Donal Lenihan

EXCUSE me while I adjust my saddle, but the sports editor just won't let go! Pick your Heineken Cup team of the pool phase, he directs, just as we draw breath after an absorbing weekend of european action. When the dust has settled we're left with a number of issues (which I'll return to Wednesday in the Irish Examiner) before we can seriously look at putting the team of the pool phase together.

However, such a selection raises its own questions, such as: has there been a dominant scrum half, or inside centre. I may be accused of Irish bias, but Gordon D'Arcy's form on Saturday in Twickenham was so electrifying - and encouraging from Declan Kidney's point of view - that I'm catapulting him straight into my selection.

The scrum half conundrum is another one that had me hopping between Ricky Januarie to Toulouse's Byron Kelleher before finally settling on Dmitri Yachvilli of Biarritz - though I do so without any great conviction. Elsewhere, there hasn't been a better full back than Paul Warwick, and Jamie Heaslip is just edged out by Imanol Harinordiquy at No 8.

My selection is:

15. Paul Warwick (Munster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster)
11. Napolioni Nalaga (Clermont)
10. Brock James (Clermont)
9. Dmitri Yachvilli (Biarritz)
1. Soane Tongauiha (Northampton)
2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton)
3. Campbell Johnson (Biarritz)
4. Patrice Albacete (Toulouse)
5. Paul O'Connell (Munster)
6. Jerry Collins (Ospreys)
7. Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse)
8. Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz)

DO YOU AGREE WITH DONAL'S SELECTION? JOIN THE DEBATE ON OUR SPORTS BLOG.