As the RBS 6 Nations exits stage left, enter the Heineken Cup. Truly, there has never been a better era in which to be a rugby fan. Irish supporters have grown used to having at least one of their teams involved in the latter stages of the tournament.
This year, though, that trend will be more difficult than ever to continue. Both Munster and Leinster play away from home, and both are without key men. Paul O'Connell, having just re-discovered his best form at the tail end of the Six Nations, and Brian O'Driscoll will watch from the stands for Munster and Leinster respectively.
The effect of such a loss is obviously crucial. Both teams will miss the superb standard of individual play O'Connell and O'Driscoll bring, while they will also have to cope without that vital 'leadership' quality they possess. O'Connell and O'Driscoll undoubtedly make the players around them look and play better.
WASPS v LEINSTER
(Kick-off 5.45pm Saturday, on RTÉ Two 9.00pm)
Looking at the matches themselves, Leinster have the tougher task. Whatever about their troubles on the road, Wasps have exceptional home form, which they have talked up as a psychological edge. The big question mark is over the Leinster pack, specifically the tight five. Can they deliver first phase possession? The lineout has been infuriatingly inconsistent all year, while the scrum hasn't faced an eight, or a front row, as good as the Wasps unit for some time.
The match-up between the opposing sets of backs is also fascinating. Wasps will come utilising the blitz 'rush up' defence. The ball is firmly in Leinster's court as to how they try and overcome it. Gordon D'Arcy's power at inside centre is clearly a massive advantage.
Even if the English Premiership is 'the best league in the Northern hemisphere' as the Wasps website proclaims, their inside defence will not have come up against a player to match the power and guile of the Leinsterman's running with ball in hand. If the Wasps rush up is forced back five or ten yards by D'Arcy's power, it will create space and time for the others to capitalise on off the next phase.
Scrum-half Chris Whitaker's ability to crab sideways, draw defenders to him and offload cleverly is another tactic Wasps will not have seen too much of in the conservative environs of their home league. Whitaker is capable of staying cool enough to exploit any spacing or mis-match issues close to the ruck and could prove a key weapon in seeking to nullify the intimidation factor that underpins the Wasps approach. If Whitaker is on song, Wasps may be forced to rush up and hesitate, rather than rush up and hit.
Wider out, out-half Felipe Contepomi and wing Shane Horgan will surely look to take on the Wasps wingers in the air. The Londoners' defence sometimes uses a 'banana' shape, curling forwards from the ruck to outside centre. It's a rugby league tactic to which the perfect foil has always been the sideways up and under creating a two on one between the defending winger and a pair of attackers. Horgan's size and ability with his hands above his head makes him one of the best in the world. It's hard to see there being much more than a score in it either way. Leinster to shade it.
LLANELLI v MUNSTER
(Kick-off 7.30pm Friday, watch on RTÉ Two 11.00pm)
While Leinster will need almost everything to go their way, Munster require only a decent Heineken Cup level performance to see them through against Llanelli, who were flattered by their achievements in the group stage.
Ulster and Toulouse were impossibly poor at times, while London Irish are an easy mark for any halfway decent team. Stephen Jones, the key to much of their play, will line out but he has been troubled by injury and in terrible form for his country.
The main threat will come from inside centre Regan King, the key man for Llanelli and the one player who looks to have the skill and power to give Munster's exceptionally strong defensive line a serious problem (he's a New Zealander, hence he doesn't play for Wales).
The Llanelli backrow of Simon Easterby, Alix Popham and Gavin Thomas is also strong, but no stronger then Munster's unit. Scrum-half Dwayne Peel is another threat, but he lives off mistakes and can be contained if Munster maintain concentration and discipline. Few sides are better at it.
In fact, the motivation of the Europe-wide humiliation inflicted by Leicester at Thomond Park in the last game of the pool stages will ensure a massive effort from the men in red. Aside from this, even though Llanelli field King and Peel, Munster, for once, look to have the better game-breakers on paper. If the pack can gain parity up front, Trevor Halstead and Ronan O'Gara can convert effort and pressure into points. Munster by ten or twelve.
Leicester v Stade Francais Paris, Sunday 3.30pm
Biarritz Olympique v Northampton, Sunday 1.00pm
In the other games, Leicester take on Stade Francais Paris at home and Northampton travel to Biarritz. The Stade pack have looked ripe for a good doing over all year. The Neath-Swansea Ospreys, of all teams, could have beaten them twice already.
Leicester's form against Munster is far more solid and regardless of the fact that SFP are a so-called 'powerhouse', this Leicester team built on a core of local players and augmented by carefully chosen foreign talent should give the 'superstars' a good beating. Leicester by eight or more.
Northampton v Biarritz is, meanwhile, is clearly the mis-match of the round. The French side will win handsomely, twenty plus.
(Highlights of all the weekend's action on Against The Head, RTÉ Two, Monday 8.00pm).
