In the week of Ray Gravell's death, it was not easy to be drawn to forthcoming attractions. But the Heineken Cup is a resolute creature and into Cardiff her caravan rolled, bright, self-assured and with never a backward glance at the time only last summer when her very existence in World Cup year was under threat. The show - and Grav would surely have approved - had to go on.
Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister for Wales, welcomed everyone and said the city was looking forward to its fifth Heineken final. And so it should, since the Welsh economy benefited to the tune of £25million when the Munster-Biarritz final came to town in 2006.
He added that he hoped to see fewer high kicks in the Heineken Cup than he had to endure at the World Cup. This went down OK, although there is a local feeling that, actually, what is needed in the First Minister's own backyard is a few more high kicks.
I bumped into Ian McGeechan and Dean Richards after the presentation. Now, there's a pair of rugby colossi. I asked them what they thought of our Rhodri's wish.
McGeechan simply said: 'By now, I have an idea of what it takes to win matches of high intensity. And it has nothing to do with being more daring.'
Perhaps he sounded a little less than enthusiastic for unbridled adventure because of the draw. His Wasps, far from enjoying a placement, as befits the champions, in a relatively comfortable pool, find themselves alongside Clermont Auvergne, Munster and the Llanelli Scarlets.
Clermont won the European Challenge Cup last season, were runners-up to Stade Francais in the French Championship and have recruited John Smit, South Africa's World Cup captain. Plus No 8 Julien Bonnaire, who was outstanding for France in the World Cup.
Munster won the Heineken Cup two seasons ago. To say they might be on a mission to put right a few of the many things that went wrong for Ireland at the World Cup might be erring on the side of understatement.
The Scarlets beat Munster last season in the quarter-final and know a thing or two about emerging from difficult groups, having beaten Toulouse home and away. Yes, number five this year is the pig of pools.
Elsewhere, a lot depends on the French. If Bourgoin, perennially indifferent to cross-border competition, pull their finger out, they could upset any of the ambitious trio of Gloucester, the Ospreys and Ulster.
If Perpignan, after one of the more volatile periods in their hardly colourless history, can sort themselves out under new director of rugby Jacques Brunel - just finished as forwards coach to the France team - they will be strong as ever. Especially with a raft of new signings, including Springbok Percy Montgomery, Samoan Henry Tuilagi, who frightened all of South Africa at the World Cup, and the Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter.
Toulouse have lost something of their aura. Not so long ago there was little chance of a win bonus at the spiritual home of the game in France.
But Leinster and Llanelli have been there and lured the home club into a game of dare. The first to put up a high kick loses the bet. Toulouse played along and lost on all fronts.
Stade Francais are perhaps the one club in France who can play it high or low. They will, however, have a double trip into England, to Harlequins and Bristol. And it is time the Cardiff Blues kept their shape in games of that high intensity dear to McGeechan. Less style, more grind. Sorry, First Minister.
Biarritz, with Springbok wing Ashwin Willemse an addition, are in the same pool as Glasgow and Viadana. Nothing to terrify the Basques there, but Saracens might be a problem. How second-row Chris Jack goes will be interesting. If the Irish have something to prove after the World Cup there are a few Kiwi reputations to restore.
On the other hand, it might be asking too much of the players who peaked at the World Cup to rediscover top form before the new year. There again, it might be pointed out that Jack has had longer to recover than, say, Simon Shaw. But that would be to take a cheap shot at the All Blacks. And Ray Gravell would not have approved of that.
When Grav brought the roof down
A lantern went out in Wales last week. Ray Gravell died. The centre of the Lions, Wales and Llanelli was quite the most irrepressibly optimistic bundle of humanity on the planet, and we shall all be a little bit more straitlaced without him.
He was to a thermo-nuclear degree Welsh, but was also a grand traveller of the world. I remember filming with him once in Paris for BBC Wales. We nipped into a bar on a Sunday afternoon for a quick one that became a leisurely lot.
The bar staff wanted to bring the shutters down and go home. But Grav repeatedly threw his great arms around them, declared his undying love not only for their great nation as a whole, but also for every one of her citizens to be found right here, serving in this particular bar. Did they like his new Harris Tweed coat? And two more beers, please.
And so it went on until he was in the middle of a tale - perhaps about his debut in 1975, when Wales against the odds won in Paris - about his experiences with the French. 'Jean-Pierre Rives? Handsome man. A gentleman,' he said. 'As for the rest... violent? I'll say,' he exclaimed, and threw his arms into the air. Up to his elbows, they disappeared through the low ceiling, and an entire section of plasterboard came crashing down on him.
'As I was saying,' he said, brushing debris off his new Harris Tweed coat, 'it is time to let these good people go home.' And, kissing everyone on the cheeks, he made his exit.
The Welsh beacon of adorable passion will shine no more.
