This season's battle for Heineken Cup glory promises to be a classic - ahead of the big kick off PA Sport offers a pool-by-pool guide to Europe's premier club competition.

POOL ONE

Catalan giants Perpignan have signed World Cup-winning full-back Percy Montgomery and will be favourites to top Pool One.

Montgomery will weigh in with his quota of points, while Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter will be crucial in driving the forwards, who include compatriot Nathan Hines, England's Perry Freshwater and Samoan Henry Tuilagi, who has signed from Leicester Tigers.

London Irish will rely on the prodigious talent of Shane Geraghty in their bid to pip Montgomery's former club Newport Gwent Dragons for the runners-up spot, which could earn them a quarter-final place as one of the tournament's best second-placed teams.

But if Geraghty can inspire the Exiles in southern France a shock could be on the cards.

Italian side Treviso are expected to struggle.

Star man: Shane Geraghty (London Irish)

Key game: Perpignan v London Irish, Stade Aime Giral (Round Four - December 15)

Prediction: 1 Perpignan, 2 London Irish, 3 Newport Gwent Dragons, 4 Treviso

POOL TWO

Gloucester have embarked on a formidable recruitment drive including the acquisitions of prolific rugby league wing Lesley Vainikolo, Australia hooker Jeremy Paul, Scotland points-machine Chris Paterson, Fiji tearaway flanker Akapusi Qera and England wing Leon Lloyd to supplement their already-talented squad, which finished second in the Guinness Premiership last season.

The Cherry and Whites line-up alongside Bourgoin, Ospreys and Ulster eager to justify their investment on the European stage.

Success in Gloucester's trip to Bourgoin on December 7 could underline their credentials to lift the trophy. The French side have few stars, but they will be uncompromising and physical.

Ulster, the 1999 champions, will hope their Ravenhill home will continue to be a fortress.

The rampaging Scotland centre Rob Dewey moved to Belfast during the Edinburgh exodus and will be a fine foil for creative fly-half David Humphreys at the heart of the backline.

The Ospreys will similarly rely on their Liberty Stadium form, with James Hook among the Wales internationals looking to make up for a disappointing World Cup.

Star man: Chris Paterson (Gloucester)

Key game: Bourgoin v Gloucester, Stade Pierre Rajon (Round Three - December 7)

Prediction: 1 Gloucester, 2 Ospreys, 3 Bourgoin, 4 Ulster

POOL THREE

Despite France falling to England in the World Cup semi-final, Stade Francais will be the bookies' bet to top Pool Three ahead of Bristol, Harlequins and Wales' Cardiff Blues.

Scotland's Simon Taylor and Italian duo Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse will combine for a mobile Parisian back-row unit, while behind the scrum Juan Martin Hernandez, who was lauded as the best player in the world during the World Cup, will hope to continue the form he showed in that competition for third-placed Argentina.

Hernandez played full-back for Stade Francais last season, but his impressive displays at fly-half in the World Cup could see him play at number 10.

The matches at the Stoop and the Memorial Stadium between Quins and Bristol, on December 8 and December 16 respectively could determine who earns a place in the knock-out stages.

However, Cardiff, with Gareth Thomas back on home soil, will be determined to prove that is not the case.

Star man: Juan Martin Hernandez (Stade Francais)

Key game: Bristol v Harlequins, Memorial Stadium (Round Four - December 16)

Prediction: 1 Stade Francais, 2 Bristol, 3 Harlequins, 4 Cardiff Blues

POOL FOUR

Star-studded Biarritz should breeze through Pool Four against Glasgow Warriors, Saracens and Viadana.

Serge Betsen, Imanol Harinordoquy, Damien Traille and Co may face strong resistance from Saracens, who have signed New Zealand international Chris Jack.

Jack will win a lot of possession and will be key to their chances of success.

Former Glasgow fly-half Calvin Howarth returns to the Scottish city with the Italian side and their performance will depend largely on the success of his boot.

However, second place in the group is likely to be between the Scots and Saracens, who meet at Vicarage Road on November 11 in a clash which could be key, depending on results in the other groups.

Star man: Chris Jack (Saracens)

Key game: Saracens v Glasgow Warriors, Vicarage Road (Round One - November 11)

Prediction: 1 Biarritz, 2 Saracens, 3 Glasgow Warriors, 4 Viadana

POOL FIVE

Reigning champions London Wasps line-up alongside 2006 winners Munster and last season's semi-finalists Llanelli Scarlets, as well as Le Championnat runners-up Clermont Auvergne.

Wasps have struggled domestically in the Guinness Premiership but their squad will be augmented by a host of players who have been on international duty in France, including experienced hooker Raphael Ibanez and number eight Lawrence Dallaglio, who will be at the forefront of their destructive pack, leaving youngsters Tom Rees and James Haskell to flourish in the loose.

Munster have a host of Irish stars who failed to reach their potential in the World Cup, with Paul O'Connell aiming to rediscover the inspirational form which helped him to deliver Munster's solitary European crown.

Clermont Auvergne will be dangerous, having recruited France number eight Julien Bonnaire and centre Benoit Baby, from Bourgoin and Toulouse respectively, South Africa's World Cup-winning captain John Smit and another Springbok, Marius Joubert.

Alex King transferred to Auvergne after 10 seasons and two Heineken Cup titles with Wasps and his return to Loftus Road on December 15 will be pivotal in determining who tops Pool Five.

The phenomenal Fijian wing Vilimoni Delasau, in his second season with the Masif Central-based side, will be the one to watch and is expected to take the group by storm.

Star man: Vilimoni Delasau (Clermont Auvergne)

Key game: London Wasps v Clermont Auvergne, Loftus Road (Round Four - December 15)

Prediction: 1 London Wasps, 2 Clermont Auvergne, 3 Llanelli Scarlets, 4 Munster

POOL SIX

Last season's runners-up Leicester Tigers and Toulouse, who have won a combined total of five of the previous 12 competitions, will challenge for the Pool Six summit.

But, although the duo will be favourites to progress, they will face stern tests in the capitals of Scotland and Ireland against Edinburgh and Leinster respectively.

Beleaguered Edinburgh, who have seen their ownership revert to the Scottish Rugby Union and the departure of a host of internationals, have installed Andy Robinson as head coach.

The former England boss was in charge of Bath when the West Countrymen became the first English side to lift the trophy in 1998, and he will bid to galvanise his inexperienced troops, led by the irrepressible Scotland back row Allister
Hogg, in the hope of causing some upsets.

New Zealand scrum-half Byron Kelleher joined Toulouse following the All Blacks' ill-fated World Cup campaign and will be looking to prove he is worth his lucrative deal behind the pack.

Star man: Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers)

Key game: Toulouse v Leicester Tigers, Stade Ernest-Wallon, (Round Four - December 16)

Prediction: 1 Leicester Tigers, 2 Toulouse, 3 Leinster, 4 Edinburgh