Sky Sports brings you all you need to know ahead of the second round of pool matches in the European Rugby Champions Cup...
Friday 24 October 2014 15:12, UK
The first round of the newly-formed European Rugby Champions Cup promised so much, and indeed, delivered with some 450 points scored across the opening weekend. This feast of action does not cease, with another 10 intriguing match-ups to devour in a second successive weekend of continent action.
We were treated to some scintillating rugby last weekend as a new era dawned for European rugby, with an average of 4.7 tries-per-match in the round. The quality of those scores was exceeded expectations too; from Danny Care touching down the first-ever Champions Cup try for Harlequins to Tommy Bowe’s 25th European score, while Zac Guildford and Christian Wade were left battling it out for the try of the weekend.
Back-to-back rounds of action mean the pools will start to take shape this weekend, with those about to clinch successive victories taking the driving seat, but two defeats on the bounce could leave a mountain to climb when the competition returns in December.
It all kicks off on Friday evening in the one of the most fiercely-contested pools as Irish heavyweights Munster welcome last year’s finalists Saracens to Thomond Park in a clash of the titans. Both sides started on a winning note, with Munster producing a stirring comeback to defeat Sale Sharks, while Saracens extended their hex over Clermont at Allianz Park.
Munster could, and probably should, have won having entered the interval 23-7 down, but a commanding fightback combined with a Sale capitulation allowed Anthony Foley’s side to escape with a 27-26 triumph. Saracens, meanwhile, had a much easier time of things in London as they backed up their resounding semi-final victory over Clermont last season with a 30-23 win, although Mark McCall’s side have only won one of their five European meetings with Munster.
While Munster may worked their way into form, Ulster were caught cold at Welford Road last weekend as they lost to Leicester Tigers and the challenge does not get any easier for Neil Doak’s men. Next up on the agenda is a lunchtime clash with reigning kings of Europe Toulon at Ravenhill, with the French giants in fine form after a 28-18 win over Scarlets.
Saturday’s showdown will be the first meeting between the sides and Doak will be boosted by Ulster’s record of six wins from their last seven against French opposition, while 11 of the last 13 clashes with opponents from across the Channel at Ravenhill have gone the way of the hosts. Toulon, though, have a fine record against Irish provinces with three wins and only one reverse, but Bernard Laporte will be aware all five of their defeats in the competition’s history have come away.
After suffering their heaviest defeat in European history in the opening round Bath are desperate to get their Champions Cup bid back on track when Toulouse visit the West Country. Mike Ford’s side will have the backing of a partisan Recreation Ground crowd, though Toulouse head into the match on the back of a morale-boosting success against Montpellier.
Bath were hit 37-10 by Glasgow Warriors at Scotsoun whereas Toulouse triumphed 30-23 in their all-French affair. The sides have met four times and Toulouse hold a narrow edge over Bath with two wins, while the only draw between the sides (3-3) remains the lowest scoring match in European history.
Glasgow will aim to back up their emphatic win over Bath as coach Gregor Townsend returns to familiar stomping ground in Montpellier. The Warriors boss enjoyed a successful year with the French side a decade ago, but niceties will far from the agenda as Glasgow look to record back-to-back wins and subsequently condemn Montpellier to successive defeats.
The sides have met twice before in European action, with Glasgow winning one and the other match ending in a stalemate, but the Warriors have won just two of their last 13 meetings with French sides. They must also be wary of a forceful Montpellier display, with the Top 14 side making 15 clean breaks, more than any other side, in their reverse to Toulouse last weekend.
English Premiership leaders Northampton Saints welcome the only unbeaten team at Europe's top table, Ospreys, in a mouthwatering Champions Cup clash at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday. The Pool 5 rivals clashed in last season's early rounds and it was the Saints who took the spoils, winning 27-16 at home before claiming a 29-17 victory at the Liberty Stadium.
Those wins still were not enough for Jim Mallinder's men to reach the knockout stages, though, as they dropped down into the Challenge Cup and conquered the competition. The Ospreys are the only side who still have a 100 per cent record intact this season after they claimed their seventh straight win against Treviso last weekend.
After a valiant effort in round one against defending champions Toulon, Scarlets will be hoping they can clock up their first points of the tournament when they face Leicester on Saturday evening. Their fruitless efforts at the Stade Felix Mayol means this weekend’s clash with the Tigers, who beat Ulster to take second spot in the pool, is a must win for the Welsh region.
History does not favour Wayne Pivac’s side, though, with Leicester winning six of the seven previous meetings between the sides, while Scarlets have lost four of their last five against English opposition. Scarlets must also break the Tigers’ defensive stronghold with Julian Salvi making a chart-topping 22 tackles last weekend.
Despite both enduring losing starts to the campaign last weekend, Clermont Auvergne and Sale Sharks racked up losing bonus points which could prove crucial in the ‘Pool of Death’. Consolation points are not on either side’s agenda this weekend, however, as they seek their first Champions Cup victory and the winners should be elevated to second with Munster and Saracens facing each other.
French heavyweights Clermont reached the final four last season but were thumped 46-6 by Saracens, whom they will be desperate to beat out of the pool despite suffering defeat to the Londoners last time out. Sale’s European calibre is under intense scrutiny after they surrendered a strong lead against Munster, though, Steve Diamond’s Sharks have won their two previous meetings with Clermont.
Three-time champions of Europe Leinster will aim to take control of Pool 2 on Sunday as they travel to France for a showdown with Castres. Matt O’Connor’s Leinstermen were handed a thorough test by Wasps last weekend, but escaped unscathed with a 25-20 win, while Castres were crushed 25-9 by Harlequins.
Sunday’s early afternoon meeting will be the fourth between the sides, with Leinster boasting a 3-1 record against their French opposition and O’Connor will be keen to see that improved further. After battling from behind to beat Wasps Leinster must underline their credentials against a Castres side, which are expected to prop up the pool.
In the lone all-Premiership showdown of the weekend, Wasps host Harlequins at Adams Park and both sides wanting victory following differing starts. Harlequins triumphed in the inaugural Champions Cup match and will be keen to double their win tally, while Wasps are still in need of their first victory after being edged out by Leinster.
Conor O’Shea’s Quins have already beaten their London rivals once this term, running out 26-23 winners at The Stoop in the Premiership, while this will be the first European meeting between the sides. After their spirited performance against Leinster, Wasps will hope they can earn their rewards, while Harlequins will return to domestic action with European matters firmly under control should they prevail.
The second round of action comes to a climax at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo, where Benetton Treviso host French titans Racing Metro Paris. Treviso found themselves on the wrong end of a five-try thumping against Ospreys last weekend, while Racing held off a late comeback from Northampton to claim four points in the French capital.
A late try from Marc Andreau 40 seconds from time saw the Parisian side deny Northampton a losing bonus points and they will be keen to take advantage of Treviso’s poor form and claim a try-scoring bonus this weekend. The Italian side are yet to register a victory this season having lost all six of their Guinness PRO12 encounters to date and their 35-point reverse last time out does not fill anyone with confidence.
Watch the European Rugby Champions Cup live on Sky Sports
Ulster v Toulon – live on Sky Sports 2HD from 12:30pm on Saturday
Northampton v Ospreys – live on Sky Sports 2HD from 5pm on Saturday
Montpellier v Glasgow – live on Sky Sports 2 red button from 5:15 on Saturday
Castres v Leinster – live on Sky Sports 3HD from 12:30pm on Sunday
Clermont v Sale – live on Sky Sports 3HD from 3pm on Sunday
