NO FEAR IN FRANCE

My initial reaction after the game on Friday night was slightly upset. You’re probably wondering why considering we’d just beaten the current Aviva Premiership champions, and slightly convincingly at that too. However, on the other hand, we let them away with something that may prove extremely crucial at the end of this pool campaign: the losing bonus point.

I think even the Leicester fans will admit that we probably were the better side in that match and we deserved to win it, however they will be absolutely delighted to leave with the point from the game. They came to Ravenhill with that aim firmly in mind. A win would have been a bonus, but to leave with the point probably puts them in pole position in the pool.

In what is a very competitive pool, bonus points may prove crucial, as they did two years ago. To let them away with the losing bonus point at the very end of the game is very disappointing, and as much as Mark Anscombe will defend that we are happy with just winning the game, but the unavoidable (and annoying truth) is that Leicester will be more than happy with the point (as highlighted by David Mele kicking the ball out at the end) and Ulster will be angry that they got it.

On the other hand, you have to win your home games in the Heineken Cup and that comes first. Four points on the board is exactly what Ulster required and it means we go to Montpellier next weekend with a chance to take a massive step towards the knock-out round. It will be a massive ask too, but one that we are perfectly capable of answering.

It’s a good job we won in Castres last season though. If we were going to the bearpit that is the Stade Yves-du-Manoir with the French hoodoo still hanging over us then I doubt we’d be as confident as we are right now. With the boost of a solid comeback win over the Ospreys and that controlled win over Leicester, right now we could easily return from the south of France with the win.

However, Montpellier are a very very strong side. They have signed well over the summer – Nicolas Mas is a massive acquisition for their squad, while in the backs Jonathan Pelissié has been a superb signing at scrum-half, while Anthony Tuitavaké and Wynand Olivier have added another dimension to their back line. They aren’t many people’s favourites to win the Top14 outright for no reason.

Therefore, Ulster will have to be at their very best to even leave with a bonus point on Saturday, which is definitely the minimum that they must leave with. You saw Leicester’s joy when they left Ravenhill with a losing bonus point – I will be that happy if we do the same this weekend. As Clermont and Toulouse have found out, the Stade Yves-du-Manoir is a difficult place to go to and get a result.

However, it all depends on the team Montpellier put out. I reckon it will be a strong team, however considering they are doing well domestically it wouldn’t be completely surprising if they put out a weakened team to keep them fresh for their league campaign instead. No matter what team they put out, Montpellier will probably be the biggest test we have faced this season so far.

Slightly confident this week. Emphasis on slightly.

Heineken highlights

I’m going to sum up the Heineken Cup weekend in three S’s.

SUNDAY – What a Sunday that was. Firstly we had Exeter steamrolling over Cardiff, then Cardiff coming back in the second half to take the try bonus point. That was some game, one that couldn’t be repeated, right? Wrong! Only half an hour later, the exact same thing happened in Toulon as the home side crushed Glasgow in the first half, only for Glasgow to score the four tries in the second half. You’ve got to love the magic of the Heineken Cup.

SCARLETS – Hands down the win of the weekend. The misfiring Scarlets haven’t been in the greatest form, but inspired by Liam, Scott and Jordan Williams, the Llanelli side romped to a 33-26 victory at the Twickenham Stoop, against an also-misfiring Harlequins side. Conor O’Shea said after the match he was “furious” at his team and rightly so, they never got out of the starting blocks and they were rightly beaten. A massive blow for the Quins who went 6 from 6 last season, their chances at reaching the quarters have been hugely reduced.

SHOCKS – And not big shocks like you expect. OK, there was one as winless Edinburgh managed to take all four points at Murrayfield against Munster who now face an uphill battle to get a home quarter-final. Connacht nearly beat Saracens at the Sportsground on Friday night, while Treviso managed to limit the superstars of Montpellier to just two tries and Racing Metro managed to defeat Clermont Auvergne. The Heineken Cup never fails to disappoint.

HEINEKEN HISTORY

So here we go, what could be the final season of the Heineken Cup ever. It’s rather sad isn’t it, to think that what is one of the standout competitions in rugby history could be finished at the end of the season without so much as a whimper. But it’s not gone yet, and we’ve got another season of European rugby to look forward to, and I've done a bit of a preview for you. Enjoy!

Pool One: Leinster Rugby, Northampton Saints, Ospreys, Castres Olympique

Oh what a pool this is. The RaboDirect Pro12 champions, the Top14 champions and the Aviva Premiership runners-up going head-to-head in a classic tussle. And hey, why not add in the Ospreys too? This pool is going to depend on how much Leinster miss Sexton and Nacewa. If Madigan and Kirchner can step up and fill the gap then they should have the pool under wraps, but if not then the Saints and the Ospreys will fancy their chances – especially with the Welsh side’s record in Dublin. I fancy Leinster to do it, however they will have to be wary as the Saints will pose them a lot of questions and the Ospreys can pull off results when they need to, especially at the Liberty. Sadly I think Castres will have to start well or they could simply throw it in the latter stages as per usual. Disappointing too – they are a quality side on their day.

Prediction: Leinster

Pool Two: RC Toulon, Cardiff Blues, Glasgow Warriors, Exeter Chiefs

Anybody who isn’t backing defending champions Toulon to come out of this pool with a perfect record is either deluded or should be in a mental asylum. As far as pools go, they could not have got much of an easier path to the quarter-finals and barring a miracle from one of the other sides, they probably have top seeds in the knockouts wrapped up as well. That leaves the other three fighting it out for second and if Glasgow can carry over their superb Pro12 form to the Heineken Cup then they could well take one of the best runner-up spots. Cardiff haven’t threatened much in Europe for a while so I think they’ll be out of the equation, but don’t rule out Exeter either. They ran both Leinster and Clermont quite close last season at Sandy Park for a while, so expect travelling sides to struggle, and maybe they can cause an upset.

Prediction: Toulon

Pool Three: Stade Toulousain, Saracens, Connacht Rugby, Zebre

It’s a two-horse race for top spot in this pool and both Toulouse and Saracens will fancy their chances. With twenty points (probably) racked up from the Connacht and Zebre games, it’s more than likely that both giants will reach the knockouts, but who finishes top is another question entirely. Saracens have started the season stronger so I’ll back them to finish top (just), but Toulouse will push them all the way. Meanwhile Connacht will probably hold off Zebre for third place, but boosted by their first Pro12 win, I can see the Italians getting a first European win too.

Prediction: Saracens to win pool, Toulouse to be one of the best runners-up

Pool Four: ASM Clermont Auvergne, Harlequins, Scarlets, Racing Metro 92

This is a tighter pool than a lot of people think. On paper you would presume that Clermont would be the easy winners here, but Harlequins didn’t go six from six last season for nothing, and the big-spending Racing will certainly have something to say about that too. However Clermont usually have enough power to see the pool through and the relative inexperience of the other two sides may haunt them in the big games. Harlequins may take one of the best runner-up spots but they will probably have to win away in France at least once. The Scarlets will have to front up big time to even get on the board this time around.

Prediction: Clermont

Pool Five: Ulster Rugby, Leicester Tigers, Montpellier Herault, Benetton Rugby Treviso

How could I predict anybody else to win the pool but Ulster? Even so, this will be a massive test for Ulster as they come up against the unmistakable might of Leicester and the upcoming brilliance of Montpellier, a side who have hammered Clermont 43-3, not an easy task at all. Nevertheless, I back Ulster to have the firepower to just sneak the pool. If Montpellier are lagging behind early on then they might throw the pool like Castres, but Leicester will fight to the death (always good to see!) and will push the Ulstermen all the way. It could boil down to who can take their bonus points from Treviso in the end.

Prediction: Ulster to win the pool, Leicester to be one of the best runners-up

Pool Six: Munster Rugby, USA Perpignan, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby

How Ulster wish they could have got this pool and not Munster. If Munster do not go through as pool winners here then they are in big big trouble because this is pretty much as easy as you get. Perpignan are one of the easier French sides in the competition this year, Edinburgh are on a complete decline and Gloucester are yet to return to the lofty heights they were at. In essence, Munster will easily reach the quarter-finals, and will only be stopped from being top knockout seeds by Toulon. Perpignan will have the “French factor” on their side to finish second, while Gloucester should have the muscle to oust Edinburgh into third. But really, this pool is more about who can limit Munster to the least points, than who can qualify.

Prediction: Munster

Ruan is an Ulsterman

Thank heavens that he did not sign for Toulon, and thank heavens that he is staying at Ulster until 2017!

I’d say I was always confident he’d stay, but I’d be lying! Nevertheless it is absolutely incredible news for Ulster, especially with the current Heineken Cup debate going on, and what a boost it will provide the Ulstermen with ahead of their biggest game of the season so far. And to be honest, I don’t think I could be happier right now!

Stand up for the Ulstermen, and stand up for Ruan Pienaar!

OSPREY HUNTING

Another week, another win for the Ulstermen. Five tries on the board was very impressive against a vastly improved Treviso side, and with the rotation policy going on at Ulster, it’s good to see that even without John Afoa and the influential leadership of Johann Muller on the pitch, a convincing win isn’t out of our grasp.

Mark Anscombe will be very happy with what he saw on Friday. It may not have been perfect but it was definitely a big step in the right direction. Considering in the Dragons match his side played absolutely terribly, to finally be playing well will be a welcome relief for the Kiwi coach. Now he has to start getting his side to get over the line in the big matches, unlike what they did against Glasgow.

What he will be very happy about though is the quality in his back line. Michael Allen has really put his hand up for selection this week with yet another great performance on the wing, and with Craig Gilroy impressing at full-back, Darren Cave may be looking at a spell on the bench if he keeps up those kinds of performances. Luke Marshall and Jared Payne had a superb partnership in the midfield as well – it just shows the selection headaches that Mark will have this week.

It was also refreshing to see Tommy Bowe and Rory Best back in the white shirt again, and getting a try apiece on their return to Ravenhill (even if Bowe’s was slightly fortuitous). Good to see that neither are showing any sort of rustiness either. After a few months of not playing any rugby it would have been natural to assume it would take a game for them to get up to speed, but both played very well and are ready to take on the Tigers in the Heineken Cup!

Well, actually, first up are the Ospreys in Swansea. And the more you think about, the more you realise this is going to be an incredibly difficult match. The Ospreys are unbeaten this season, including a 29-29 draw in the RDS against Leinster – no mean feat considering we hadn’t won there for thirteen years until last season.

They’ve done very well so far – people thought they would struggle having lost Kahn Fotuali’i to the Northampton Saints over the summer, but they have signed Tito Tebaldi from Zebre who has proved to be a very good replacement, and also Canadian international Jeff Hassler who has been in red-hot form so far.

However the player that is always the dangerman for the Neath team has been fly-half Dan Biggar. How he doesn’t start consistently for Wales I’m not sure, because Biggar is one of the best fly-halves in Europe. Well, in my opinion anyway. He deservedly passed the 1,000 point mark on Saturday against Connacht, proving he is one of the league’s best, and if Ulster cannot nullify his impact on the game then we stand no chance this week.

In fact, if we’re not at 100% on Friday then we stand no chance this week. After a disappointing 2012/13 season, the Ospreys are determined to win the Pro12 again, and they’ve certainly started the right way. In order for Ulster to come away with even the losing bonus point from the Liberty Stadium then they will have to step up their game another level from the Treviso win – we’re now playing the big boys, and it will be the two best sides on the field as well.

But Ulster are coming back now. Starting with two losses has almost shocked the team into life and with a controlled win over Connacht backed up by a very convincing performance against Treviso, it’s fair to say that the Ulster bandwagon is gathering momentum. Good job, with the Heineken Cup beginning next week.

But let’s remind ourselves of what happened last year – a late try last season from Paul Marshall gave Ulster a deserved 16-12 win early in the season, part of the thirteen-match winning streak. This season Ulster fans will be hoping that the win will be a little bit more secure near the end of the game. However, as I said, the Ospreys have been playing very well – any win will be acceptable to Ulster fans.

Second plays fifth this weekend. It’s not very often you get such a match-up so early in the season, and with two full strength sides out ahead of the Heineken Cup next week, this will be an incredible match. A battle between two of the league’s heavyweights never goes amiss, and what great preparation this will be for the Leicester match.

Dewch ar Ulster!

OFF THE MARK

Third time’s the charm eh?

We fell ever so short last weekend, but this weekend we were controlling and, in my opinion, much more convincing. In the second half (very similarly to the Glasgow game) we dominated and, yes we didn’t take all of our chances, but at least this time we took two of our chances and ended up leaving with the win.

What I want to focus on however, is our low points tally. The Ospreys have scored 97 points in their three matches. Munster are very close behind on 96. We languish at the bottom on 38. That’s an average of 12.67 points per match. Last season we averaged 26.23 points a game. Now I know we’re only three games into the season, but so far that’s not a very good stat to have.

Why am I bringing this up now? Well if you go back and watch both the Glasgow match and then the Connacht match you will see how many chances we had to score that we didn’t take. An overthrown line-out, a dropped pass near the line, a forward pass, they all add up eventually. Against Glasgow we were rightly punished, luckily we weren’t against Connacht.

That’s mainly down to our second half control though which was very impressive. As we should have done, we played the game down in the Connacht half and by the time they managed to threaten our line for only the second time in the match, the game was already done. We prevented the home team from gaining the losing bonus point which was very good as well.

But there’s no point in focusing on the negatives. Before the game I said that I would take a scrappy 3-0 win and I still stand by that. Anything to get off the mark in the league and start building momentum ahead of the massive Heineken Cup clash against Leicester which is now only 17 days away. The longer we went without a win, the lower the morale would have fallen – at least we now read W 1 instead.

This Friday must see another win chalked up. Should other results go our way we could see ourselves back up into the top four in the table – not too bad considering some people were writing off our Pro12 chances after the Glasgow defeat. Amazing how a few results can go your way and suddenly you’re right back in the mix.

Treviso will provide very stiff opposition. I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for them because they are one of the most underrated sides in all of Europe – what Franco Smith has done for them is absolutely remarkable, turning them from part-timers into a team that everybody looks at and thinks, “They can cause us real problems.” Even though they lost playmaker Kristopher Burton to the Dragons, their win over Munster last week proves how strong they remain and they will come to Ravenhill in a buoyant mood.

It’s up to us to stop them in their tracks. While we could sing their praises all night, the harsh reality remains that they probably aren’t a top four side yet. As a side with real aspirations to win the league, let alone finish in the top four, we should be looking to win this game, and with John Afoa, Rory Best, Tommy Bowe and Stuart Olding possibly returning on Friday, this should definitely be a game we will take all four points from.

The lads will have to front up though. We weren’t perfect against Connacht and Treviso are a side that will definitely punish us for our shortcomings. However, Anscombe will be very happy that we’re off the mark and we can now build on that. Friday should be a very good match though. I’m excited already!

Viva Italia

Zebre finally won a match!!!

I’m delighted for them, they’ve come so close in previous years (against us mainly!) and now they’ve got over the line – away to Cardiff nonetheless. Even if there was a bit of controversy when they were down to 14 men – and had 15 on the pitch – they were deserving winners and hopefully this is the start of better things for the Italian side.

Meanwhile, back in Italy there was another shock as Treviso ended Munster’s unbeaten run with an impressive 29-19 win at the Stadio di Monigo, which saw four Munster players yellow carded in the last fifteen minutes.

In the wake of the PRL claims that the Rabo is too weak, Zebre’s first win plus proof that Treviso can hack it with the big guns should be evidence enough that the Rabo is stocked full of talent throughout the league. And who knows, even though I don’t think either are good enough just yet, maybe we’ll see the first Italian play-off team at the end of this season, just to rub it in the English’s faces…

DON'T HIT THE PANIC BUTTON

I think for the first time in a while, I left Ravenhill after a defeat without a sense of dread. Usually whenever Ulster have lost (especially at home) I am very upset and I start to analyse what exactly went wrong. On Friday night it was very obvious what went wrong – we just couldn’t get over the try line. Then we gave them one chance right at the very end of the match and they took it.

I won’t wax lyrical, fair play to Glasgow, they defended superbly well and then when they got their chance they did what we didn’t – they took it. I won’t admit they deserved it, I don’t think anyone will, but they hung in brilliantly and took advantage of all our shortcomings. It will have been a very enjoyable coach journey back to Glasgow for the Warriors.

So, zero from two now for Ulster, and definitely an argument that it should be two from two. Against the Dragons they never clicked at all and Glasgow should have been disposed of easily. Had Michael Allen or Luke Marshall caught their respective passes on Friday night then we wouldn’t be staring at two defeats in two matches. It’s painful seeing Ulster tenth in the table after two games.

Mark Anscombe has a big big job ahead of him. With the massive Heineken Cup opener against Leicester looming on the horizon, he has to get his players in a winning mentality as soon as possible. I think fans sometimes underestimate what the winning mentality can do for teams – just look at Ulster last season. Thirteen games unbeaten speaks volumes – once you get going, it’s very hard to stop.

Therefore I think it’s about time we see another unbeaten run, don’t you? Connacht away this weekend will be a very tough match considering the circumstances we come into the game under, and Pat Lam has stamped his authority on Connacht already. Had referee Claudio Blessano had even a half decent match last Friday then maybe they would be two from two and sitting pretty.

The Sportsground is a notoriously difficult ground to go to, especially whenever the wind and rain begin to howl. Harlequins will remember the Sportsground with fond memories from two seasons ago – on the cusp of Heineken Cup knockout qualification they came to Galway only to head back to London on the back of a humiliating 9-8 defeat and crashing out of the competition.

Ulster must not underestimate the opposition. On paper, Ulster are the stronger side. On paper, Ulster should easily win this match. But as anyone will tell you, sports matches are never won on paper. Connacht know rightly they have a great chance to cause a scalp here – their opponents are heading into this match on a three match losing streak (including the friendly against Leicester) and they’ll be thinking to themselves, “Why not?”

Anscombe has to drill his players right. Two losses hasn’t killed off our Pro12 chances by a long way, but a third would be incredibly detrimental, and might be one loss in a row too far. Again, it wouldn’t end our Pro12 chances completely, but three straight losses is a heck of a lot to come back from. Good job we’ll welcome back Craig Gilroy this weekend, and maybe another familiar face too…

Let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic for Saturday. Hey, we’re due a win sometime soon, why not Saturday? Here’s hoping…

European Disunion

With all the mess that’s going on regarding the Heineken Cup, I feel obliged to write a little bit about it this week. I don’t really have an opinion on it to be honest, whatever happens to it, as long as we’re still in it and still have a chance of winning it, I don’t care. Although I am opposed to the way the English are going about it.

The threat to withdraw from the tournament altogether and set up an Anglo-French Cup (with special guests) is no more than a scare tactic, attempting to get the ERC to give in to their demands. It’s a cowardly move with Mark McCafferty seemingly unable to simply negotiate with the European heads instead. The ERC aren’t exactly perfect either though – refusing to budge on the current system is complete foolishness because there is universal agreement it must be reformed.

How it should be reformed I don’t know. There are several different ways being touted but as I said, I have no personal preference. All I know is that it should be handled a lot better by all parties involved, because right now there must be people looking at the sport and thinking to themselves, “What a mess.” And the sad thing is, they’re completely right.

FORGETTING FRIDAY

Tired. Sloppy. Lackadaisical.

Anybody else want to add in any more words to describe Ulster’s performance on Friday? No, I didn’t think so. In one of the worst performances certainly I have seen from Ulster in all of my years watching them, Ulster were deservedly beaten 15-8 by a Dragons side who weren’t much better than the away side, and definitely didn’t come anywhere near the Ulster line even once.

It’s a very very big blow. Last season Ulster walked away from Rodney Parade with all five points. This season they’re lucky to crawl away with one. Certainly if we have any intent on being one of the top four teams come the end of the season then either the mindset or the quality of the performances must change, and fast. I don’t know which, but Friday’s shambles was nothing short of a disaster.

The back moves were full of little errors, the forwards could not make their advantage in the scrum count and, as painful as it is for me to say it, Paddy Jackson’s goal kicking was awry yet again. It didn’t lose us the match, that would be a snap judgement (one I did make myself in the heat of the moment), but it certainly didn’t help us in the slightest. Had he landed all his kicks we would have won.

Not his fault though. We lost it as a team. On the night, the Dragons wanted it more and quite rightly they came away with the win. Jason Tovey was excellent with the boot (which made it all the more sickening for us) and whenever the Dragons’ forward pack took control in the second half they took full advantage. Maybe they weren’t as much in the ascendancy as referee Claudio Blessano though, but you play to the referee, no excuses there. A night to forget unfortunately.

Nevertheless, no point in dwelling on it, it’ll just make us feel miserable. Certainly right after the match I was feeling very depressed, but a few days on it’s all forgotten (well, almost!). One defeat does not our title ambitions destroy (or something like that), so let’s not hit the panic buttons just yet. Looking at the fixture list there is a small possibility that we could go to Christmas unbeaten again, but as I said, the performances have to increase tenfold.

So it’s probably very bad that it’s Glasgow who come to Ravenhill this Friday.

You have to admire Glasgow in a way. They came out of nowhere to finish third in the league last season and were inches away from reaching the final, only to just be beaten by Leinster. Had they managed to beat the Dubliners then I don’t think anybody would have begrudged them their place in the final – they were without a shadow of a doubt the form team of 2013 in the Pro12.

This will be a big test for Ulster. Had they snuck past the Dragons on Friday then it wouldn’t have been the best preparation for this match. A loss could be worse or better. A loss could just spark a revenge mission for Ulster – having been humiliated on Friday, the players know they will need to turn it round this week or they will be facing a massive uphill battle in just the second week of the season.

It’s a game that has a lot riding on it already. Should Ulster lose this then serious questions will be asked. The strong squad from last season will be under intense scrutiny early on, and the top four of the Pro12 will look like a distant target already – to finish top Ulster lost only four games last season, it would be two from two if they don’t finish on the right side of the scoreline this Friday.

Therefore it is imperative that the Warriors are defeated. Easier said than done. They have strengthened their squad even more than last season, and last weekend’s battling win over Cardiff will have them in the right frame of mind coming into the game. They will think we’re vulnerable and will fancy a scalp – and who can blame them?

Anscombe will have his work cut out for him. Pulling his side out of the mire of defeat will be tough enough, getting them ready for a big clash this weekend will be even tougher. Change will be made, you can guarantee that. He was not happy with what happened on Friday, don’t be surprised to see wholesale changes in the side. Maybe it’s needed.

Can we do it? I hope so, otherwise it may be a long season for us. A loss wouldn’t end our top four hopes but it would seriously dent them – could we recover from two losses at the start of the season? If anyone could it’s Ulster, but let’s hope it doesn’t even come to that. Let’s just say the season starts here, eh?

C’mon Ulster!

PREDICTING THE PRO12

Alright, I won’t deny it – losing, even in a friendly, is painful, and Saturday was no exception. I’ll admit I didn’t see (or hear) the game live, but from what I have read about the game is that it was much of the same as the Leinster match – too many dropped passes or forward passes, and that the scoreline probably didn’t do us justice.

Anyway, there is no point in dwelling on the past, especially when it’s just a pre-season friendly which count for just a little more than diddly squat in rugby terms. Mark Anscombe will be far more interested in his side’s performance than what the result was. Usually the two tell similar stories, but in friendlies sometimes they can actually be a bit different.

But that is not what I will focus on this week though, because there is something slightly more important at hand:

THE PRO12 RETURNS THIS WEEK!

Can anybody else believe it’s just over three months since we were in the RDS watching Ulster in the Pro12 final? Yet now we are only three days away from it all starting yet again, and first up for Ulster is a tricky away trip to the Newport-Gwent Dragons – a side that has strengthened considerably in the summer and is looking to vastly improve on a disappointing eleventh place finish last season.

It will be a long, difficult season for the Ulstermen, so I have decided to do a Pro12 Preview for the season ahead. Enjoy!

Benetton Rugby Treviso

Probably the most improved side in the Pro12 over the past few years, the news that Franco Smith will be leaving the side at the end of the season will be more than enough motivation for the Italians to push for a top half finish for the first time. However, they haven’t improved enough over the summer and they may find themselves coming up a place short once again.

Key Man: Manoa Vosawai – The big-hitting Italian qualified back rower is the Treviso equivalent of Nick Williams and can be a game changer with his strong runs from the base of the scrum. That said, he goes missing very often when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands.

Prediction: 7^th

Cardiff Blues

The Blues may be in for a tough season. Having lost Jamie Roberts to Racing Metro, and Sam Warburton to a lengthy injury, the best that they may look for is damage limitation. A new plastic pitch at the Cardiff Arms Park is worth celebrating, and it may prove dividends for them in a few matches, but ultimately this could be a long year in Cardiff.

Key Man: Leigh Halfpenny – The Lions full-back has a lot to do if he wishes to continue his successful season. Should he fail to help the Blues to a decent showing this season, then a move to France beckons. Where do Leigh’s loyalties really lie?

Prediction: 10^th

Connacht Rugby

Eric Elwood out, Pat Lam in, and Connacht are looking like a new team. Strengthening their squad all over the park over summer is exactly what the doctor ordered and if they can gel quickly enough, Connacht will be looking at shooting for a top half spot too. It will all depend on how they adjust to Lam’s style of play in the early stages of the season.

Key Man: Craig Clarke – The former Chiefs lock is a big addition to the Connacht squad and will play probably a similar role to that of Johann Muller for Ulster. A highly experienced player, his leadership should benefit the Galway men a lot.

Prediction: 8^th

Edinburgh Rugby

Good to see Alan Solomons back in Celtic rugby again as coach of Edinburgh, and he has his work cut out for himself. If he can get the Scotsmen playing the way they were a couple of seasons ago when they reached the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup then there is no reason why he can’t aim for the play-offs. Big emphasis on “if” though.

Key Man: Greig Laidlaw – The Scotland scrum-half didn’t have the best season in 2012-13, and Edinburgh faltered. If the capital’s captain can find his form once more then there is hope for Edinburgh to get back to playing the rugby that got them to the Heineken Cup semi-final.

Prediction: 9^th

Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow are a unique side with strength all over the park. They have retained nearly all of their players for this season and will be looking to go one step further and get a home semi-final this season. What is concerning is their lack of business in the transfer market regarding incoming players, and with a very similar squad, it is likely they will finish in a very similar position.

Key Man: Niko Matawalu – Words cannot begin to describe Niko Matawalu. The lightning quick scrum-half was in great form at the end of last season and should he keep up that form into this season then there will be few teams that can handle him.

Prediction: 3^rd

Leinster Rugby

As always, Leinster will probably be the team to beat, although with Sexton and Nacewa, two highly influential players, moving on, you would reluctantly say that the defending champions are not as strong as they were last season. Will fight it out with Ulster for top spot in the regular season, may struggle slightly more with international call-ups.

Key Man: Brian O’Driscoll – In what will be probably his last season as a rugby professional, O’Driscoll will be as important to Leinster as he has been over the last few seasons. Whether he can recreate his great moments from the last few seasons or not remains to be seen.

Prediction: 2^nd

Munster Rugby

Rob Penney’s first season in charge of Munster had its ups and downs and eventually ended in a sixth place finish in the Pro12. A year on and there is real belief that they can push on and reach the top 4 of the Pro12 again, especially with the big signing of Gerhard van den Heever. However, it will be tough for a massive improvement down south and the play-offs may just be out of reach.

Key Man: Paul O’Connell – Last season was a difficult season due to injury for Munster’s talismanic captain, but if he can stay injury free for most of this season then he will be crucial to trying to get his province to a play-off place come May.

Prediction: 5^th

Newport-Gwent Dragons

The Dragons are one of those sides that will pull off remarkable scalps that you just don’t think are possible, then mess it up the next week somehow. They have brought in plenty of new players for the new season which will strengthen their squad no end, but whether they are much better than what they already had is questionable.

Key Man: Kristopher Burton – Burton is a new signing from Treviso for this season, and his experience at fly-half will be essential to the Dragons if they do wish to improve upon last season. The versatile Italian can play full-back and wing too.

Prediction: 11^th

Ospreys

Fifth was not acceptable for the Ospreys last season and they will be keen to make up for it this season. Losing Kahn Fotuali’i to Northampton is a big blow though, and as good as Tito Tebaldi is, he isn’t of the same calibre. The Ospreys haven’t significantly strengthened but may benefit from the lack of dealing of other teams instead to make it into the play-offs.

Key Man: Alun Wyn Jones – Chosen to captain the Lions for a reason, AW Jones is one of those names that jumps off a teamsheet at you. His leadership will be important to helping the two-time champions back into the play-offs after a disappointing 2012-13 season.

Prediction: 4^th

Scarlets

Reaching the top 4 last season for the Scarlets was a big moment for the Scarlets and they will have loved every minute of it. Sadly it seems that will be the only enjoyable moment for the next few years because with the departures of George North and Matthew Rees to other clubs their squad is significantly weakened. Top half may be a more realistic aim for the Scarlets.

Key Man: John Barclay – A marquee signing for the Scarlets, Barclay is a player that they need to solidify their back row. Brought down to help keep the Scarlets in the play-offs for a second successive season, his play will be beneficial to the Llanelli side’s plight.

Prediction: 6^th

Ulster Rugby

Pushing on from last season must be a priority for the Ulstermen – falling at the final hurdle for the second year running (in two different tournaments admittedly) is another painful lesson. With much of a similar squad, familiarity won’t be a problem, but improving may be difficult. However, top spot should be within reach for the second successive season.

Key Man: Ruan Pienaar – Words cannot describe Pienaar. His cool, calm and collected method of playing the game of rugby simply oozes class and if he can regain the form that he showed when he first joined Ulster then he will be a force to be reckoned to with.

Prediction: 1^st

Zebre Rugby

Zebre, the usual whipping boys of the Pro12 are, sadly, going to be the recipients of that moniker for another year. No signings as of yet that will vastly improve their team enough to get them off the bottom of the league, and it will be yet another disappointing year for the Italians. A first domestic win could be on the cards though.

Key Man: Mauro Bergamasco – The influential Italian is one of the most experienced players in the Zebre set-up and he will need to be at his commanding best if he wishes to see his side get their first win. However, he may need to roll back the years to do so.

Prediction: 12^th

(Predictions are for regular season)