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| Rugby union: talking points from the European Rugby Champions Cup | Rugby union: talking points from the European Rugby Champions Cup |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| 1) Tigers show their teeth just in time | 1) Tigers show their teeth just in time |
| Martin Castrogiovanni’s outburst following Leicester’s victory over Toulon, regarding his departure from Welford Road, should ensure a lively return encounter in France on Saturday. The Tigers were outscored by two tries to one but the timely return of their favoured front row helped them win a glut of penalties which Owen Williams turned into 18 points. It was also no coincidence that Ben Youngs was back to his buzzing best at scrum-half, having a platform to orchestrate the game from. They will need to secure at least a bonus point in a tight group that is unlikely to see the runner-up progress to the last eight, but Leicester are still missing their main ball-carriers and another penalty count in their favour is likely to be required. Paul Rees | Martin Castrogiovanni’s outburst following Leicester’s victory over Toulon, regarding his departure from Welford Road, should ensure a lively return encounter in France on Saturday. The Tigers were outscored by two tries to one but the timely return of their favoured front row helped them win a glut of penalties which Owen Williams turned into 18 points. It was also no coincidence that Ben Youngs was back to his buzzing best at scrum-half, having a platform to orchestrate the game from. They will need to secure at least a bonus point in a tight group that is unlikely to see the runner-up progress to the last eight, but Leicester are still missing their main ball-carriers and another penalty count in their favour is likely to be required. Paul Rees |
| • Castrogiovanni: They made it look like I went for the money• Leicester 25-21 Toulon | |
| 2) The Gallic shrug is galling to see | 2) The Gallic shrug is galling to see |
| As we watched Sale hammer away at Saracens until the dying seconds, their European campaign all but over even if they did manage to snatch the win, discussion inevitably turned to the contrast with Montpellier, who capitulated at home to Bath the night before. Or Castres, more competitive admittedly but well beaten at home by Wasps. Or a host of French teams this weekend in the Challenge Cup, which without the carrot of qualification for the main event looks a hopelessly undervalued tournament already. We thought the days of the French rolling over when unmotivated were over. Discussion turned to what could be done about it. There have been attempts in the past to punish sides for fielding weakened teams – Sale were cautioned for it in the last round of the Premiership in 2012. But this goes beyond that. Montpellier’s squad is so strong that their side on Friday was perfectly credible. It’s just that they clearly couldn’t be bothered, even though they had more points than Bath going into the game. The French attitude to Europe has improved but it seems we’ll always come back to this, the Gallic shrug. Less gifted the Anglo-Saxons may be but at least they try. Michael Aylwin | As we watched Sale hammer away at Saracens until the dying seconds, their European campaign all but over even if they did manage to snatch the win, discussion inevitably turned to the contrast with Montpellier, who capitulated at home to Bath the night before. Or Castres, more competitive admittedly but well beaten at home by Wasps. Or a host of French teams this weekend in the Challenge Cup, which without the carrot of qualification for the main event looks a hopelessly undervalued tournament already. We thought the days of the French rolling over when unmotivated were over. Discussion turned to what could be done about it. There have been attempts in the past to punish sides for fielding weakened teams – Sale were cautioned for it in the last round of the Premiership in 2012. But this goes beyond that. Montpellier’s squad is so strong that their side on Friday was perfectly credible. It’s just that they clearly couldn’t be bothered, even though they had more points than Bath going into the game. The French attitude to Europe has improved but it seems we’ll always come back to this, the Gallic shrug. Less gifted the Anglo-Saxons may be but at least they try. Michael Aylwin |
| • Sale 15-19 Saracens | |
| 3) Munster need more of a spark | 3) Munster need more of a spark |
| Munster will need all their powers of recovery to emerge from a pool that includes the last two beaten finalists in the European Cup. Clermont became the first French club to win at Thomond Park in the tournament after backing up a flying start with resolute defence at the end, when Munster are usually at their most dangerous. Top 14 sides have been known to be easily distracted away from home but Clermont’s determination was marked from the outset and the way the forwards celebrated neutralising a driving maul early in the second-half said everything about their focus. Munster lacked an attacking spark and will need more than bonus points from their trips to Clermont and Saracens to take their customary place in the quarter-finals. Paul Rees | Munster will need all their powers of recovery to emerge from a pool that includes the last two beaten finalists in the European Cup. Clermont became the first French club to win at Thomond Park in the tournament after backing up a flying start with resolute defence at the end, when Munster are usually at their most dangerous. Top 14 sides have been known to be easily distracted away from home but Clermont’s determination was marked from the outset and the way the forwards celebrated neutralising a driving maul early in the second-half said everything about their focus. Munster lacked an attacking spark and will need more than bonus points from their trips to Clermont and Saracens to take their customary place in the quarter-finals. Paul Rees |
| • Munster 9-16 Clermont Auvergne | |
| 4) Quins enjoy rapid transformation | 4) Quins enjoy rapid transformation |
| The most striking aspect of Quins’ victory over Leinster was the difference a week makes. They were all over the shop in Bath the previous Friday, their pack shoved backwards almost into the River Avon. Suddenly, in Twickenham against an all-international Irish front five, they were outstanding at scrum-time with Joe Marler adding to his fast-growing reputation opposite Ireland’s first-choice tight-head, Mike Ross. Chris Robshaw, having put in huge shifts for England in all four of their November Tests, also looked like he had never been away on his 200th appearance for the club. “One of the most incredible men I have ever had the privilege to work with,” said Conor O’Shea, referring to Robshaw in the match programme. Stamina-wise, there are certainly few to match the England captain. Robert Kitson | The most striking aspect of Quins’ victory over Leinster was the difference a week makes. They were all over the shop in Bath the previous Friday, their pack shoved backwards almost into the River Avon. Suddenly, in Twickenham against an all-international Irish front five, they were outstanding at scrum-time with Joe Marler adding to his fast-growing reputation opposite Ireland’s first-choice tight-head, Mike Ross. Chris Robshaw, having put in huge shifts for England in all four of their November Tests, also looked like he had never been away on his 200th appearance for the club. “One of the most incredible men I have ever had the privilege to work with,” said Conor O’Shea, referring to Robshaw in the match programme. Stamina-wise, there are certainly few to match the England captain. Robert Kitson |
| • Harlequins 24-18 Leinster | |
| 5) Glasgow will fancy chances at home to Toulouse | 5) Glasgow will fancy chances at home to Toulouse |
| Glasgow’s run of wins came to an end against Toulouse but the four-times champions still have to visit Scotstoun on Saturday before anything can be anywhere near settled in an increasingly volatile Pool 4 where Bath suddenly become contenders. They now face Montpellier, probably minus their coach Fabien Galthié, after winning 30-5 in France while knowing a five-point win might make January an interesting month. By then Toulouse should have at least one recognised fly-half in place and Glasgow will certainly have addressed the poor discipline which cost them dear at the weekend. Mike Averis | Glasgow’s run of wins came to an end against Toulouse but the four-times champions still have to visit Scotstoun on Saturday before anything can be anywhere near settled in an increasingly volatile Pool 4 where Bath suddenly become contenders. They now face Montpellier, probably minus their coach Fabien Galthié, after winning 30-5 in France while knowing a five-point win might make January an interesting month. By then Toulouse should have at least one recognised fly-half in place and Glasgow will certainly have addressed the poor discipline which cost them dear at the weekend. Mike Averis |
| • European Champions Cup roundup | |
| 6) Ospreys capitalise on Racing’s lack of chic amid huff and puff | 6) Ospreys capitalise on Racing’s lack of chic amid huff and puff |
| There is no questioning the individual qualities of Racing Métro’s forwards. The prop Eddy Ben Arous runs like the wind and Dimitri Szarzewski remains spectacularly dedicated to tackling. But they love doing things collectively even more: scrummaging and above all the driving maul. What is missing from their repertoire is any complementary chic. From nine to 10 and from 12 to 15, they all run, to say the least, robustly but Marc Andreu, a nippy and darting 11, hardly touched the ball. The diet is protein-heavy and there is more than a suspicion that they cannot keep going for 80 minutes. Against the Ospreys they took the third quarter off for a blow, allowing Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar and Justin Tipuric to show what might happen if the Ospreys forwards could win their fair share of front-foot possession. The period shone a little light into a generally overcast match. The threat is that the Ospreys’ away day in Paris could be ruined by a storm pouring from the dense clouds of collective might. Eddie Butler | There is no questioning the individual qualities of Racing Métro’s forwards. The prop Eddy Ben Arous runs like the wind and Dimitri Szarzewski remains spectacularly dedicated to tackling. But they love doing things collectively even more: scrummaging and above all the driving maul. What is missing from their repertoire is any complementary chic. From nine to 10 and from 12 to 15, they all run, to say the least, robustly but Marc Andreu, a nippy and darting 11, hardly touched the ball. The diet is protein-heavy and there is more than a suspicion that they cannot keep going for 80 minutes. Against the Ospreys they took the third quarter off for a blow, allowing Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar and Justin Tipuric to show what might happen if the Ospreys forwards could win their fair share of front-foot possession. The period shone a little light into a generally overcast match. The threat is that the Ospreys’ away day in Paris could be ruined by a storm pouring from the dense clouds of collective might. Eddie Butler |
| • Ospreys 19-19 Racing | |
| 7) Wasps buzzing after Castres triumph | 7) Wasps buzzing after Castres triumph |
| Wasps leave Adams Park next Sunday possibly on something of a high. Their five-point win at Castres gives some hope of progressing from Pool 2 and will remind fans that the last time they won at the Stade Pierre Antoine they went on to become the 2007 champions – the last English club to take the title. That might be a little ambitious this time but at the very least it should put a few more backsides on seats at the Ricoh in late January when Wasps complete their pool programme against another double champion, Leinster. Not bad for a side which surprised a few by beating Stade Français in the play-offs. Mike Averis | Wasps leave Adams Park next Sunday possibly on something of a high. Their five-point win at Castres gives some hope of progressing from Pool 2 and will remind fans that the last time they won at the Stade Pierre Antoine they went on to become the 2007 champions – the last English club to take the title. That might be a little ambitious this time but at the very least it should put a few more backsides on seats at the Ricoh in late January when Wasps complete their pool programme against another double champion, Leinster. Not bad for a side which surprised a few by beating Stade Français in the play-offs. Mike Averis |
| • Treviso 15-38 Northampton• Ulster 24-9 Scarlets |