New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter heads the list of overseas players giving extra depth and glamour to the Heineken Cup kicking off this weekend.
Carter has been granted a sabbatical by the New Zealand union to join the Catalan side Perpignan, who play in the French league, following the All Blacks' tour of Britain and Ireland next month.
After the shattering disappointment of the quarter-final loss to France at last year's World Cup, Carter was instrumental in New Zealand's successful 2008 Tri-Nations campaign.
He will display his elegant skills in a competition featuring 24 European clubs from member countries in the Six Nations championship and is likely to make his debut against England's Leicester on Dec. 6.
"It's a competition I have watched and admired and always wanted to be a part of. To play a few games in the European Cup really excites me," Carter told the official Cup website (www.ercrugby.co.uk).
Defending champions Munster open the pool stages with a home game at Thomond Park against French newcomers Montbauban on Friday (1900 GMT) at the start of a journey they hope will end with a final in Edinburgh next May.
"History has shown that it is more difficult to defend the Heineken Cup than it is to win it in the first place and so far only Leicester Tigers have managed back-to-win wins," said Australian-born coach Tony McGahan.
"And, if you look any further forward than the group stages, then you do that at your own peril. Because if you look back at us a year ago when we lost to Wasps in round one, then you will see how important it is to have the ability to bounce back if you want to qualify for the later stages."
Munster will again rely heavily again on British and Irish Lions flyhalf Ronan O'Gara, who has former All Black wing Doug Howlett and an exciting young talent in fullback Keith Earls outside him to supply the finishing touches.
Stade Francais will field Juan Martin Hernandez, a back as gifted as Carter either at fullback or flyhalf, who helped Argentina set the World Cup alight with their victories over hosts France in the group stages and again in the third place playoff.
The home-grown talent includes Danny Cipriani, the current pinup boy of English rugby, who has returned to the Wasps' backline after a horrific ankle injury sidelined him for England's tour of New Zealand this year.
Cipriani, who like Hernandez can alternate between fullback and flyhalf, is set to play for the 2006/7 champions against Castres Olympique on Sunday (1400).
"It's going to be emotional. I will have to calm myself as I'll be very excited to play again," he said.
Reuters
