European Cup

With the European Cup starting I thought I should throw down a few predictions.

The first prediction is that all six pools will be heavily contested and the French will dominate, with few others getting through.

Pool 1
Sale are in outstanding form and will win what could be the closest of the pools.

Pool 2
Perpignan will win this pool relatively easily, I also think this pool will provide one of the best runners up, Cardiff, due to the weakness of Leeds and Calvisano. Again this weakness will be relative and entirely due to current form, Leeds could shake off their current form, but I predict otherwise.

Pool 3
Four of the top ten teams in the tournament are all here, ouch. Sadly I think Leicester will struggle against Stade Francais and the rest of the spoils will be so equally divided that there will be no best runner up from this pool.

Pool 4
Biarritz could be undefeated and take the number one seed in the quarter finals, a big bonus for them. I expect Saracens to be clear of the rest and go through as best runners up.

Pool 5
This pool is perhaps the weakest of the six and could be fairly even. I expect Bourgoin to edge out Leinster.

Pool 6
The second hardest of the pools; with two recent champions. This time I expect Toulose to have the edge over Wasps, with good performances from the others.


My final seeding for the quarter finals will be
1 Biarritz
2 Perpignan
3 Bourgoin
4 Toulose
5 Sale
6 Stade Francais
7 Saracens
8 Cardiff

On this basis I expect an all French turn out for the semi finals and Toulose to win, just.