Sale were 'naïve' in losing to Munster, says Sky Sports expert
Monday 20 October 2014 11:15, UK
Stuart Barnes reflects on the first weekend of the European Rugby Champions Cup, which produced dazzling matches and a stunning Munster comeback...
So what do we make of the new streamlined European Champions Cup? On the evidence of week one the cull of four weaker teams has made a massive difference. I’ll reiterate the evidence is only ten games old but there was some pretty sumptuous stuff played over the weekend.
In the Challenge Cup the early evidence suggests the reforms are badly conceived. The fact that the winners do not automatically qualify for the next season’s elite tournament is wrong. That is the badly needed bait. It is clearly the second division competition and with the majority of the French sides fielding shadow sides the competitive edge is not as it should be.
As there are no heavyweights dropping down from the main tournament at the end of the pools, it has a weak look to it. Talking about bringing Romanian teams into the second tier is all well and good but the second tier has to have a degree of excitement about it. That is the griping done for the day.
There was plenty of excitement in the European Cup, plenty of tense and thrilling rugby, plenty of high-quality rugby with Toulouse’s 30-23 victory over Montpellier the pick of the games in terms of quality and dazzling tries. That was played out on the Sky Red button while Ospreys were beating Treviso in the most tedious of the ten fixtures.
I blame the Ospreys. Organised, efficient and at times, extremely slick, they made the match into a formality. It will take a poor performance to manage anything but five points at home to the competition’s weak link. In recent years, the Italian teams have tended to be the key to best placed runners-up. This season that formula is likely to be followed which leaves two teams to come from four extremely competitive pools.
Competitiveness was the key word as the only side other than the Ospreys to rack up a bonus point win was Glasgow who humiliated Bath. The West Countrymen needed more than Steffon Armitage to turn the tide in Glasgow where Gregor Townsend’s ability as a coach will have been noticed, perhaps for the first time in general, south of Hadrian’s Wall.
Ten games and just the two five-point wins but even more interesting was the fact that only one team managed an away win in the first weekend and what a win that was. Who else but Munster to come back from a 23-7 deficit against a Sale team that was inspired for the first half? Who else but a Munster fly-half to drop a goal with the last kick of the game? This time the name was Keatley. The more famous one, O’ Gara, has moved on to Racing Metro where he coaches.
Ronan was beaming with pleasure when he recounted that dramatic moment to Graham Simmons during their half time interview in the Racing Metro and Northampton clash. He was wide eyed with shock at full time, stunned that the Saints had let an away bonus point slip from their grasp.
No man knows more than O’ Gara about management of European pools. It was a nasty, naive moment for the English champions who have to not only beat Ospreys this weekend but ensure the Welsh do not secure a losing bonus point.
Of the other seven games, the away team secured losing bonus points in four of the games. Montpellier and Clermont lost but both looked very good in defeat. Wasps could not hold onto a winning position (they are a fine first-half team with second-half strength in depth issues) while Ulster will be delighted with their fightback at Welford Road to snatch a bonus point from a Leicester side they seem to be finding form at the right time.
Last season Leicester secured what many thought an important bonus point at Ravenhill before losing at home in round six. If they do to Ulster what the Ulstermen did to them last season they will be in great shape to escape a pool in which the double European champions, Toulon, made a sloppy start in failing to score four tries against Scarlets – on current form and recent history the weakest of the pool’s quartet.
Belfast will accord them its usual welcome. On the back of three ordinary performances, the French will be underdogs. They lost a round two game in Cardiff last season but with the Tigers also in this pool defeat will push them to the brink, especially as that crucial fourth point was not secured Sunday.
Harlequins could have done with a bonus point against struggling Castres, a European lightweight team in a pool that looks competitive and winnable for three teams. Wasps take on Harlequins in a game they have to win and prevent Harlequins grabbing a point while Leinster need a win, minimum, on the road in Castres.
Five games stand out next week. The Saints against Europe’s 100 per centers, the Ospreys, Munster’s home encounter with Saracens looks a corker as does Bath versus Toulouse (don't write Bath off at home) and Glasgow in Montpellier, while Ulster versus Toulon is probably the pick of them all.
Roll on the weekend.
Got a question for Stuart? Email him at skysportsclub@bskyb.com or use the feedback form below.
Evening Stuart, just a quick question regarding bonus points…well maybe more of a rant! I am really annoyed with this whole losing bonus point. I have watched games were a team trailing by 5 on 80 minutes are applauded by for kicking the ball off the pitch, and yesterday Northampton were criticized for trying to win from a similar position when it cost them a bonus point. Rugby should be about trying to win, not about trying to stay within 7 points.
Stephen Breams
STUART REPLIES: Stephen, the fact is that without bonus points the sport would suffer from more games losing their competitive edge at an earlier stage in the match. As it happens I don't like bonus points either, I think compensation for not winning tight games sends out the wrong message but at the moment the bonus point system works to better overall effect than any other system. Europe is about escaping pools and accumulating points. For the latter reason the Saints have been criticised for their naive decision making.
A lot of people have not forgotten the comments from our English friends leading up to the near disintegration of championship rugby in Europe. As usual, the English clubs got their way and the competition was re-structured in favour of English club rugby. Given those circumstances, you can surely not grudge us a wee smile over Glasgow's victory yesterday?
Peter Heeren
STUART REPLIES: Peter, no grudges here, my friend. Given Bruce Craig's high profile parts in the reordering of Europe the size of the Bath loss seems ironic to say the least. Also ironic, do you not think the Pro12 is a better tournament as an indirect result of the European argument? And while the Challenge Cup has been weakened without teams dropping down into a quarter final scenario and without the winners automatically qualifying for the main tournament (BIG ERROR) the top tier tournament was pretty impressive in its competitiveness.
Stuart, what did you make of Danny Cipriani's performance against Munster and do you think his goal-kicking has now put him ahead of Stephen Myler after the Saint No.10 blew it against Racing Metro?
Scott Judge
STUART REPLIES: Scott, Cipriani played well and kicked superbly but one swallow etc. He made a few costly errors in try scoring parts of the pitch, too. Myler remains a better kicker although he made a hash of the one in Paris. I would have DC ahead of SM for other reasons but I am not sure Stuart Lancaster will. The first two fly halves in the pecking order are Farrell and Ford so the debate is slightly academic. There's a lad called Hodgson looks like he can play a bit, too.
There is something seriously wrong with our game when the referee takes centre stage! I am no fan of Northampton or Racing Metro but the officiating from George Clancy on Saturday was diabolical. When are the IRB or whatever they calls themselves now going to sort this out. It is ruining our game.
Mark Hudells
STUART REPLIES: Mark, no we don't want referees commanding centre stage (although there was not much in the way of command from George Clancy Saturday night). In his defence it must be said that both Racing and Northampton had rights to be aggrieved. It wasn't a great day for George but it was balanced at least. The IRB refereeing panel happens to rate Clancy very highly even if a few others don't.
So Michael Cheika is being touted as the new Wallaby coach is he? What do you think he (or anyone else who takes over) should do as soon as they take this 'poisoned chalice'?
Mathew Wells
STUART REPLIES: Michael Cheika is a top rate coach and has a record in Australia, France and Ireland. He is the right man/the only man and will do a good job as you'd expect from one of the world's leading and most successful coaches. I am sure Michael would love the challenge. Tough on the Tahs, though.
