ON RUGBY: When the Heineken European Cup was inaugurated in 1995 it was a step into the unknown and started in circumstances one might describe as humble, certainly compared to the status it now holds in the game. Nor could it be said that it was greeted with immense enthusiasm across Europe, most notably by some powerful figures in England.Nothing new in that one might say.

It owes its origins to the vision of the few, particularly Tom Kiernan, the first chairman of ERC (European Rugby Cup), a position he held until 1999, and to the support of Vernon Pugh, current chairman of the International Rugby Board. The competition has attracted a level of spectator interest that has justified the faith and the foresight shown by the founding fathers.

The pool stages of the competition resume this weekend when the second last series of matches will be played. There is a great sense of anticipation as two of the three Irish provinces, Munster and Ulster, seek to take vital steps towards securing quarter-final places, by beating Harlequins at Thomond Park and Wasps at Loftus Road respectively. A quarter-final place is already assured for Leinster. Leinster's objective away to Newcastle at Kingston Park will be to seek a win that could mean a quarter-final home draw.

There is no doubt the European Cup has been extremely beneficial to Irish rugby from just about every perspective. The achievements of Ulster in winning the title in 1999, and Munster's advance to the final the following season and the semi-final last season, not alone had a profound influence on the performances and composition of the Irish team but captivated the country. They also brought a new level of interest in the game from people, who, in the past, would have had no more than a passing interest.

Central to the motive behind the establishment of the competition was to give players experience at a high level and thus offer ideal preparation for the international arena. The establishment of the Super 12 series between the the provincial sides of the three big powers in the Southern Hemisphere was also a motivating factor. People such as Kiernan and Pugh saw a European Cup as a counter measure for the players in Europe.

It is not unreasonable to say now that the European Cup is proving as beneficial to the game in Europe as did the Super 12 series in the Southern Hemisphere. It attracts even more interest from the public. I know that as yet a European team has not won the World Cup, but recent evidence suggests the gap is narrowing.

The European Cup did, of course, have its teething problems. The English and Scots did not participate in the inaugural season when 12 teams contested. The English clubs blamed their union for that, the Scots favoured and supported the concept but did not feel in a position to enter as they were preparing to put their regional teams in place. Leinster beat a Milan team that included Diego Dominguez 34-21 and Pontypridd to qualify for the semi-final at which stage they lost 23-14 to Cardiff at Lansdowne Road.

Munster beat Swansea at Thomond Park and then lost in controversial circumstances to Castres, who had lost to Swansea. Swansea qualified for the semi-final on points' difference but lost to Toulouse at the penultimate stage. Toulouse beat Cardiff 21-18 after extra-time in the final watched by 21,800 spectators. Ulster in that inaugural season lost to Cardiff at the Arms Park and to Begles-Bordeaux at Ravenhill.

It is a measure of how the tournament grew that, when Ulster beat Colomiers in the final in 1999 at Lansdowne Road, it was a full house of 49,000. When Munster lost in the final the following season to Northampton by a point, the match was watched by 68,441.

THE year Ulster won the cup it was contested by 16 clubs and boycotted by the English clubs as well as Cardiff and Swansea, who had cast their net into English waters but soon realised their folly.The English clubs and union made a concerted attempt to impose their will on the structure. Their "blueprint" for the competition at that time did not get the support they suggested they had from France. The French made it clear they had not given any such support to the English proposals. I still retain a copy of that infamous document and it makes for interesting reading now.

So since the competition's inception we have had boycotts, attempts to halt it, to stifle it and that aforementioned plan by England to change it radically to suit their needs and to hell with the consequences for others.

We also had attempts to cut down Ireland's representation from three to two and some comments from Peter Wheeler, chief executive of Leicester, that Irish and Scottish regional teams should not be allowed to participate. But not a chirp that his club, and others, had so many Irish and Scottish representative players without having to pay anything for them. Indeed at the time of that infamous document, the majority of the Ireland squad players were playing in England. But that has since changed radically and how the Irish provinces have prospered.

So the competition has certainly not been free from the controversial elements, but such was rugby in those early days of professionalism. But it has evolved into a great competition. When one looks at the current European Cup and the way it has grown, one should bear in mind the forecasts from across the Irish Sea of a rapid demise. It has brought a new dimension to the game in these islands. Ireland has not had three teams in the quarter-finals in any one season. Maybe this season the breakthrough in that respect will come and three wins this weekend would be a major step towards attaining that goal.