It's put up or shut up time for Premiership clubs in Champions Cup
After the Gallagher Premiership clubs excelled in the Heineken Champions Cup during the 2015/16 season, many predicted it foreshadowed an era of English dominance in the top tier European competition.
Although Saracens have done their best to confirm those assertions, winning three of the four titles in the period since then, the successes of the other entrants from the Premiership have been few and far between, with the majority even struggling to make it out of their pools.
In the 2015/16 season, English clubs accounted for five of the eight quarter-finalists, with Saracens, Wasps, Exeter Chiefs, Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers all emerging from their pools. Leicester and Wasps both made it to the semi-final stage before Saracens went all the way to the final and beat Racing 92. The complete absence of Guinness PRO14 teams from the knockout stage was a concern.
However, the tables have turned since, with the Celtic provinces, regions and clubs bouncing back extremely well after their struggles in a post-World Cup season. The following campaign, only Saracens and Wasps made it to the quarter-final stage, with three PRO14 and three French clubs making up the rest of the field. For the last two seasons, only Saracens have made it out of their pool from the Premiership.
Given the resources at their disposal, it’s been an embarrassing run of below-par displays from the other Premiership clubs and if they cannot up their games this season, making the most of the larger core of internationals that will have their workloads managed post-RWC at teams such as Leinster, Munster and Glasgow Warriors, their European stock is only going to fall further.
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The reigning champions, Saracens, have already stated that they will not be focusing on European competition, as they seek to battle back from the potential 35-point Premiership deduction that they will face should their review of salary cap sanctions not be successful. We will get our first indication of how committed they are to that plan when they announce on Friday their team to play Racing 92 in the opening round.
Assuming they stick to their word, that would leave Bath, Exeter, Gloucester, Harlequins, Northampton and Sale Sharks to carry the torch for the Premiership. Saracens’ rotated squad is no easy win, either, although even their enviable depth is unlikely to see them out of a pool also boasting Racing, Munster and the Ospreys.
The obvious candidate to throw their hat into the mix for the title would be Exeter. They have been incredibly consistent and competitive at the very top of the Premiership in recent seasons, as well as firing some shots in Europe, although they have yet to make the leap from domestic powerhouse to European contender.
Gatland hinted at an English dominated team earlier this week. pic.twitter.com/9HH9qVoGbk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2019
They have the talent in their starting XV and the depth in the squad to survive injuries. In tighter games, when the December and January weather proves influential, they have the set-piece and control to win games, while the likes of Sam Simmonds, Henry Slade and Stuart Hogg can excel on firmer grounds and clear days. They don’t have a track record of qualifying in Europe, although a pool of La Rochelle, Glasgow and Sale is winnable, if not straightforward.
Sale bolstered prodigiously over the summer, Harlequins further stamped Paul Gustard’s influence on their squad and Bath added quality and depth to their front row. They are all capable of upsetting teams on their day, although their starts to the season have been far from electrifying. You certainly wouldn’t write any of them off from potentially sneaking out of their pools, though none of the trio look like genuine contenders at this point in time.
That leaves Gloucester and Northampton as torchbearers alongside Exeter. The Kingsholm-based outfit sit in Pool 5 alongside Toulouse, Montpellier and Connacht, while Saints face off with Leinster, Lyon and Benetton in Pool 1. Even with a plethora of World Cup call-ups, Toulouse and Leinster will be favourites to top those pools and probably secure home quarter-finals. Their spots aren’t unassailable, however, not to mention the three best runners-up spots that are also available across the five pools.
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For the Cherry and Whites, their campaign could hinge on the opening round. They take on Toulouse at Kingsholm on Friday night and qualification so often revolves around being able to hold serve at home and then pick up what points on the road that you can. If Gloucester can knock off the French champions in the opening game of the tournament, their path to the quarter-finals suddenly looks a lot more realistic.
They have been improving under Johan Ackermann’s tutelage and given the fact they have limited international call-ups compared to some of the other big teams in the Premiership and Europe, they are a candidate to compete on two fronts this season. They put a lot on that midfield of Danny Cipriani, Mark Atkinson and Billy Twelvetrees and the trio will be key to their chances of success.
As for Northampton, they seemingly look more and more like the Hurricanes with each passing week, as Chris Boyd develops the team in the image of his former side. For the Franklin’s Gardens faithful and neutrals alike, that is exciting, and they are one of the most enjoyable sides to watch in Europe currently. Stylistically, it matches up quite nicely with their pool opponents, in what could prove to be compelling affairs.
‘It means a huge amount. I first watched the club when I was ten, above the ground looking into it on the bridge above, and dreamt one day playing for them’
– New director of rugby Stuart Hooper tells @heagneyl exactly why @bathrugby is so special to himhttps://t.co/Dg1KXa83VA— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2019
If they can avoid being bullied upfront, particularly by Leinster and Lyon, Saints have a shot of qualification. There are understandable concerns over how they will manage in deeper winter, but if they can beat Lyon in Northampton on Sunday, their chances of qualification begin to look much better, even if only as a best runner-up. At the worst, this will be a valuable learning experience for Saints’ cadre of young talents in and on the cusp of the starting XV, as they are arguably a year behind Gloucester in their development as a club, and a further two or three behind Exeter.
Slow starts to the Champions Cup have dogged English clubs in recent years and often left them with holes too deep to dig their way out of, despite some encouraging December and January performances. If the Premiership is to rebuild its European reputation, Gloucester and Northampton will need to start fast, while Exeter have to become comfortable with the tag of favourites and European heavyweights.
It really does have the feeling of a make-or-break season for Exeter in Europe. Their nemesis is facing a points deduction so severe as to likely rule them out of the Premiership playoffs, potentially allowing the Devon-based side to really attack Europe with gusto this season and still be in a healthy position in the Premiership title race. Another year of not even qualifying for the knockout rounds will prompt significant criticism and with increased experience of the competition among their squad, the excuses are running out.
Saracens are the Millwall of rugby… no-one really likes them but they don't really care, according to Alex Lozowski https://t.co/aDHXNuaNb1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 13, 2019
Returning to briefly to that nemesis and everything related to Saracens at the moment seems to carry an asterisk. Although there is no salary cap in European competition, the top seeding they secured themselves going into those European campaigns was, per the independent body that investigated it, done so illegally in domestic competition.
Their players’ performances, the coaching and the development of talent remains undiminished in those seasons, though English rugby, for integrity’s sake, is in dire need of an additional flagbearer. To put it frankly, the 2019/20 season is a case of put up or shut up for the Premiership clubs in the Champions Cup.
WATCH: Former Saracens player Jim Hamilton discusses the salary cap scandal surrounding his old club
Comments on RugbyPass
Good 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.
19 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.
7 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.
19 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?
7 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.
7 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 commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
19 Go to comments