Friday

Edinburgh v Wasps

High Wycombe is hardly the most atmospheric ground in England but the prospect of an almost empty, echoing Murrayfield on a freezing Friday night is an altogether more debilitating matter. The champions of England may have a host of internationals returning but it is not as if they are in any sort of confident mood. An inspired Danny Cipriani is desperately needed otherwise an Edinburgh team with Mike Blair and Ross Ford guiding the home side onto the front foot are likely to put a premature end to Wasps' European aspirations.

Sale v Montauban

Sale should have too much strength for a French team focused primarily upon survival in their domestic league. However, this club is no Bourgoin. Anyone who witnessed the heroics of their near second team’s efforts against Munster on the first night of the tournament will not dismiss them readily. Sale are still not firing flat out but the quality of their performances in victory at Clermont Auvergne, and in defeat at home to Munster, shows the calibre of a side for whom Luke McAlister is capable of wonders with Charlie Hodgson still orchestrating his team.

Cardiff Blues v Biarritz

The demise of Biarritz as a national or European force should be a cause for celebration throughout Europe. Undoubtedly the most negative team in Europe for the past four years, they have squandered a golden squad and are now left with the detritus revolving around the boot of Dimitri Yachvilli. Cardiff must have Europe on their mind judging by their appalling effort at Glasgow last week - only good teams can be that bad and this is potentially the best Cardiff team for a decade with a superb balance in the back row and finishing power in the back three. Cardiff will surely win. The question is whether Biarritz, with another recently sacked coach in Jacques Delmas, will bother to stop them hunting an important bonus point.

Ulster v Scarlets

The first dead match of the tournament barring miracles but an interesting one from an Irish perspective with Ulster looking to build on the momentum achieved whilst other teams lost a core of players to the Celtic national teams in November. The recent win against Munster should give them sufficient confidence to account for a Llanelli outfit capable of much in attack and even less in defence. It will be worth watching, if only for the gilded running of Regan King.

Saturday

Leinster v Castres

In the possible absence of test match cricket the cricket score may have to come from Dublin where Castres head haplessly into town with what is rumoured to be a second team. The first team, struggling at the wrong end of the French league would have lost to Leinster. This one, in the best Bourgoin tradition might just shrug the collective shoulder and watch the Dubliners pick up where they left off against Wasps. Rocky Elsom is starting to rumble up front and Leinster is looking a threat once again.

Rugby Calvisano v Gloucester

Oh dear, those wasted West Country months. Dear old Dean Ryan got his knickers in a twist over the implementation of the almost forgotten ELVS and straitjacketed his team to the extent they forgot how good they can be. The usually cocky Ryan Lamb was merely half-cocked and the Cherry and Whites were stumbling around for a game plan. Now that their coach has realised the extent of his nervous overreaction they are playing like Gods, and the Italians are unlikely to prevent a quick four try frenzy as Gloucester bid to keep their hopes going after being hammered in Cardiff in round two.

Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons

In theory this is a hopeless mismatch but the Dragons are capable of giving Toulouse a fight in the way Stanley Baker and Michael Caine did at Rorke’s Drift. You know that in the end Toulouse are going to overwhelm them but if the Dragons defend with the guts and intelligence they showed at Bath they could frighten the frequently complacent French champions and perhaps deprive them of a bonus point that could be important come the conclusion of the pool.

Ospreys v Benetton Treviso

The outstanding contender for the most tedious tie of the round. The Italians, even with Fraser Waters adding some steel and intelligence to the side will travel forlorn of hope before leaving Swansea with exactly what they expect – nothing. The Ospreys, who are engaged in a match that could prove be a three way fight for top spot with Leicester and Perpignan, must not miss the opportunity for a four try win. A lost bonus point would be tantamount to defeat. That keeps it interesting until Lee Byrne, one of the best of British, scores or makes the the fourth try.

Stade Francais v Harlequins

The prettiest Anglo-French encounter in the history of the Heineken Cup with the Harlequins famously garish strip swamped by Parisian pink. Being played in front of somewhere near 80,000 spectators at the Stade de France, this will be not only the most colourful contest of the weekend but potentially the best. Moody Stade were wondrous against the Scarlets for 20 minutes in the last round but against a Harlequins team that is running hot, 20 minutes might not be enough. Nick Evans, the bold Kiwi fly half, was signed for night like this. It could be one of the London club's great days.

Leicester v Perpignan

No, Dan Carter is not playing, and if he was, judging by the ugly body shape of his goal kicking at Twickenham, it would not prevent the Tigers from winning a match against another of the French giants who shrivel outside hearing distance of the town's clock towers. At their worst they rival Biarritz for wasted talent, at their rare away best they have a lovely off-loading game with Scottish international and Lions contender, Nathan Hines, heavily involved, in a soft handed sort of way. Perpignan will settle for a bonus point, Leicester will target the maximum five but must give ensure they give the Catalans nothing.

Sunday

Bath v Glasgow

On paper (and in England) this is a five point banker but Glasgow are capable of some penetrating stuff of their own. In John Barclay they have unearthed an outstanding flanker and their excellent back row could make life awkward in an area where Bath have to achieve front foot dominance if they are to ascend to the dizzy heights at which the rest of the Bath team have performed most of this season. Scottish rugby is probably more content than its English counterpart at present but Stephen Meehan, the smart Australian coach, will have his South Africans primed for a game in which Bath need five points to keep tabs with Toulouse.

Clermont Auvergne v Munster

This fixture gave us one of the pool games of the tournament last season with Munster’s success hinging on the heroic comeback from the edge of a slaughtering to vital bonus point. Munster are better than last season and Clermont not half so good so Munster should win but with a back three, including Aurelien Rougerie and Julien Malzieu, Clermont could yet find that elusive magic, if not enough to beat the best team in Europe. Munster are favourites...and they hate that..