Irish trio talk up chances at HEC launch

The fourteenth season of the Heineken Cup is firmly on the rugby horizon with the long haul to the Edinburgh climax next May soon to begin.

The fourteenth season of the Heineken Cup is firmly on the rugby horizon with the long haul to the Edinburgh climax next May soon to begin.

The Irish launch of the tournament took place in Malahide, Co. Dublin on Monday with 2008 winner Paul O'Connell declaring their first hurdle, at home to newcomers Montauban, will be a tester.

“They have recruited very well, are seventh in the French Championship and beat Castres at the weekend,” said the Munster lock.

“We will try our best to hang on to the Cup but, as it has already been proved, that is a very hard thing to do and first and foremost, you have to get out of your Pool.

“We negotiated our way through it very successfully last year so we will try to do that again.”

Ulster also open against French opposition with Stade Français making the trip to Ravenhill, while Leinster start their challenge on the road against Edinburgh.

“Stade Français will be one of the favourites to win the Heineken Cup and we need to make Ravenhill the fortress it was in past seasons,” said Ulster captain Rory Best.

While Munster have been crowned kings of Europe twice and Ulster walked off winners in 1999, Leinster have never qualified for a showpiece final and captain Leo Cullen is setting his sights on getting back to Edinburgh in May.

“We are in a tough Pool, the standards get better and better and year by year it gets harder and harder to win the Heineken Cup,” he said.

Meanwhile, Derek McGrath, Chief Executive of tournament orgainsers ERC, announced that over 15,000 tickets have already been sold for the Edinburgh final.

“We have 420 internationals from 24 countries registered for this season's tournament and that gives you some idea of the global perspective of the Heineken Cup,” he said.

“Television cameras will be eleven of the twelve Round One matches and that interest is also reflected in the way club's are making efforts to expand their venues and take these events to bigger stadia.”

The main Heineken Cup launch will take on October 6 at the final venue in the Scottish capital.

With thanks to ERC Rugby