Biarritz, Borders, Northampton, Parma: Five away defeats in the Top 14 suggests the reigning French champions are nursing a hangover from last season but if they get a sniff of a home quarter-final in San Sebastien they have three successive heartbreaks to motivate them. And they'd need shooting for not topping this pool.
The Borders and Parma are arguably the two most lightweight sides in the competition, which suggests Northampton, could be the luckiest of all. But the Saints have lost their last four games and Carlos Spencer's one-week suspension compounds injuries to Bruce Reihana, Jon Clarke and Steve Thompson for their daunting opener in the south west of France.
Forecast: Biarritz to top the pool with Northampton having every chance of progressing as one of the best second placed teams.
FIXTURES - Tonight: Borders v Parma (7.30). Sunday: Biarritz v Northampton (4.0). Oct 28th: Parma v Biarritz (2.0); Northampton v Borders (3.30). Dec 9th: Borders v Biarritz (1.35); Parma v Northampton (2.00). Dec 16th: Northampton v Parma (3.0). Dec 17th: Biarritz v Borders (2.0). Jan 12th/13th/14th: Biarritz v Parma, Borders v Northampton. Jan 19th/20th/21th: Northampton v Biarritz; Parma v Borders.
