Take your pick of the European goodies on offer this weekend. As if Munster's arrival tomorrow, as Heineken Cup holders, at homely Edgeley Park to play a resurgent Sale Sharks were not enough, three capital cities play host to vital pool games, with Cardiff throwing open the Millennium Stadium doors for what the Blues hope will be a record attendance.

The national stadiums of England and France will be brought into play before the pool rounds end in January but Cardiff, five times host city for the final, hopes that against Gloucester tomorrow the Blues can surpass the crowd of 26,645 who watched the pool game with Leicester two years ago. Playing at the Millennium Stadium alone will be a wonderful experience for Gloucester's youngsters, some of whom cut their European teeth at another national stadium, Lansdowne Road, two years ago against Leinster.

Dean Ryan makes no apology for trying to rein in the attacking inclinations of his players against the Blues, described this week as the Welsh region whose attitudes and abilities most closely reflect that of Guinness Premiership sides. The Gloucester head coach considers last weekend's win over Biarritz to be a foundation. “Are we here to create more exciting sport or to win a game?” he said.

Coach and players are fed up with being perennial bridesmaids in a pool in which that tag could also be applied to Cardiff and Biarritz, certainly where Europe is concerned. “We have overplayed in big games before and if you do that, you expose yourself to risk,” Ryan said. “You have to get the balance right. Patience was the key for us against Biarritz last week. It got very tight for long periods and that's when you are under the most pressure.”

But Ryan has to convince his players, who include the instinctive Ryan Lamb at fly half and, on the wing, James Simpson-Daniel, the player who can be as much of a game-breaker as Shane Williams is for the Ospreys and Wales. Such players do not wish to hide. “We have the players, this is the best group I have played with since I have been here,” Simpson-Daniel, in his ninth season at Kingsholm and with a testimonial looming next year, said.

Gloucester must have a fighting chance of coming back across the Severn Bridge with the spoils, perhaps a better chance than that of London Wasps, who play Leinster this evening at the Royal Dublin Showground in front of an 18,000 crowd full of expectation for the clash of the Magners League champions and the Premiership champions.

Wasps keep one of their Ireland internationals, Jeremy Staunton, at full back while the other, Eoin Reddan, is in his customary position of scrum half for what, at a broader level, will inevitably be seen as the continuing rehabilitation of Danny Cipriani. It is fair to say that if Cipriani, opposing the canny Felipe Contepomi at fly half and with Shane Jennings breathing down his neck, can prosper in Dublin then England, never mind his club, will breathe easier.

Talking of fly halves, Sale continue with Richard Wigglesworth in the No10 shirt even though Philippe Saint-Andre, his director of rugby, said that last week's arrangements were purely for the away game with Clermont Auvergne. Wigglesworth was outstanding before reverting to his usual position of scrum half when Charlie Hodgson arrived from the bench, as he will inevitably do against Munster, and the proof will be if Sale can notch up their second win.

Harlequins will expect to win well against Ulster this afternoon but a further testament to their drawing power is a new three-year agreement with LV=, the insurance, investment and pensions company whose name will adorn the West Stand at the Twickenham Stoop. To involve a finance house at a time of such economic stress is achievement indeed.

Bath will throw off the disappointment of the last-gasp defeat in Toulouse when they play Newport Gwent Dragons at the Recreation Ground tomorrow. “We had the opportunity for an historic win, we know what we need to do to make sure that doesn't happen again,” Michael Lipman, the Bath captain, said. “But to play the way we want so early in the season, against that kind of opponent, is a remarkable sign of things to come.”