There seems to be very little fanfare and excitement around the start of the Champions Cup this weekend. It’s supposed to be the showpiece of European Club Rugby; the first few rounds of domestic leagues should be the hors d’ouevres for this main event.

Are people disillusioned with this relatively new competition already? Last season was dominated by English and French sides – has that left fans feeling uneasy about it after all the ugly power-wrangling a couple of years ago? It feels like the soul that made the Heineken Cup so exciting has been lost somehow.

But anyway, who is going to win each pool? Read on to find out.

POOL 1: Glasgow, Leicester, Munster, Racing

As last year’s runners-up, Racing look like potential winners of this pool, but then you remember they cannot win away from home. Eight games into the Top 14, and they’ve won all four home games, including victories over Toulouse, Toulon and Stade Francais, but they’ve lost all four away games – including a 47-10 thrashing at Clermont. Losing away isn’t uncommon in the Top 14, but it won’t win you European Cups.

But then none of the other sides in this pool look much more threatening. Looking at the fixtures, you’d probably pick the home side to win in every match, so it could come down to one team nicking a win somewhere, and/or losing bonus points. In that case, Racing probably have a bit more to offer if Dan Carter is fit and firing.

Pool winner: Racing 92

POOL 2: Connacht, Toulouse, Wasps, Zebre

This is a gift of a pool for Wasps and Toulouse, with Zebre hopeless and Connacht misfiring after last season’s heroics. The three best runners-up across the five pools will qualify for the quarter-finals, along with the pool winners obviously, and this pool will definitely see two teams go through.

Wasps are looking like potential champions after a blistering start to the season. Toulouse are not great away, but should clinch second place.

Pool winner: Wasps; Runner-up: Toulouse

POOL 3: Toulon, Sale, Saracens, Scarlets

Look at the strength of this pool compared to Pool 2, and it’s not pretty for the only Welsh team in the tournament – Toulon and Saracens have won the last four tournaments between them, and they’ll both be looking to qualify from this pool. Sale and Scarlets can be formidable opponents at home, but Saracens in particular will be confident of winning all of their matches.

Toulon has been slightly unpredictable this season so far, but they have started to turn things around just in time for their favourite competition, and I fancy them to go through as a best runner-up at least.

Pool winner: Saracens; Runner-up: Toulon

POOL 4: Castres, Leinster, Montpellier, Northampton

This pool looks very evenly matched, even if none of these teams are among the favourites to lift the trophy. That said, let’s rule out Castres, who will be tough to beat at home, but won’t win away, and are unlikely to qualify.

Montpellier are currently third in the Top 14 table, but they’ve had a fairly easy start to the season in terms of fixtures. They have a star-studded side, but with Jake White leaving at the end of the season and players already thinking about moving on, I can’t see why they are the bookies’ favourites to win the pool.

Northampton can be very tough opponents, but they looked fairly average against Harlequins on Saturday. Perhaps they already had one eye on this tournament, but I’d like an Irish side to do well in this tournament, so I’ll be rooting for Leinster to win this pool.

Pool winner: Leinster

POOL 5: Clermont, Exeter, Ulster, Bordeaux

Bordeaux has been faring well so far this season, and even won an away game, but I’m going to rule them out of the running in this pool given the quality of their opposition. French rivals Clermont lead the Top 14, having only lost one match so far this season (only one away win, but two draws on the road is enough to top the table), and they look likely winners of this pool.

I’m finding it quite hard to choose between Exeter and Ulster – the bookies seem to have the Chiefs as second favourites to win the pool, behind Clermont and ahead of Ulster, but given their respective starts to the season, I’m leaning towards Ulster to qualify as a best runner-up.

Pool winner: Clermont, Ulster

I’ll even stick my neck out and predict the seedings for the quarter-finals:

1. Wasps
2. Saracens
3. Racing 92
4. Clermont
5. Leinster
6. Toulouse
7. Toulon
8. Ulster

What do you think of these predictions? And are you excited about the Champions Cup, or feeling a bit indifferent towards it?

Follow Hutch on Twitter: @Hutch_James

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images

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