rugby, Saracens, Toulouse, Zebre
Pool 4
ASM Clermont Auvergne, Harlequins, Racing Métro 92, Scarlets
Pool 5
Benetton Treviso, Leicester Tigers, Montpellier, Ulster Rugby
Pool 6
Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby, Munster Rugby, Perpignan
The Amlin as ever it is hard to predict who will be on form and who not and thus which pools will be the tough ones to get out of. Pool 1 looks like it could come from Biarritz, Pool 2 and Bath must fancy their chances, Pool 3 Brive although Newcastle could be dark horses. Pool 4 tough to call Bayonne or London Wasps and Pool 5 London Irish or Stade Francais.
Amlin Pools
Pool 1
Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, Oyonnax, Sale Sharks, Worcester Warriors
Pool 2
Bath Rugby, Bordeaux-Begles, Newport Gwent Dragons, Rugby Mogliano
Pool 3
Brive, Bucharest Wolves, Cammi Rugby Calvisano, Newcastle Falcons
Pool 4
Bayonne, Grenoble, London Wasps, Viadana
Pool 5
I Cavalieri Prato, London Irish, Olympus Rugby XV Madrid, Stade Francais Paris