Now that the side show is over namely the Rugby World Cup, we can truly focus on the world's leading rugby competition and look forward to
just over six months of unadulterated rugby drama.
I have written before about my love of the Heineken Cup
and last year's competition did little to diminish such feelings with a long list of wonderful moments crowned by an exhilarating and memorable final in Cardiff.
Just one look at the pools for this year and the early
stages of the competition are littered with some mouth watering match ups. Pool
1 alone has the potential to provide enough drama for your average rugby fan
for many a season as Munster, Northampton Saints, Castres and Scarlets battle for supremacy. Then there is Pool 6 and a sense of romanticism with the prospect of Connacht causing a few upsets in wet and windy Galway as Toulouse, Gloucester and Harlequins visit the west coast of Ireland.
In a season when the tournament is as wide open as ever, just let us hope that after the 'bish bash bosch' style of the World Cup we see
some bravado, panache and width in an attempt to secure the title come late May at Twickenham. The
team that dares to live dangerously may just prevail - anyway we can live in
hope and in some partial dream state that flair will be rewarded.
So who can really go for it and remove the shackles of
mediocrity. Should we be looking no further to Wales off the back of their New
Zealand adventure. Buoyed by their fitness and style this might just be the year
for a Welsh break through and success. The romantic in me just believes that
the youthful exuberance and unfettered skill of the likes of Knoyle,
Priestland. Davies, North and their Scarlets team mates cajoled and prompted by the coaching of Nigel Davies might just live the dangerous life and
savour Heineken Cup glory.
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