Connacht back in HCup 2012-2013!

Yeah, they said that last year and a fat lot of good it did them in getting out of it

We flew into Biarritz when we played Dax a couple of years back. Airport is close enough to the town. Took a stroll around for the morning and it seemed okay. Accommo a bit pricey, check around. Think their airport is shut through the winter though so vital we draw them in October. Bayonne is just down the road (five miles or so) and could offer another option for acommo.

if we play harlequins in pre-season as planned, @connachtrugby would play quins 8times in 3seasons or 13 times from 06/07 atleast 1game year

12/13 =3
11/12 =2
10/11 =3
09/10 =1
08/09 =1
07/08 =1
06/07 =2

Ah Jaysus,

Cant wait now. Going to miss both games in October, as I'll be on my holidays.

9 points for the Zebras.
5 from Harlequins
1 from Biarritz

I'd be delighted with that.

Really wanted Biarritz this year. Annoyed we got Harlequins though

I had a quick glance at a Harlequins forum. The general consensus seems to be

"FFS, Connacht again"

They all seem pretty confident that they can win the group.

sea_point wrote:

ummm, wrote: Really glad to have avoided pool 6.

Don't know what it is about Quins but we just can't get out of each others way. Go<strong>od bunch though, and the revenge factor will add a bit of spice to our home game.</strong>

There are some teams in the HEC that could stuff us like NZ did to Ireland last week, so it's good to have avoided them in that regard, but it would have been nice to get a super big name.

But BO have some great names, hopefully we can get a crowd for that. Am worried about the gates for Quins & Zebre, especially if we've already played Zebre at home in the Pro12 before the HEC game comes around,

Yep we really owe them for the Stoop, we want a double up this time....

Biarritz, great draw for travelling fans especially if we can get them first up in October when teh weather is still beatuiful on Le Paye Basque (for those who remember the Dax trip), but despite being No.1 seeds they do not have a lot of exciting big name players Yachvilli & Harinordoquy being the real deal so essential that we have a result or two under our belts when they visit to ensure a big crowd. Same applies with Quins, we need to be in the running when they come to town, over familiarity and all that..

Whats Biarritz's form like the last season or two?

Biarritz
(Coach: Laurent Rodriguez)

INS
Matt Berquist (FH, Leinster)
Aled Brew (WG, Dragons)
Thomas Synaeghel (PR, Dax)
Jean-Philippe Genevois (HK, Toulon)
Ben Broster (PR, Wasps)
Thibault Dubarry (LK, Brive)

SOME people rate matt berquist on here, didnt see much of him.
i rate brew very very highly. great winger

OUTS
Benoît August (HK, retired)
Sylvain Marconnet (PR, retired)
Yvan Watremez (PR, Montpellier)
Romain Terrain (HK, Perpignan)
Jean-Baptiste Roidot (LK, Carcassonne)
Florian Faure (N8, Grenoble)
Ilikena Bolakoro (WG, Brive)

really looking forward to all the trips just like last season.
Really hope we can get better organisation as regards meeting points before and after the games as I think this was lacking last season.(Glaws apart!)

When will we know the exact dates of the games pre chistmas?

I hope we can crack on from the pazazz of last year and make EVERY HEC game a party not just the big games (toulouse).

Great draw Biarritz at home,Quins both games and Zebres both games should be what we are all about!
The points should be there for those games.

The season tickets should now get a push to get capacity crowds at all the home games.

happy days

Not bad at all. Getting Harlequins is a bit of a downer as we've met so often but I think Biarritz is a great draw. They bring glamour but I believe our game against them in the Sportsground could offer us a big chance of a win depending on when its played, form etc. but they lost in Treviso last year and Aironi the year before so they are far from unbeatable at the Sportsground. Harlequins will be well set for us but there usually isn't much between the teams. Zebras is a nice one in tier 4 but lets not forget the struggles we had against Aironi home and away the last couple of years.

Having said all that the minimum objective I would have would be 2 wins against the Italians and at least 3rd place in the group which would give us some valuable raking points for future campaigns.

I'm hoping for at least one other home win with 2 or 3 bonus points. 14/15 points would represent a good campaign. If we could make a sustained push for 2nd place and a possible back door entry to the Amlin I'd be delighted.

Leinsters hopes of 3 in a row have taken a bit of a dent with their draw, they will do well to get out of their group and are likely to face an away quarter final even if they do.

Munster have got a decent draw and can have hope of progressing, maybe as a best runner up.

Ulsters draw is tricky, Aironi in their pool was a big help to them the last two seasons, no easy team in their group this time. Competitive looking pool, they'll do well to progress.

I'm defo going to Biarritz. Can't wait...sick of all the Euro soccer rubbish already!

There was a good crew of around 800 at Toulouse so with a little bit of organising , pre-planning , credit cards!! and good will wouldn't it be great to go over the 1000 mark away to Biarritz!!

What a blast.................

Connacht 4ever!!