Rugby union: talking points from the weekend’s European finals
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Version 0 of 1. 1) Clermont must retune and find their top gear again The fear is that now one wheel has come off the whole car will soon be in the ravine. The last time they lost the European final – to Toulon in 2013 – Clermont said they would, have no fear, regroup. They promptly lost to Castres in the semi-final of the Top 14. The warped schedule this year means three rounds of the regular Top 14 season remain before its knockout phase starts. Clermont are second behind Toulon but Toulouse and Stade Français are pressing hard. Clermont have but one regular-season home game left – against Toulon. It will not be a game for the deflated of spirit. In their Michelin city, Clermont know better than anyone the perils of driving on a flat tyre. Eddie Butler 2) Toulon’s second row show money alone can’t buy you love The way Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha launched themselves into the final it is clear they are intent on leaving a mark before they trip off, Eric and Ernie and Bring Me Sunshine, into retirement. Bakkies left his mark with his tackling, Ali with the poetry of his passing. It was a great double act and the sort of joined-up, grown-up, two-as-one performance that can come only with experience, intelligence and desire. And money – of which Mourad Boudjellal has loads. But Toulon have invested even more in the less tangible qualities. The players obviously adore the club and you know what some other combo sang about money and love. Eddie Butler 3) Gloucester have a togetherness that bodes well for the future A first major trophy for nine years (the Little Value Cup does not fall into that category) represents a step forward of sorts for Gloucester after years of mediocrity. But their ninth position in the Premiership says more about them than success in a Challenge Cup that the lack of interest from Top 14 sides has turned into a competition between the bottom halves of the Premiership and the Pro12. Gloucester played out their season in 80 minutes at The Stoop on Friday night: brilliant in parts, especially in the opening quarter, ordinary in others and confused at times. Menacing on the counterattack through Charlie Sharples and Jonny May, they were often better off without possession with too many routine attacks ended by a basic mistake. For all their individual brilliance they need the boot of Greig Laidlaw as a crutch and they lack the strength in depth of most of the clubs in the top half of the Premiership table. What they are developing is resilience: they may not yet be the sum of their parts but they were impressive after the centre Billy Meakes was sent off for a dangerous tackle, playing out the final 10 minutes with few alarms. There is a sense of togetherness in a side that had been fickle. This should be harnessed into first making Kingsholm an unlovely place for visiting teams again and then securing notable away victories in the league. Paul Rees 4) Edinburgh’s old failings return to haunt them in the final Gloucester have a play-off (or two) for the final place in next season’s Champions Cup and they will meet the seventh place team in the Pro12, which at the moment is Edinburgh, later this month with the winner then facing the seventh club in the Top 14 in the second and final play-off. Home advantage for the first play-off will be decided by the toss of a coin and, after appearing to be overawed in the first half on Friday before a crowd that was predominantly made up of supporters from the West Country, the Scottish side would appear to need the sanctuary of Murrayfield. They flickered at times, twice saved by the defensive excellence of the No8 Cornell du Preez, whose ankle tap on Jonny May saved a certain try with another on Charlie Sharples denying Gloucester a probable score, but had no comeback when their physical threat was met. Like Gloucester, Edinburgh recovered after a wobbly start to the campaign but in the final they went back to the beginning. Paul Rees |