The night before a Heineken Cup draw, it is a long-standing ritual among British head coaches to turn to Rome, go down on their knees and solemnly pray that their side will be drawn against an Italian team.

Italian sides are traditionally low-hanging fruit – the kind of sides ripe for a bonus-point thumping.

Bath Rugby have been unfortunate in the last couple of years, managing to avoid a sojourn to Italy.

But all that is about to change, with Bath drawn in the same group for the 2010-11 Heineken Cup as new boys Aironi.

Now, if it's every coach's prayer to be drawn against an Italian side, it must be absolute seventh heaven to be drawn against an Italian side that hasn't even kicked a ball in anger yet.

Aironi, based in the northern city of Viadana, is the result of a merger of a number of Italian clubs and – along with Joe Maddock's new club, Benetton Treviso – the team will ply their trade in the Magners League next season.

In other words, they will be playing in a top-class environment – an environment which, in the medium and long-term, at least – will no doubt serve Italian rugby very well.

But when Aironi play next season, they are going to be a club pitched in at the deepest of ends. Sure, they'll have a hatful of Italian internationals and the odd seasoned showboater such as Ludovic Mercier in their ranks, but it's going to be a big ask to expect a newborn club to compete against some of the most established sides in Europe.

So when Bruce Craig, the Bath chairman, says that Aironi will bring "a new threat, style and excitement with them" isn't he showing them a little too much respect?

Having said that, the way Bath played at times during last season's Heineken Cup was truly pitiful. Guileless and with all the sharpness of the bearded lady's razor blade, Bath – at the time – would probably have been turned over by the girlfriends of Aironi's academy side.

But Bath Rugby now are a very different proposition to the Bath Rugby of seven months ago.

Rehomed, refinanced and reinvigorated, Bath and their owner clearly have high hopes for the impending campaign.

And rightly so. Ulster – Bath's bogey team in last year's group – are once again in the same pool. They are a known quantity and Bath will feel they have a very large point to prove. Just no stamping this time, boys.

On paper, 2009-10 runners-up Biarritz will pose the sternest test. With a couple of flaxen-haired, elaborately bearded Vikings in their forwards – the brothers Lund – and ex-Rec flyer Iain 'The Gas' Balshaw at full-back, they are a colourful bunch. And with France international prop Sylvain Marconnet arriving from Stade Francais, they aren't short of beef.

But this is a 'good' group. Coming back off his hols, head coach Steve Meehan will be rubbing his hands.