On the eve of this year's Heineken Cup kick off check out PA Sport's club by club guide.

POOL ONE

PERPIGNAN (France)
Rugby director: Jacques Brunel.
Captains: Gregory Le Corvec/Nathan Hines.
Cup record: Played 48, won 30, drawn 0, lost 18.
Current status: 12th (Top 14).
Player to watch: Percy Montgomery.
Odds: 9/1.

LONDON IRISH (England)
Rugby director: Brian Smith.
Captain: Bob Casey.
Cup record: Played 12, won 4, drawn 0, lost 8.
Current status: 9th (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: Peter Richards.
Odds: 66/1.

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (Wales)
Coach: Paul Turner.
Captain: Colin Charvis.
Cup record: Played 18, won 6, drawn 0, lost 12.
Current status: 7th (Magners League).
Player to watch: Colin Charvis.
Odds: 100/1.

TREVISO (Italy)
Coach: Franco Smith.
Captain: Silvio Orlando.
Cup record: Played 54, won 14, drawn 0, lost 40.
Current status: 4th (Super 10).
Player to watch: Lucas Borges.
Odds: 500/1.

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

POOL TWO

GLOUCESTER (England)
Head coach: Dean Ryan.
Captain: Marco Bortolami.
Cup record: Played 33, won 20, drawn 1, lost 12.
Current status: 1st (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: Chris Paterson.
Odds: 12/1.

OSPREYS (Wales)
Head coach: Lyn Jones.
Captain: Filo Tiatia.
Cup record: Played 24, won 10, drawn 1, lost 13.
Current status: 6th (Magners League).
Player to watch: James Hook.
Odds: 16/1.

ULSTER (Ireland)
Rugby director: Mark McCall.
Captain: Rory Best.
Cup record: Played 69, won 29, drawn 2, lost 38.
Current status: 10th (Magners League).
Player to watch: Andrew Trimble.
Odds: 80/1.

BOURGOIN (France)
Rugby director: Pierre Raschi.
Captain: Julien Pierre.
Cup record: Played 42, won 11, drawn 0, lost 31.
Current status: 3rd (Top 14).
Player to watch: Benjamin Boyet.
Odds: 100/1.

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

POOL THREE

STADE FRANCAIS (France)
Coach: Fabien Galthie.
Captain: Christophe Dominici.
Cup record: Played 60, won 41, drawn 1, lost 18.
Current status: 10th (Top 14).
Player to watch: Juan Martin Hernandez.
Odds: 5/2.

CARDIFF BLUES (Wales).
Rugby director: David Young.
Captain: Xavier Rush.
Cup record: Played 68, won 30, drawn 2, lost 36.
Current status: 1st (Magners League).
Player to watch: Robin Sowden-Taylor.
Odds: 50/1.

HARLEQUINS (England)
Rugby director: Dean Richards.
Captain: Paul Volley.
Cup record: Played 30, won 10, drawn 2, lost 18.
Current status: 4th (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: Andy Gomarsall.
Odds: 125/1.

BRISTOL (England)
Head coach: Richard Hill.
Captain: Matt Salter.
Cup record: Played 6, won 3, drawn 0, lost 3.
Current status: 6th (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: David Lemi.
Odds: 125/1.

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

POOL FOUR

BIARRITZ (France)
Rugby director: Patrice Lagisquet.
Captain: Benoit August.
Cup record: Played 52, won 34, drawn 1, lost 17.
Current status: 4th (Top 14).
Player to watch: Damien Traille.
Odds: 9/2.

SARACENS (England)
Rugby director: Alan Gaffney.
Captain: Neil de Kock.
Cup record: Played 18, won 11, drawn 0, lost 7.
Current status: 3rd (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: Chris Jack.
Odds: 16/1.

GLASGOW (Scotland)
Coach: Sean Lineen.
Captain: Alastair Kellock.
Cup record: Played 49, won 13, drawn 1, lost 35.
Current status: 5th (Magners League).
Player to watch: Kelly Brown.
Odds: 150/1.

VIADANA (Italy)
Rugby director: Franco Tonni.
Captain: Kaine Robertson.
Cup record: Played 6, won 0, drawn 0, lost 6.
Current status: 1st (Super 10).
Player to watch: Josh Sole.
Odds: 1,000/1.

Prediction: 1 - Biarritz, 2 - Saracens, 3 - Glasgow, 4 - Viadana.

POOL FIVE

WASPS (England)
Rugby director: Ian McGeechan.
Captain: Lawrence Dallaglio.
Cup record: Played 60, won 39, drawn 1, lost 20.
Current status: 10th (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: James Haskell.
Odds: 20/1.

CLERMONT AUVERGNE (France)
Rugby director: Jean-Marc Lhermet.
Captain: Aurelien Rougerie.
Cup record: Played 26, won 11, drawn 1, lost 14.
Current status: 7th (Top 14).
Player to watch: Viliami Delasau.
Odds: 20/1.

MUNSTER (Ireland)
Rugby director: Declan Kidney.
Captain: Paul O'Connell.
Cup record: Played 84, won 58, drawn 1, lost 25.
Current status: 4th (Magners League).
Player to watch: Brian Carney.
Odds: 20/1.

LLANELLI SCARLETS (Wales)
Rugby director: Phil Davies.
Captain: Simon Easterby.
Cup record: Played 75, won 45, drawn 0, lost 30.
Current status: 2nd (Magners League).
Player to watch: Alix Popham.
Odds: 40/1.

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

POOL SIX

TOULOUSE (France)
Coach: Guy Noves.
Captains: Yannick Jauzion/Jean Boulhou.
Cup record: Played 85, won 60, drawn 3, lost 22.
Current status: 2nd (Top 14).
Player to watch: Thierry Dusautoir.
Odds: 9/1.

LEICESTER (England)
Head coach: Marcelo Loffreda.
Captain: Martin Corry.
Cup record: Played 76, won 54, drawn 1, lost 21.
Current status: 5th (Guinness Premiership).
Player to watch: Aaron Mauger.
Odds: 9/1.

LEINSTER (Ireland)
Coach: Michael Cheika.
Captain: Brian O'Driscoll.
Cup record: Played 74, won 46, drawn 1, lost 27.
Current status: 3rd (Magners League).
Player to watch: Felipe Contepomi.
Odds: 33/1.

EDINBURGH (Scotland)
Coach: Andy Robinson.
Captains: Ally Hogg/Simon Cross.
Cup record: Played 59, won 20, drawn 3, lost 36.
Current status: 8th (Magners League).
Player to watch: Ally Hogg.
Odds: 250/1.

Prediction: 1 - Leicester, 2 - Toulouse, 3 - Leinster, 4 - Edinburgh.

Quarter-finalists: Perpignan, Ospreys, Gloucester, Stade Francais, Biarritz, Saracens, Wasps, Leicester.