Six of the best light up Heineken Cup

IT’S THE same every year. Just when the Heineken Cup has captured the imagination after the opening sequence of games, it goes straight back into hibernation.

It’s the only thing about this enthralling competition that disappoints me. Next weekend sees a brief reappearance of the Magners League followed by Ireland’s opening autumn international against South Africa on Saturday week.

After just two rounds of this year’s opening European fare, only six of the 24 participants remain unbeaten. Given that no side has ever qualified having lost their opening two games, one can already bid farewell to the Italian contingent, Bourgoin and more surprisingly, Gloucester.