English clubs will bounce back from worst ever weekend in Europe – Andy Goode
Saracens’ record European Cup defeat in their controversially rearranged fixture against Clermont may have capped off the worst weekend in the history of the competition for English clubs, but they’ll still be a force in the knockout stages.
It’s the first time ever that every single English club has lost in a round of the pool stages in the top tier of European competition, a statistical first in 22 years of European rugby history.
One bad weekend doesn’t mean the Premiership clubs are no longer a force, though. Far from it. Saracens, Wasps, Exeter, Bath and even Leicester are all well-placed to make the quarter-finals and it is only Harlequins and Northampton letting the side down.
It was a good few days for the PRO14 teams with them winning all four games they had against English sides but, realistically, it is Leinster and Munster flying the flag for the league again.
They benefit from resting their big names for PRO14 games, which makes the league a poorer product, and are then fresher for the big games and look like they will be competitive in the Champions Cup once more.
Munster were strong against a surprisingly lacklustre Leicester and Leinster incredibly impressive in storming fortress Sandy Park but the Premiership is still a better league. It’s more intense and there is better quality on show week in, week out. European competition is a different beast, though, and it certainly brings the best out of those two Irish provinces.
And, if it was a good weekend for the PRO14 sides, it was an even better one for the Top 14 teams with Racing the only one of them to lose and that at the hands of fellow Frenchmen Castres.
I was in France to witness the best performance I’ve seen in Europe attacking-wise for a very long time as La Rochelle took Wasps apart. They were phenomenal. Their power, accuracy and offloading game was just incredible.
They sent big runner after big runner and Wasps just couldn’t live with them. I don’t think any other team in Europe would’ve beaten them yesterday, though. That’s how good they were.
La Rochelle have produced the goods in every game they’ve played in the top tier of European competition so far. They went to Quins and won with a bonus point, did the same at home to Ulster and have now earned maximum points against Wasps as well.
It’s only the fourth time ever that a side has got 15 points out of 15 at the end of the opening three rounds of the Champions Cup, following in the footsteps of Munster last year, Racing the year before and Biarritz back in 2006/07, so that’s a measure of their achievement and in their debut season as well.
They’ve lost just one of their last 25 games at home now over the course of the past 18 months and are nailed on for a home quarter-final, so that looks like an impossible task for whoever has to go there in the last eight.
Wasps might well turn the tables on them at the Ricoh Arena this weekend because that’s the nature of these back-to-back fixtures but La Rochelle can afford to lose it after their stellar performances in the opening three rounds and still remain very much in control of the pool.
And, while Wasps falling away at the Top 14 leaders is understandable, Saracens’ capitulation at home to Clermont is harder to explain. As good as Franck Azema’s men were, it was the most un-Saracens-like performance I can remember seeing from them as they missed 37 tackles on their way to the biggest defeat they’ve ever suffered in Europe.
The fact that it was played in front of a largely empty stadium and over 24 hours later than scheduled didn’t help them but it’s the same for both teams and there was only one of them that handled it well.
You could have been forgiven for thinking that Clermont weren’t going to be up for it after their complaints about the game’s postponement.
They even went as far as describing the situation as “an episode of amateurism that can sometimes be seen in our sport” and issued a statement saying that they “had to adapt to the incompetence of the public authorities and Saracens to organise this major sporting event”.
They probably think that they deal with these adverse weather conditions better in France and are more used to it as they get a lot of snow in the Massif Central but Allianz Park isn’t the most accessible ground and you don’t want to put people at risk.
Those comments are really poor form from Clermont. There are certainly things that could’ve been handled differently, as is always the case, but ultimately the game was delayed to look after the health and safety of spectators because of hazardous conditions on the approach roads to Allianz Park and it’s unfortunate but that’s life.
Saracens lost up to £300,000 because of the postponement and have their own issue with European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), whose statement about the game being played behind closed doors was described by owner Nigel Wray as “unilateral” and “outrageous”.
EPCR don’t come out of the whole episode smelling of roses but it was an independent health and safety officer who made the decision to postpone the match, so Saracens didn’t deserve to bear the brunt of the anger in Clermont’s statement.
It wasn’t a good advert for the sport off the pitch but Clermont took out their frustrations on the double European champions on the pitch in a performance that was certainly a good advert for rugby and for their chances of finally lifting the trophy.
The result put the final nail in the coffin of the worst ever weekend for English clubs in Europe but don’t be surprised if we still see the Premiership contributing half of the quarter-finalists and maybe even one of those raising silverware aloft in Bilbao in May.
Comments on RugbyPass
Safas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
69 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
69 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
69 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
69 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
69 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
69 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
69 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
69 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
69 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
69 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
69 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to comments