Barkley: Ulster double-header is pivotal

Olly Barkley accepts that Bath have reached the make-or-break stage in their Heineken Cup campaign.

The 1998 European champions head to Belfast tomorrow for a Pool Four appointment with Ulster before Saturday week’s Recreation Ground return fixture.

Bath back Barkley knows the west country club cannot afford any further mishaps after losing at home to group leaders Biarritz in October.

“It is a big few weeks for us,” said the England international.

“We shot ourselves in the foot against Biarritz, and then we did not play well against Aironi, although we did what we had to do to get the five points.

“We have to win all our games now. We lost a home game, and history shows that if you win your home games and pick up some points away from home, then you are likely to go through.

“These next two games will decide whether us or Ulster will challenge Biarritz to go through, so this game is like a semi-final for us.

“If we lose at Ravenhill it will make life incredibly hard for ourselves. We’ve already made things tough, but that would make it a really uphill task.”

Current Aviva Premiership leaders Northampton can tighten their grip on Pool One tomorrow by seeing off Franklin’s Gardens visitors Cardiff Blues.

The Saints, beaten once in domestic league and European action this term, were taken to the wire by previous Heineken Cup opponents Castres and Edinburgh, but still emerged victorious.

“The back-to-back games in this competition are always very important,” said Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder.

“Cardiff Blues won the Amlin Challenge Cup last season by beating Toulon in Marseille, so we know how good they are. I think the match will be a cracker.”

Saints’ midlands rivals Leicester – the only side with a maximum 10 points from two games in this season’s Heineken Cup – will put their unbeaten record on the line against Pool Five hosts Perpignan tomorrow.

But the Tigers know a repeat of their 2001 victory at Stade Aime Giral would see them edge towards a 10th quarter-final appearance in European club rugby’s blue riband competition.

Saracens also face French opposition on the resumption of Heineken Cup action, tackling Racing Metro at Vicarage Road following successive defeats against Clermont Auvergne and Leinster.

Steve Borthwick’s team are bottom of Pool Two – the worst record among England’s six tournament representatives this term – and an early exit beckons if the Parisians prevail in Watford.

Elsewhere, reigning European champions and Pool Six favourites Toulouse visit Glasgow tonight, while Edinburgh visit Castres tomorrow, the Scarlets host Treviso in Pool Five and Biarritz visit Italian minnows Aironi.

Sunday’s action sees Jonny Wilkinson and Toulon facing London Irish at the Madejski Stadium, with Munster – likely to be boosted by lock Paul O’Connell returning from injury – entertaining the Ospreys, Newport Gwent Dragons meeting Wasps and Leinster visiting Clermont.