Heineken Cup flying high in Scotland

The Heineken Cup has already been to many amazing places. Bordeaux, Cardiff, Dublin, Paris and Twickenham, not to mention many of the club grounds around the six countries who provide teams for Europe's top tournament.

But with the 10th anniversary final set to be played in Edinburgh, the sold silver trophy is finding itself in all sorts of weird and wonderful places and positions and former cup winning captain Andy Nicol whips up enthisiasm for the final at Murrayfield on Sunday, 22 May.

The man who led Bath to victory in that stunning final against the reigning champions Brive in Bordeaux in 1998 is spearheading a trek around Scotland and its islands in a bid to spread the rugby gospel ahead of next May's showpiece final.

Andy's 'World Tour' of his home land is taking in visits to rugby clubs,shopping centers, Fiat dealerships and other interesting places along the way. The tour began with a special farewell party at one of Glasgow's hottest new nightspots, Oran Mor, and then took in the Test between Scotland and Australia at the 2005 Heineken Cup final venue, Murrayfield.

The first full week of the tour will saw Andy visit the 43 Tornado Squadron at RAF Leuchars to provide members of RAF Leuchars RFC with some tips ahead of their upcoming appearance in the Dubai Sevens. Then it was on to one of the most northern outposts of Scottish Rugby, Orkney RFC, where Andy gave a Rugby Master Class for the club followed by a Heineken Cup Quiz and Q&A session.

While at RAF Leuchars the Heineken Cup was treated to a specail fly pastover the North Sea - and was even given an extra turn of speed as it hit Mach 1 in the cockpit of an RAF Tornado fighter jet. The Heineken Cup really does go to places that other competitions can't reach!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO ANDY'S COMMENTS

This weekend the Heineken Cup will be on display at Perth's McDiarmid Park, where Scotland play Japan, while one of the highlights for Andy will be meeting up with his former Scottish team mate Rob Wainwright on a trip to the western isle of Coll on Thursday, 25 November.

If you can't make it along to see Andy in your area then log on to http://www.scottishrugby.org/ where you can follow the tour with Andy's Tour Diary.

Tour Details

13/11/04, 4.55pm Perth McDairmid Park , Scotland v Japan
14/11/04, 2pm-4pm Dundee Dundee Fiat dealership
15/11/04, 5pm-8pm Glasgow Cartha Queens Park, Club visit
17/11/04, 4pm-6pm Glasgow George Square, 24 rugby World Record
1811/04, 4pm-6pm Glasgow St Enoch Centre, Shopping centre visit
1911/04, 7pm-10pm Glasgow Hughenden, Glasgow v Llanelli
20/11/04, 2.10pm Glasgow Hampden Park, Scotland v Australia
21/11/04, 2pm-4pm Kilbride East Kilbride Fiat dealership
22/11/04, 5pm-8pm Edinburgh Forrester RFC, Club visit
23/1104, 5pm-8pm Berwick Berwick RFC, Berwick Club visit
25/11/04, 6.45am-3.05pm Western Isles, Coll Rob Wainwright visit
26/11/04, 7pm-10pm Edinburgh Murrayfield, Edinburgh v Munster
27/11/04, 2.10pm Edinburgh Murrayfield, Scotland v South Africa
28/11/04 ,2pm-4pm Saughton Edinburgh Fiat dealership