It’s still all to play for

THE COMPETITION for places in this year’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals has never been keener.

With five rounds and one hundred and twenty pool games played, only one team, Edinburgh, has qualified to advance to the next stage as we enter the final weekend of pool matches. They remain the only unbeaten side in the tournament, and are the first Scottish team ever to qualify.

As an indicator of how tight the competition is, defeat for Edinburgh next week will see them go from first seed to eighth. From an Irish perspective, the progress of both Munster and Leinster is very much in their own hands. Sadly Ulster, for the fourth year in a row, have failed to make the knockout stage.

On Friday night, Leinster were the first Irish team to enter the fray. Given that their previous round game against Sale was played only five days earlier, their preparation time for this match was compromised, and it showed. In an attempt to expand their support base, Leinster have played all their Heineken Cup games in Lansdowne Road this season. While the crowds have responded in kind generating a record attendance of over 20,000 for a pool game, the team's efforts on the field have been in marked contrast. In fact when one takes into account their games in the quarter and semi-final stages of the competition last year, their new home has proved anything but welcoming, with a success ratio of just 50%. At least they won on Friday.

As a result of Biarritz's excellent away victory over Sale yesterday, Leinster must now go to the South of France in search of victory next Saturday. Anything less will signal their exit from the competition. If that happens, there will be considerable embarrassment in the Leinster Branch headquarters as the impact of the failure to register Felipe Contepomi comes home to roost. Leinster's difficulties in this pool can be attributed in large measure to the lack of control from the out half position. It didn't help that their back up No. 10, Christian Warner, has also been plagued by injury.

Yet on Friday, after 30 minutes, Leinster were in complete control at 17 3. When Craig Quinnell was despatched to his now familiar position in the 'sin bin', Leinster should have finished off the game. In similar circumstances last week Munster, with ruthless efficiency, scored 17 points when Gloucester had players in the bin. On this occasion it was Cardiff who did the damage and the half time score of 17 17 must have had coach Glen Ella pulling his hair out.

The loss of Eric Miller before half time was a huge blow as he has been in outstanding form of late. Yet with at least five forwards in serious contention for starting places in the forthcoming Six Nations championship, Leinster's inability to dominate up front must be a cause of concern for Eddie O'Sullivan. Malcolm O'Kelly has Donnacha O'Callaghan breathing down his neck, but to date it doesn't seem to be eliciting the necessary response from the St. Mary's giant. Leinster's kicking game was also well short of the mark with Girvan Dempsey particularly wasteful with the boot.

However, Leinster are still hanging in there and the character they showed under pressure in their away victory over Sale will have to be very much in evidence next weekend. With a number of players on the treatment table, their future in this competition could well be in the hands of their medical staff.

Ulster's failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup over the past number of seasons has proved costly in more ways than one. As a consequence they have entered the pool draw as Ireland's third seed. This has resulted in their placement in the hardest qualifying group on a number of occasions. Most costly of all though has been their failure to win away from Ravenhill. That sequence continued on Saturday when they lost narrowly to French aristocrats Stade Francais. Despite a bright opening that yielded a breakaway try for David Humphries, Ulster never looked as if they honestly believed they could win this game. That was a pity as Stade are not as formidable as they have been in the past. That lack of belief was evident when Ulster conceded a soft try to the Frenchmen within three minutes of their opening try. Within hours of this game, Leicester became the first team in this pool to win away from home. That victory sets up a 'winner take all' clash with Stade in Welford Road next Saturday. Ominously Leicester, despite a horrific season to date, are on the threshold of qualification for the quarter-finals. For Ulster all that remains is the Celtic League. As a consequence of yesterday's defeat, they should now go on and win that competition.

Munster's task at the weekend was clear. Go to Treviso, win and score four tries. On both counts they produced and even had a try to spare. In what was potentially a 'banana skin' game and despite some shaky moments, Munster's professionalism shone through. Even the absence of Horan and Sheehan was absorbed. Just as well. Gloucester's comprehensive 37-18 victory away in Bourgoin was a clear demonstration that the cherry and whites have recovered from their mauling in Limerick. Munster will have to beat Bourgoin in Thomond Park next Saturday, and secure the bonus point by scoring another four tries. The fact that Bourgoin sacked their coach Philippe Saint-Andre yesterday will surely help Munster's cause.

Given that Gloucester entertain Treviso at Kingsholm you can take it as given that they will bag five points. If they finish level, Munster will top the group as they secured one more point in their head to head with the English side. Gloucester will ensure qualification as a best runner up.

Even more intriguing is the strong possibility that Munster and Gloucester could again meet at the quarter-final stage. If Toulouse beat Edinburgh and secure a bonus point, a likely outcome, then the possibility becomes reality.

This competition gets better and better. The fact that so much remains unresolved until the last sequence of games shows that standards are levelling out at club level in Europe. Even the Italian sides have acquitted themselves well this season.

Finally, pride of place this weekend must surely go to Michael Bradley's brave Connacht side. To win away in France is a fantastic achievement at any stage. To do so by a margin of nine points sets them up perfectly for the return leg next weekend.