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The silver lining to English club struggles in the Champions Cup
No one wants to see the English clubs giving up on the Heineken Champions Cup with two rounds to go, but the silver lining to the struggles faced by Bath, Harlequins and Sale Sharks in this season’s competition is an array of opportunities for their young guns.
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Heavily rotated line-ups may not appeal to fans who have forked out considerable sums of money to attend game or secure their broadcast subscriptions, but it does provide an important rugby opportunity for younger members of squads.
Not only will they be testing themselves against senior competition, they will be doing it in a brighter spotlight than the Gallagher Premiership can provide.
Gloucester’s Louis Rees-Zammit has already shown this season what opportunity can mean for a young player’s career and while he is a standout talent that was ready for those moments, something which is not true of every player at 18 years of age, that doesn’t mean others aren’t similarly ready to make their mark on the biggest of club stages.
For Bath, who have lost four from four so far in the competition and whose qualification hopes realistically went out the window after round two, the opportunity comes for wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
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The former Beechen Cliff student began to make an impact for Bath at the beginning of the season when Anthony Watson, Joe Cokanasiga and Ruaridh McConnochie were all away with England at the World Cup.
He can now consolidate those early impressive performances before Bath’s star backs head off for the Six Nations next month. His speed, power and attacking instincts all looked sharp in those initial tests and far from out of place among the physical specimens of senior rugby.
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He’s not alone, either, as punchy back rower Nahum Merigan and versatile back Tom de Glanville both take up spots on Bath’s bench, as well as former Yorkshire Carnegie academy pair Max Green and Ollie Fox taking on the starting and bench scrum-half responsibilities respectively.
Alex Dombrandt's selection for Friday's European trip to Bath hasn't gone down well with some Harlequins fans https://t.co/TLklED7x7j
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It’s been a challenging start to Stuart Hooper’s fledgling career as a director of dugby and if some of the club’s young guns can step up against Harlequins and put down markers for selection moving forward, it gives the former lock some welcome dilemmas.
Speaking of Harlequins, they have also given the nod to a number of newer faces, with BUCS Super Rugby product Luke Northmore starting at 13, Dino Lamb getting a rare outing in the second row and mobile hooker Jack Musk slotted in on the bench.
Harlequins boss Paul Gustard will be hoping that Northmore can have a similar impact to fellow Cardiff Met graduate Alex Dombrandt, while Lamb and Musk can stake claims in positions that have been hit hard by injuries. Quins have opted not to rotate too heavily, however, as they search hard for some fresh momentum in the Premiership.
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Eddie's hybrid player dreams live on in 2020! https://t.co/paGu1i665k
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 9, 2020
Sale have found space for exciting wing Tom Roebuck in the starting XV, with the powerful ball-carrier having impressed previously in the under18s. The England age-grade international is ready to show that he can emulate the likes of Rees-Zammit and Hamer-Webb and excel at this level.
With La Rochelle fielding a strong side at Stade Marcel Deflandre, Roebuck will find himself up against Arthur Retiere, Levani Botia, Geoffrey Doumayrou and Jeremy Sinzelle in the French side’s backline in what is an appetising test of his ability.
On the bench, there are spots for back rower Sam Dugdale, scrum-half Gus Warr and full-back Joe Carpenter. Given the strength of Sale’s options in the back row and at half-back – and that’s not even counting Ben Curry among the latter – this is welcome playing time for Dugdale and Warr, while Carpenter was one of the standout players in the Under-18 Academy League for Yorkshire last season.
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Sale secured a coup with his signing earlier this season and, for Carpenter, there is at least a more traversable path to the first XV over the next couple of seasons.
It’s a mark of Rees-Zammit’s impact that even in the very strong Gloucester XV selected to take on Montpellier, he retains his spot on the right wing alongside the duo of Jason Woodward and Ollie Thorley in the back three. Ultimately, this is the approach everyone would like to have, one or two youngsters bedded in among a cadre of regular starters, with qualification still possible and significant repercussions riding on the final result.
It’s an approach that Saracens have perfected in England of late, albeit with that reputation now being somewhat tarnished. The reigning European champions have also rotated their squad heavily this weekend. That said, with qualification still very possible, that seems more to be a comment on their opponents, the Ospreys, than it does on their attitude to the Champions Cup.
Louis Rees-Zammit's Wales credentials are not in any doubt given who he admired growing up https://t.co/2asxETpGkx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 9, 2020
Elliott Obatoyinbo starts at full-back while fast-rising fly-half Manu Vunipola occupies the No10 jersey. The bench is stacked with promising youngsters, too, as Joel Kpoku, Sean Reffell, Rotimi Segun and Ali Crossdale all feature.
If Saracens can storm the Liberty Stadium with no Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Jamie George or either of the Vunipola brothers in the squad, it will be the perfect fillip for the club who will not only keep alive their hopes of a Champions Cup quarter-final, but also provide them with momentum in their battle to move up the Premiership table.
Unsurprisingly, Exeter Chiefs have selected a strong side as they seek to battle Leinster for the No1 overall seeding and Northampton Saints, after harrowing back-to-back defeats against Leinster, seek to push for a best runners-up spot. Their hunts for qualification are compelling enough without also needing to see rugby’s next generation being blooded.
A former CEO returning to his post is hardly a 'fresh start' for Sarries
– argues @AndyGoode10 https://t.co/adTHxfiNsQ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 9, 2020
However, if the inability of English sides – outside of Saracens and Exeter – to be consistently competitive at the European level is a frustration, it’s one that at least provides this silver lining. Teams can’t permanently be in a state of rebuild, though if that is currently where they are, you want to see these opportunities being given to the younger players who can learn and develop from the experience.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments