The one thing that I'm taking from these permutations and combinations conversations, is that there are no easy draws.
We would benefit hugely from having a whipping boy in our group (e.g. Zebre), but we'd need to take 10 points from those two games.
Hopefully, we also get an un-interested French team, and an English team who we can beat at home, and pick up a LBP away from home

Will need to be aiming for at least 21 points
14 at home
7 away

don't know if the trams go out to the ground but there's tons of buses that go out that side of town so handy enough to get there i'd say.

not long now til the draw!

Rex wrote: Wouldn't mind if we got Bordeaux, was there for the soccer and was a fun couple of nights although the rugby ground is a couple of miles from the city centre

You can get the tram though, can't you? Was there in 07, and seem to remember getting out to the ground easily.
It was a lovely city though, and would happily go back (apart from direct flights only going during the summer, I think)

Wouldn't mind if we got Bordeaux, was there for the soccer and was a fun couple of nights although the rugby ground is a couple of miles from the city centre

Would disagree on the progression selection. Montpellier are a much better team than Toulouse.

Ok, had another look, and picked what I think would be best for three different scenarios:

Best for the Gates:
Connacht
Toulon
Northampton
Bordeaux

Best for the Fans (away trips):
Connacht
Clermont
Northampton
Bordeaux

Best for Progression:
Connacht
Exeter/Wasps
Montpellier
Zebre

ConnachtCows wrote: Based off of nothing but the rules, I predict the draw will look like this

Pool 1:
Connacht
Clermont
Northampton
Zebre

Pool 2:
Racing
Wasps
Ulster
Bordeaux

Pool 3:
Saracens
Glasgow
Toulouse
Sale

Pool 4:
Leinster
Leicester
Montpeillier
Castres

Pool 5:
Toulon
Exeter
Scarlets
Munster

No no no Cows... I want Beagles/Bagles - imagine my hat then...

Just a reminder that the pool draw is tomorrow lunchtime (Wednesday 1pm). It will be broadcast live on the epc rugby website.

www.epcrugby.com/home.php

Based off of nothing but the rules, I predict the draw will look like this

Pool 1:
Connacht
Clermont
Northampton
Zebre

Pool 2:
Racing
Wasps
Ulster
Bordeaux

Pool 3:
Saracens
Glasgow
Toulouse
Sale

Pool 4:
Leinster
Leicester
Montpeillier
Castres

Pool 5:
Toulon
Exeter
Scarlets
Munster

wp_rathead wrote: Clermont, Northampton and Zebre would be group I'd like - Clermont and Northampton for the fans, Zebre for the potential 10 points

Have to agree. This would be my preferred draw aswell.

Updated likelihoods on who we'll get drawn against:

Wasps, Clermont 1/3 (~33%)
Leicester, Northampton, Montpellier, Toulouse: 7/24 (~29%)
Zebre, Sale, Castres, Bordeaux: 1/4 (25%)
Exeter, Toulon: 1/12 (~9%)

Can't draw: Saracens, Racing, Leinster, Glasgow, Ulster, Scarlets, Munster.

I'm hoping for Wasps/Toulouse/Zebre to give us best possible chance of progression.

www.epcrugby.com/news/33202.php#.V22isvkrJdg

EPCR weekends - 2016/17 season

Round 1: 13/14/15/16 October
Round 2: 20/21/22/23 October
Round 3: 8/9/10/11 December
Round 4: 15/16/17/18 December
Round 5: 12/13/14/15 January 2017
Round 6: 19/20/21/22 January 2017
Quarter-finals: 30/31 March - 1/2 April 2017
Semi-finals: 21/22/23 April 2017

As mentioned above below are the Tiers:
Tier 1: Saracens, Racing, Connacht & two of Exeter/Toulon/Leinster
Tier 2: One of Exeter/Toulon/Leinster, Wasps, Clermont, Glasgow, one of Leicester/Montpellier/Ulster
Tier 3: Two of Leicester/Montpellier/Ulster, Northampton Saints, Toulouse, Scarlets
Tier 4: Sale Sharks, Munster, Castres, Zebre, Bordeaux Begles

Clermont, Northampton and Zebre would be group I'd like - Clermont and Northampton for the fans, Zebre for the potential 10 points

A bit of fun, group possibilities for next week

Pro 12 2nd and 4th sides in Pot 2

Con
ASM
Leic/Nor
Sal/Zeb/UBB/CO

Con
Was
MHR/ST
Sal/Zeb/UBB/CO

Top 14 2nd and 4th sides in Pot 2

Con
(RCT/R92)/ASM/MHR
Leic/Nor
Sal/Zeb/UBB/CO

Con
Was
ST
Sal/Zeb/UBB/CO

AP 2nd and 4th sides in Pot 2

Con
ASM
Nor
Sal/Zeb/UBB/CO

Con
Exe/Was/Leic
MHR/ST
Sal/Zeb/UBB/CO

The winners of each competition are all guaranteed top seeds (i.e. placed into tier 1). The order that they're listed on the table above doesn't matter.

As Pinky has explained, which two of the three runners up join them in tier 1 is decided by a draw before the main draw begins.

It's just done by a preliminary draw 4D.
They just pull one of Exeter/Leinster/T14 loser out of a pot in a preliminary draw and they go into Pot 2. The fourth ranked team from the same league then goes into Pot 2 as well, along with all the third ranked teams.
Then the main draw goes ahead with those pots.

Evil_g
Do we actually know that the Pro 12 winners wil get top spot, Prem get 2nd and T14 will be 3rd.

The European 'heads' have gone Prem, T14 then Pro 12 for the recent draws.

Won't make a difference for us but will move Leinster into Tier 2.

The good news is that If they do put the Pro 12 winners in 3rd spot. We can not get 1st or 2nd from the Prem or T14 in our pool.

What think you?