'I'm picking the French to make up half of this year's quarter-finalists' - Andy Goode
Don’t count Saracens out but this could be Clermont or Leinster’s year for Champions Cup glory. Even putting to one side the fact that they may have to prioritise the Premiership and play some of their younger players in Europe, the knock-on effect of the World Cup is going to be significant in this season’s Champions Cup.
The entirety of the pool stages is crammed into just nine weeks either side of Christmas and the first four rounds will be played out over the next five weeks, so the Irish and French sides will have an advantage as their star players have had more time since their last international match.
It remains to be seen what state of mind some of the England players will be in and how long it will take them to get back into the swing of things, but Mark McCall has already said that Owen Farrell will only return when he is “relishing rugby again”.
Given the limited number of club games that some of Saracens’ stars are able to play this season and the need to potentially battle for points on the domestic front more than usual, it’s only natural to question how much of a challenge they can muster on the European front.
When you add to that the fact they are in the group of death with Racing, Munster and Ospreys, it does look tough for them but I’m still backing them to get through as a best runner-up. Even if Maro Itoje and George Kruis are missing, you have the likes of Will Skelton and Nick Isiekwe filling their boots.
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They may have an issue with Alex Goode and Max Malins out but Manu Vunipola is steering the ship well at the moment and Farrell could be used if a qualification is on the line in January.
Saracens have been England’s sole representative in the knockout stages for the past couple of seasons but a couple of teams are ready to step up and join them this time around.
Many people have been burned before by tipping Exeter in Europe and they have just one quarter-final to show for their efforts in six previous top tier campaigns, but the Chiefs will top their pool ahead of Glasgow, La Rochelle and Sale.
It might surprise a few people but Northampton could also get out of a tough-looking Pool 1. Leinster are topping that one with their European pedigree and Lyon are flying in the Top 14 at the moment, but I just have a feeling Saints could sneak through as a best runner-up.
Clermont have so often been the bridesmaids at this level but they won the Challenge Cup last season and reached the Top 14 final. This could be their year and I see them leading the way in Pool 3.
If we are looking for a player to watch in the pool stages as well, then look no further than Alivereti Raka. He shone at the World Cup when given the chance and has been making defenders look daft in the Top 14 for years now. Good luck stopping him.
Effectively, despite years of change under EPCR, European rugby is back where it was under ERC as clubs are again playing for the Heineken Cup https://t.co/Q1TVczJL21
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 15, 2019
I fancy the French teams to get through in Pool 5 too. Toulouse have been on fire for a while now and Montpellier have flattered to deceive in Europe in the past but they could join them in the last eight as a best runner-up.
Munster fans won’t like me for saying this but Racing have the edge in Pool 4 with the form they have shown in the Champions Cup in recent seasons and I just have that feeling that Saracens, despite their troubles, might rally late on and sneak through.
It’s going to be a hell of a European season once more, but the World Cup hangover will have an impact and I’m picking the French to make up half of this year’s quarter-finalists. Who’d have thought it!
Andy Goode’s Champions Cup quarter-finalists
Leinster
Exeter
Clermont
Racing
Toulouse
Montpellier
Northampton
Saracens
WATCH: Former Saracens player Jim Hamilton discusses the salary cap scandal surrounding his old club
Comments on RugbyPass
An on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to comments