Blues Await Euro News

Heineken Cup
By Andrew Collins
June 21 2006

Cardiff will learn their Heineken Cup grouping at midday today, when the draw takes place in Dublin.

The Cardiff Blues are Wales’ top seed having finished as highest placed Welsh region in the Celtic league. As a result, they will not meet any of the other top seeded teams, Biarritz, Treviso, Sale, Ulster or Edinburgh, in the group stages.

 

However, with likes of Wasps, Leicester, Toulouse and Munster it means it is still very much possible to have a difficult grouping.

 

No two sides from the same country will meet in the group, except one French side and Castres.

 

It is the first time Wales have just 3 sides in the competition since regionalism was introduced. The Dragons failed to qualify via the backdoor when they lost to Overmach Parma at home last month, they will now play in the lower tier Shield, the first time any Welsh side has taken part in the competition since 2002.

 

The total 24 sides are:

England: Gloucester Rugby, Leicester Tigers, London Irish, London Wasps, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks
France: Agen, Biarritz Olympique, Bourgoin, Perpignan, Stade Francais Paris, Toulouse, Castres Olympique
Ireland: Leinster, Munster, Ulster
Italy: Benetton Treviso, Rugby Calvisano, Overmach Parma
Scotland: Edinburgh Gunners, Border Reivers
Wales: Cardiff Blues, Llanelli Scarlets, Ospreys

 

If reports are to be believed, the draw has already taken place, and the groups are as follows:

 

Group 1 - Blues, Agen, LI, Munster

Group 2 - Ulster, SF, Gloucester, Calvisano

Group 3 - BO, Wasps, Leinster, Overmach

Group 4 - Edinburgh, Bourgoin, Saints, Ospreys

Group 5 - Treviso, USAP, Leicester, Borders

Group 6 - Sale, ST, Scarlets, Castres

 

The official announcement will be made at midday, and will be shown on Sky Sports News.