Heavyweights Go Head to Head

The Heineken Cup is back – with four successive weekends of high-octane action that will settle who will qualify for the prestigious quarter-finals in April.

The Heineken Cup is back – with four successive weekends of high-octane action that will settle who will qualify for the prestigious quarter-finals in April.

After two rounds there are only six teams left able to boast 100 per cent records. Edinburgh Rugby, Leinster Lions, Llanelli Scarlets, Gloucester, Munster and London Wasps are the “Super Six.”

And, with Gloucester and Munster squaring up for back-to-back clashes at Kingsholm and Thomond Park in shades of last season’s epic encounters between the two heavyweights, something is also going to have to give in Pool 5.

Last season both clashes went with home advantage, Gloucester winning 35-16 and Munster 33-6. All tickets for the first rematch, in front of the Sky Sports cameras at Kingsholm on Saturday, were snapped up within days of going on sale back in October to guarantee an 11,000 sell-out.

It all adds up to the Heineken Cup simply getting better and better – the 12 Round 2 fixtures pulling in a record total for the round through the turnstiles. The 95,850 who turned out were boosted by five five-figure attendances with 2001 and 2002 double champions Leicester Tigers leading the way with 15,093 on hand at Welford Road to watch them beat The Dragons 34-3.

Toulouse (12,500), Northampton Saints (11,523), Munster (10,565) and Ulster (10,243) were the other hot beds with Gloucester falling just 508 short of joining them on that occasion.