Former Bath, England & Lions centre

Rugby made the front pages this week when Danny Cipriani was floored by Wasps team-mate Josh Lewsey during a training row.

During my playing days at Bath, these dust-ups were a regular occurrence.

We had fiery characters and the combination of egos and competition was like throwing a cigarette butt into a hay barn. It can't help but combust.

Lewsey's altercation with Cipriani made the headlines this week

What goes on within a squad is like the inner sanctum. Outside that squad you would not understand the humour, it is very insular. It is difficult to explain.

At Bath, we had scraps a couple of times a month at least. It wasn't Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier, in rugby it's not a full-on mass scrap, you would get a few blows and it would stop.

On the Lions tour in 1997 Mark Regan and Barry Williams blew up but it was literally handbags.

To be honest what happened this week has been blown a bit out of proportion because of who Cipriani is but it's good to see that it hasn't stopped.

This weekend sees the start of the Heineken Cup, and it's an awesome competition.

This year the obvious favourites are the likes of Toulouse and Stade Francais and because of what's gone on over the last few years, Munster will be there or thereabouts.

Even though I don't think all the English Premiership teams in the competition are playing particularly well, they will perform because we are generally strong.

I love the Heineken Cup. New Zealand fly-half Daniel Carter could have gone to Toulon, but he heard about the event and wanted a piece of it so he joined Perpignan.

If arguably the best player in the world wants to play in it, then that says it all really.

Lote Tuqiri calls Mark Gasnier a freak athlete and we have not heard that since Jonah Lomu

It is not going to be easy against Munster but you do not assemble a squad like Philippe Saint-Andre has and not expect to win on a regular basis.

They have all the power, all the pace, all the skills but they have to start producing.

They have not scored many tries but in the Heineken Cup you want to be winning with bonus points. It is a big test for Sale in this competition.

Munster will be favourites for this group unless Sale find the heart and mind that the defending champions have in this competition.

Wasps are with Leinster in Pool Two and I feel this competition could be a kick-start for the struggling London club.

We say it every week but they do miss Lawrence Dallaglio and Fraser Waters. They are going to get sick and tired of hearing that but the only way they won't hear if is if they start winning.

They have not got great depth but they are a tight bunch and at some stage they have to start clicking and what better place to do so than in this competition.

The Ospreys are in a tough pool with Leicester, Perpignan and Treviso and I believe they can win it - but they have to get that mental hardness.

There are so many nearly teams in this competition, sides that have all the talent but have produced nothing.

Ospreys had a great win over Leicester in the EDF Energy Cup final last year but if I am the owner of the club, and have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds, if not millions, I would want to see a return. A return for me would be a Heineken Cup.

They should be a bit like a Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal. They have the stadium, the facilities and the players but they have not delivered in the biggest competition. It is not good enough.

Stade Francais are in Pool Four and I have to be honest and say I've never liked the way they have played their rugby.

They have always had talented squads and the capability of producing rugby like Toulouse, but don't seem to.

However, one player I am looking forward to watching is Mark Gasnier. Lote Tuqiri calls him a freak athlete and we have not heard that since Jonah Lomu.

606: DEBATE Post your questions for Jeremy

Harlequins are playing well but it is all revolving around scrum-half Danny Care - if he plays well, then Quins play well. If they can hold it together until former New Zealand fly-half Nick Evans comes back then I think they will challenge.

In Pool Five, Bath have their biggest challenge in a long while to go to Toulouse and come away with a result. It could be as important for them to get a losing bonus point.

Bath have been building; last season they were very good and ended well with the minor European Cup (the European Challenge Cup). Now they seem to be hitting form at the right time.

I fancy that if they were to beat Toulouse, which would be an unbelievable victory, then that could be the transformation of the team.

Pool Six is definitely winnable for Gloucester. I don't think they will have many problems as Biarritz are not performing particularly well in the French league at the moment.

My only concern is if their pack is heavyweight enough to do a job in the Heineken Cup. I'm not sure it is aggressive enough for the Premiership, let alone Europe.

Jeremy takes time out each week to answer questions from users on 606:

England's new attack coach Brian Smith seems to be saying the right things and sounds like he wants the team to play positively. He is obviously manager Martin Johnson's choice, but a few of the coaches have been forced upon him. Do you think this will hinder the team?
northamptonbob

I don't believe Martin Johnson would accept a role where he could not make all his decisions and not have who he wants because of what happened in the past with former England coaches Andy Robinson and Brian Ashton. He knows John Wells (forwards coach) and Graham Rowntree (scrummaging), he played with them. I don't think what is in place is going to hinder Johnson, he is his own man.

Many observers see defence coach Mike Ford and (in particular) John Wells as obstacles in the quest to try to get England to play more attacking, attractive rugby, and that this contrasted directly with the stance of Brian Ashton. Do you believe this to be the case?
chewy001

The management that Brian Ashton had did not seem to gel, because they did not have similar philosophies. However, Wells, Rowntree and Johnson are like three peas in a pod. It will be Smith's job to convince these guys that he can produce an attacking element that we have not seen before. There is enough talent out there, from his former club London Irish alone.

In this professional era, do you think you would have stood out as such an outstanding player?
Which of your qualities would you be most thankful for if you had to play again in the modern game?
tiffetoffeeapple

The first part is a very hard question to answer. I would like to think I would compete strongly with who is out there at the moment; the reason I say that is because of my speed.

As for qualities, I never liked rucks or mauls so I would not be in many of those! I would be running against props and second rows which is something I would enjoy.

Jeremy Guscott was talking to BBC Sport's Mark Orlovac