As soon as the predictions surrounding the quarter-final match-ups were done and dusted, attention soon focussed on who is most likely to march on to the final in Murrayfield.
After Connacht’s disappointing 19-10 loss to Toulouse and London Wasps’ predictable victory over Zebre, the quarter-final match-ups for this year’s Champions Cup were finally set in stone.
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Munster and Leinster will both face Toulouse and Wasps at home. In the other ties, Clermont Auvurgne will be at home to bitter rivals Toulon, while Glasgow face a daunting trip to Allianz Park to face the formidable Saracens.
Munster and Leinster fans will be dreaming of semi-final appearances and some might be even brash enough to think about a potential final showdown between their respective teams.
It’s difficult not to get carried away with these thoughts to be fair.
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After both provinces being starved of European success over the past number of seasons, fans will be undoubtedly excited of what is potentially to come.
Brian O’Driscoll, though, was not so optimistic on either of Ireland’s heavyweight clubs winning European club rugby’s holy grail come May.
Drico and Lawrence Dallaglio were speaking on BT Sport in the aftermath of Wasps’ win over Zebre where they began to discuss the mouth watering match up between Clermont and Toulon.
“Yeah they will (relish Toulon at home) and they’ve got history against Toulon, obviously losing a couple of finals to them. Toulon got their first victory in Marcel Michelin last year so they wont be afraid going there. It’s probably the team Clermont wouldn’t have wanted coming visiting them, said O’Driscoll.”
Host, Craig Doyle, inevitably asked the pair, in two seconds only, who they predict as winners. Dallaglio was up first.
“I’ll still go with Clermont, it could be their year this year.”
And Drico?
“I think Clermont too.”
Well that’s that then.
Clermont are leading the Top14 at the moment and I think most neutral fans would wish to see the club finally winning this tournament but with Munster and Leinster likely to be involved come the semi-finals, that wish may have to be postponed for one season at least.
