Champions Cup Final Review - Toulon 24 - 18 Clermont Auvergne

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.  Perhaps a saying that fits the feeling going around the Clermont camp at the moment.  To stick with the metaphor, they're the kind of bridesmaid who make the bride look plain by comparison; they're more attractive and do things that the bride won't do.  But, when it's all said and done, no matter how many heads they turn, it's never their special day.  But after 13 final defeats on the domestic and European stages - 10 French Championship final losses, two European Cup finals and one European Challenge Cup final - Clermont felt, as they walked onto the Twickenham pitch, that this surely must be their year.  Even if they were coming up against a side gunning for an unprecedented third straight title.

The men in white suffered a late blow, though, when fly-half Brock James suffered a thigh strain during the warm-up, so Camille Lopez started and Mike Delany was drafted on to the bench.

Clermont served immediate notice of their attacking intent when England World Cup hopeful Abendanon delivered a brilliant pass to wing Naipolioni Nalaga, but Nalaga lost his radar as the line approached and threw a wild inside pass.   The men in white continued to look the more threatening team, though, and two Lopez penalties in quick succession gave them a deserved 6-0 lead as Toulon found themselves on the back foot.  Giteau apart – perhaps spurred on by the news that he’s back in the frame for a recall to the Wallaby squad – Toulon were slow into the contest, but they reduced their arrears when Halfpenny slotted a 17th-minute penalty.

But Clermont continued in the ascendancy, and their territorial dominance was rewarded after 25 minutes when Parra charged down his opposite number Sebastien Tillous-Borde's attempted clearance to create an opportunity inside Toulon's half.   The ball bounced relatively kindly, yet Fofana's finish was sublime, as he outstripped Chris Masoe along a narrow channel near the touchline to give Clermont a deserved 11-6 advantage.

Toulon, though, were like a python slowly warming up in the sun and began to put the squeeze on the game as the big men – Masoe, Steffon Armitage and Mathieu Bastereau – began to get their hands on the ball and rumble forward.  They did not require a second invitation to take their chances when they materialised, and Halfpenny added two quickfire penalties to complete his penalty hat-trick seven minutes before half-time.

Clermont looked to close out the half, yet Toulon were not to be denied, and they conjured an outstanding try just seconds before the break that stemmed from number eight Masoe's powerful run when he smashed off Abendanon in midfield after the Englishman had attempted a clever-but-as-it-turned-out-rather-stupid chip from deep.  The stadium clock showed that time was up, so all Abendanon had to do was kick the ball into touch, but he tried a chip and chase that resulted in Toulon gaining a half-chance that they duly accepted.   Mitchell also played his part with a clever inside step, but it was largely a case of patient recycling before Bastareaud powered over from close range, with Halfpenny's conversion giving Toulon a 16-11 half-time lead.

Toulon, like the aforementioned giant snake, didn’t let go of its prey after the break and took that momentum into the second period. Armitage bumped off Abendanon through a crunching show of power, creating space out wide, but Giteau threw a wild pass out of the back door when Clermont's line was at his mercy – in hindsight, he may have got there himself with the momentum he had.

Another Halfpenny penalty following a brainless infringement by Noa Nakaitaci (chucking the ball away in touch) made it 19-11, but Clermont grabbed a lifeline when Abendanon showed just why he was voted European player of the year with a stunning score.  This time it was his time to field a loose kick and, after darting through a gap, he chipped over Carl Hayman and nonchalantly regathered to dot the ball down by the posts.  Clermont may have been being squeezed, but they still had magic up their sleeves as the game entered its final 10 minutes.

Toulon, for several seasons, have been a team built to win, a team that displays a mechanical ruthlessness in the pursuit of victory as opposed to moments of individual genius. Drew Mitchell, though, another Wallaby who will have been buoyed by the overseas rule change by the ARU, had other ideas and turned that presumption straight onto its head with a try even more spectacular than Abendanon’s.  Taking a short-ball off Sebastian Tillous-Borde, the Aussie sprinted through a gap and stepped and weaved his way through 6 tacklers to crash over for a world-class try.

It was a world class finish, to a world-class final, played between 2 world class teams.  But Toulon, had the edge throughout and, as the final-whistle went, they found themselves going home with an unprecedented third consecutive title of European Champions.  Forget the money, forget the Harlem-globetrotter-esque make up of the side – no matter who you are, that is one hell of an achievement.

Now, who’s betting against four?

Champions Cup Final Preview - Clermont Auvergne v Toulon

Déjà Vous is a concept we’re all familiar with, but it generally applies to pretty minor or irrelevant circumstances.  For example, I had that feeling the other day when chatting to a friend about Bon Jovi’s best album (I have no shame) – I suddenly felt we had had that conversation before, when I am pretty sure that I had deliberately kept my 80s glam rock fetish under wraps before that.  Usually, like then, it is an illusion, but sometimes it is entirely justified – when my other half was talking to me about table centre-pieces for our wedding, I once again found myself overcome by a sense of déjà vous, but then I realised we actually had had the exact same conversation every day for the last 4 days.  And it’s a similar case here.  Albeit on a much larger, more significant scale.

 

And how appropriate that it’s an all French final to back up a very French feeling.  In Dublin in, 2013, these two met and Clermont, early in the second half, cut loose with some glorious rugby, only to suffer a sucker punch try (courtesy of Delon Armitage’s cheeky score and moronic gloating) and the metronomic boot of Jonny Wilkinson.  Clermont, again regarded as the best team in Europe, again went home empty handed.  Toulon were crowned Champions of Europe and last year, in Cardiff, they joined the elite group of Leicester and Leinster as being the only side to successfully retain the title.  Now, today, at Twickenham, they have a chance to go out in a league of their own and win the tournament for a third successive time.

 

I don’t want them to do it.  Why?  Well, aside from the lack of variety, I simply don’t particularly like Toulon.  A lot of people would say that’s envy, which could play a part to be fair, but I also think that they signify everything that’s wrong with professional rugby and, specifically, French rugby.  Most top sides, even the big spenders, still retain that core of players who identify with the club, and the rest is sprinkled with stardust.  In England, Leicester have the Youngs brothers, Cole, Croft and Tuilagi, Bath have Hooper, Banahan and Wilson, whilst Saracens have Farrell, Kruis and Goode.  They’re blokes who have risen from within the club and have that tight connection – a spine around which success can built and stars can be brought in.  Even in the French league, Clermont have this – Wesley Fofana, Rougerie and Bonnaire all live and breathe Clermont.  I would argue that Toulon do not have this; they have no identity.  They are simply a rich man’s toy, an expensively assembled group of mercenaries who are there to win at any cost.

 

Not that I blame the players themselves – who wouldn’t want a huge pay packet and a trip to the south of France in the twilight of their career – nor necessarily Mourad Boudjellal, who is free to spend his money as he wishes.  But without restrictions he has put together a frankly ludicrous side which, although world class throughout (they have Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe on the bench), lacks soul and drains talent from other leagues abroad and at home.   Couple this with the fact they have Delon Armitage, Bakkies Botha and the Jocelino ‘Choker’ Suta in the squad and play (usually) some pretty stodgy rugby, and they’re really not the most likeable team out there.

 

That’s why Clermont, who will try to counteract Toulon’s territory game with their fast-paced attacking mindset and invention, will be the neutral’s choice today.  And that’s why we won’t be feeling déjà vous later this evening.

Clermont Team News

Clermont have made two changes to the side that beat Saracens in last month's semi-final.   Morgan Parra replaces Ludovic Radosavljevic at scrum-half and Fritz Lee is returning at number eight, with captain Damien Chouly moving to open-side flanker.

 

Starting Line up:  N Abendanon; N Nakaitaci, J Davies, W Fofana, N Nalaga; B James, M Parra; V Debaty, B Kayser, D Zirakashvili, J Cudmore, S Vahaamahina, J Bonnaire, D Chouly (capt), F Lee.

Subs: J Ulugia, T Domingo, C Ric, J Pierre, J Bardy, L Radoslavjevic, C Lopez, A Rougerie.

 

Key Player

Morgan Parra.  A fan favourite for the men in white, and a man who is finding his way back into form at just the right time. Parra has had a bit of a middling season by his standards but this is the setting he was made for – he seems to thrive on the big occasion.  He will know that Toulon very rarely win games by explosive, counter-attacking rugby – they win by pressurising the opposition and twisting them to breaking point.  The temptation will be for Clermont to run everything back, but that’s exactly what Toulon want.  Instead Clermont must apply pressure themselves and that means Parra putting it on the money every time for his chasers – he is faced with a back three who are all very strong under the high ball, so accuracy is everything for Parra if he wants to beat Toulon at their own game.

 

Toulon Team News

Former England full-back Delon Armitage misses out on a place in Toulon's squad after breaking a bone in his hand during the semi-final win against Leinster.   But his brother Steffon starts in the back row, reward for an impressive performance as a replacement against the Dublin-based side.  Matt Giteau will orchestrate the defending champions at outside-half, with Frederic Michalak dropped to the bench after an ineffective display in the semi-finals.

 

Starting Line up:  L Halfpenny; D Mitchell, M Bastareaud, J M Hernandez, B Habana; M Giteau, S Tillous-Borde; X Chiocci, G Guirado, C Hayman (capt), B Botha, A Williams, J Smith, S Armitage, C Masoe.

Subs: J-C Orioli, A Menini, L Chilachava, J M Fernandez Lobbe, V Bruni, R Wulf, F Michalak, R Taofifenua.

Key Player

Steffon Armitage.  Yawn, how entirely predictable.  Picking the openside flanker in any match-up is usually a pretty safe bet when picking out a ‘key player’, but there’s more at stake for Armitage than *just* a Champions Cup winners medal.  Yes, he is key to this game in that Clermont have picked a very big, powerful backrow which possibly provides an opportunity for the squat seven to cause mayhem by getting underneath them and over the ball at the breakdown, but the reality is that if Armitage wants to go to the World Cup, this is his audition.  With Robshaw – correctly – indispensible for England and Vunipola/Morgan as a world class selection dilemma at number eight, there is only one spot to target – a spot which James Haskell and Tom Wood are currently battling for, but a lack of trust over discipline and a lack of top form has raised question marks over both.  And a backrow of Robshaw, Armitage and Vunipola does seem to have the lot.  But if Armitage wants Stuart Lancaster to agree, he needs to make himself un-ignorable with a man of the match display on Europe’s biggest stage.

Key Battle

Wesley Fofana v Juan Martin Hernandez.   Two magicians of the game start at 12 today, but they are two men with very different skill sets.  Fofana is probably the smoothest runner in the northern hemisphere, balancing speed and agility with surprising strength, whilst Hernandez – who has largely been a bit-part player for Toulon this season – has one of the most cultured boots in world rugby.  His critics will, probably rightly, state that his best days are way behind him (remember when he was the key man behind the Pumas semi-final run in 2007?) but he is a man who the capacity to perform on the big occasions.  His role will be to frustrate the Clermont backline by pinning them back into the corners – but Fofana will be in his face all afternoon.  The purists will want the Clermont man to come out on top...but Toulon have proven that, when push comes to shove, pragmatism generally trumps all.

 

Prediction

We enter new ground this season with Toulon bidding to become the first side ever to win for three consecutive years.   I’ve already made it clear I don’t want them to win but, if you look down their line-up, it is arguable that they have improved year on year since that first title (with the exception of Jonny Wilkinson’s retirement, of course) and it is difficult to pinpoint any sort of weakspot.  But if there is any side who can exploit the tiniest opportunity, it’s Clermont.  For too long they have been regarded as ‘unofficially’ the best side in Europe and they will still harbour bitter memories of 2013.  Will it be enough?  On paper and on reflection of previous results, possibly not, but I get the feeling that they won’t be in the mood to choke this time around.  Clermont by 5.

Champions Cup Review - Clermont Auvergne 13 - 9 Saracens

It’s amazing what can change in 12 months.  One year ago, I didn’t own a house and now I do.  I didn’t have a fiancé, and now I do.  I was clean shaven and now...I have a clumsy attempt at facial hair that can best be described as ‘brave’.  One day it will look good though, mark my words.  But perhaps nothing has changed as starkly as a semi-final result between two powerhouses of their respective countries, Clermont and Saracens.  In the 2014 edition of the contest between these two, the men in black ran riot thanks to a bruising defence and a clinical level of precision that saw them embarrass the pre-game favourites.  Instead, this time on ‘home’ soil (well, in Saint Etienne), the French outfit were determined to run an altogether tighter ship.

Saracens, with the Vunipola brothers Billy and Mako in powerful running mode, took a 15th-minute lead when Hodgson showed his experience to land an angled drop-goal to reward an impressive spell of pressure, but Clermont quickly responded through a reminder of their attacking prowess.  Wesley Fofana swivelled brilliantly in and out of a tackle near the Saracens posts, and Clermont looked to have sent Napolioni Nalaga over in the corner, but Chris Ashton careered across the pitch to shunt the big man into touch before he managed to get the ball down.  I use the word ‘shunt’ because there was a pretty decent argument that it was an illegal hit – the former England man certainly didn’t use his arms, and it wasn’t a million miles away from being a mirror image of ‘that’ hit Liam Williams pulled out the bag to (nearly) save a try against South Africa just under a year ago.  In that instance, Williams was given a yellow card for his troubles and then watched his side marched under the sticks as a penalty try was called by Steve Walsh, so by all accounts Ashton could count himself pretty lucky on this occasion - referee George Clancy consulted the television match official Simon McDowell on the validity of the score before it was ruled out, but no judgement was made on Ashton's tackle. 

Brock James, a brilliant kicker from hand but as reliable as a second hand Alfa Romeo of the tee, then tied things up with a penalty that went over via the post, but Saracens had successfully avoided a first-half surge from Clermont – the kind of surge which had obliterated Northampton, and an intriguing semi-final tussle remained firmly in the melting pot.

Hodgson missed a long-range penalty chance 10 minutes before half-time, yet he then bisected Clermont's posts from an identical spot last season's beaten European finalists ahead. Clermont still had their moments – such as when Jonathan Davies somehow conspired to drop the ball when faced with an enormous overlap – but in truth they had not remotely threatened to hit the heights of a breathtaking performance against Northampton, although much of that was down to Saracens' defensive resilience and impressive intent to play the game on their terms.  The first half had been attritional and brutal, with the power players like the Vunipola brothers and Damien Chouly prominent, with limited space for the fleet-footed speedsters like Nick Abendanon and Chris Ashton to run free, but there was no doubt that Sarries believed that another semi-final upset was on the cards – even it wasn’t quite proving to be the landslide it was 12 months ago.

Clermont needed a bit of trademark sparkle, and they responded brilliantly early in the second period, opening up Saracens' defence through a clever James kick that was gathered on the bounce by Fofana, who touched down complete with the obligatory celebratory dive. James added the conversion to give Clermont a 10-6 lead, which was arguably rough justice on Saracens, but it gave the French side a head of steam as they began summoning reinforcements from the bench, including scrum-half star Morgan Parra to the delight of the French crowd.

Farrell joined the action approaching the final quarter for his first piece of competitive action since January, and Saracens were by no means out of the contest, yet the marginal calls were starting to go against them as Clermont targeted a territorial edge. Farrell kicked a penalty with 14 minutes remaining to set up an intense finale, but Clermont were not to be denied, and another James penalty six minutes from time sealed the deal, with the final score at 13 - 9.   Sarries had worked hard but, truth be told, there was a lack of creativity when it mattered to really make the space count – there was only so much the big power carriers could do by themselves.  Or the wolf pack, for that matter.

Sometimes, contrary to the old saying, offence is the best form of offence.

 

European Champions Cup Preview - Clermont Auvergne v Saracens

They say lightening doesn't strike twice.  But what about thunder?  Anyone who was at Twickenham 12 months ago will be able to recall a rumble that shook all of European rugby as Saracens, slight underdogs against the free-flowing men from Clermont, delivered a crash-course in offensive defence, bullying the ball-carriers mercilessly and burying the men in white's morale long before the final whistle confirmed their crushing defeat.  46 – 6.  Who saw that coming?  The beauty of European rugby is its ability to create rivalries with the intensity of derbies across the borders, and that's what's happening with Sarries and Clermont.  They have already met twice this season in the group stages, where the English side took the spoils at home in the first round before being squeezed out in the return fixture at Stade Marcel-Michelin.  It's 1-1 for this 'series', and it's literally winner takes all on Saturday, as they meet in the semi-finals again - this time in Saint-Etienne. 

Clermont can boast with some accuracy to have been (unofficially) the best side in Europe over the past 4-5 seasons.  I say unofficially, because they have actually won diddly-squat, as the technical term goes, in that time.  They've been to a couple of finals and the knockout stages, they've even looked at various points like the ultimate exponents of 'total rugby' and utterly unplayable – but they always seem to choke.  It's hard to imagine that when you see the way they cut loose against Northampton a fortnight ago – they were only playing the reigning English champions after all – as they ran out 37 – 5 winners, thanks to a performance of physical dominance and breathtaking speed and accuracy in attack.  The man of the match, that day, Nick Abendanon, will be licking his lips at showcasing his skillset to Stuart Lancaster again, especially seeing as he was a key factor in the two teams' last meeting back in January, darting over for a crucial try.

 But Abendanon is just one of many potent threats that the visitors will have to keep an eye on – lose track of Nalaga, Fofana or Davies at your peril – but that's not say that Sarries don't have threats of their own.  Billy Vunipola has been imperious this season both in attack and defence, improving his work rate all over the park without losing that brutal explosivity that generally leaves a trail of destruction – and bruised – egos in its wake.  Saracens will know, however, that they have one weapon that can defuse all of the attacking flair that Clermont have in their ranks – defence.  Last weekend they shut down a (limited, admittedly) Leicester side without breaking a sweat, and a year ago on 'that day' at Twickenham, it was a similar story – ball carriers were engulfed by a wave of black (led by Jacques Burger) before they even had a chance to get going.  A stream of big hits like that don't just keep a team at bay, it destroys their ambition and pass their momentum straight onto the defence.

So Saracens will be bringing the thunder, and Clermont will be bringing the lightening.  We should be in for one hell of a storm.

Clermont Auvergne Team News

Clermont welcome back their big guns after their surprise home loss to Oyonnax in the Top 14.  Having been rested after their demolition of Northampton in the quarter-finals, Wesley Fofana, Julien Bonnaire, Nick Abendanon, Napolioni Nalaga and Brock James all return to the starting line-up.  In the centres, Jonathan Davies is a familiar figure to most on this side of the channel, but the French outfit are missing experienced forwards Thomas Domingo and Fritz Lee.

Starting Line-up: Nick Abendanon; Noa Nakaitaci, Jonathan Davies, Wesley Fofana, Naipolioni Nalaga, Brock James, Ludovic Radoslavjevic; Vincent Debaty, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili, Jamie Cudmore, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Julien Bonnaire, Julien Bardy, Damien Chouly (capt).

Subs: John Ulugia, Raphael Chaume, Clement Ric, Julien Pierre, Alexandre Lapandry, Morgan Parra, Camille Lopez, Aurélien Rougerie.

Key Player

Nick Abendanon.  I personally thought that the calls to have him returned to the England set up, made captain and knighted for services to rugby (or something like that) were a tad premature after his admittedly superb display against Saints last week, but there is no doubting the talent in Englishman's boots.  His acceleration and balance has never been in doubt, but his intelligence in support also sets him apart as being one of the top attacking threats in the tournament – however, he will be facing a very different test on Saturday.  Saracens are the exponents of the finest kick-chase game in Europe and there is no doubt that his size, concentration and…er…balls will be tested as Hodgson, Wigglesworth and potentially Farrell pepper the backfield searching for territory…and mistakes.

Saracens

Saracens have named England fly-half Owen Farrell on the bench for their Champions Cup semi-final against Clermont.  Farrell returns to the Saracens' match-day 23 for the first time since he suffered a knee injury three months ago.  Saracens, looking to make the final for a second year in a row, will be without captain Alastair Hargreaves and Jim Hamilton replaces him in the second row while centre Brad Barritt takes over captaincy duties. There is also a start in the back-row for exciting prospect Maro Itoje.  Flanker Jacques Burger – who terrorised Clermont in last year’s semi-final with some ferocious tackling – is back from suspension.

Starting Line-up:  Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Marcelo Bosch, Brad Barritt (capt), Chris Wyles; Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Petrus Du Plessis, George Kruis, Jim Hamilton, Maro Itoje, Jacques Burger, Billy Vunipola.

Subs: Schalk Brits, Rhys Gill, James Johnston, Kelly Brown, Jackson Wray, Neil de Kock, Owen Farrell, David Strettle.

Key Player

Maro Itoje.  If you're looking for possibly the next big thing for the England pack after the World Cup, this should be the first place you look.  Not only is the 20 year old back-row-cum-second-row a phenomenal athlete, but he's also a natural leader, having led England to under 20 success in the Junior World Cup and captained Saracens to an A-league victory last year.  He's impressed with his appearances off the bench so far this season, but this match is on a different scale to anything he will have experienced before.  The sheer physicality of the hits and the pressure of the situation will hit him as soon as the whistle blows – the question is, how will he handle it?  Welcome to the big time, son.

Key Battle

Julien Bardy v Jacques Burger.  We all know what Burger did to Clermont last season; members of the French side that day probably still have nightmares about it.  The hosts will know that Sarries' only chance of causing an upset and coming away with a win will be to shut down their attack early, to hammer them behind the gainline and to force them to kick hurriedly or, worse, panic.  Clermont will be braced for an onslaught, but they know that they need to get the leader of the Wolf Pack on a tight leash, and that's where Bardy comes in.  The big Portuguese international is a mobile and physical presence, but he will need watch Burger like a hawk and try to tie him up for as long as possible in breakdowns – the longer Burger is out of the game for, the more comfortable and effective Clermont will be.

Prediction

Saracens may not have been quite at their best this season but you know that they will always have a big game in them, as they showed last year – and they don't come any bigger than this.  They will believe, there is no doubt about that, but Clermont will have a lot of pent up anger themselves in relation to that debacle last year.  I expect them to meet the physicality full on and beat Sarries at their own game – only after a mighty arm-wrestle, mind.  Clermont by 9.

Champions Cup Review - Leinster 18 - 12 Bath

Going to Dublin for a Heineken Cup quarter finals holds fond memories for me - well, of the few that I've returned.  As a spotty, greasy 17 year old, I headed over with 4 mates to watch Leicester soundly defeat Leinster in their own backyard, before going out on the town and finding some poor unsuspecting local lady to attempt to woo.  Siobhan, I'm sorry for ruining your night.  Of course, at the time I had no idea what an occasion I've just witnessed - beating the Irish giants in the capital in a knockout game is not something that happens very often.  At all.  And though Bath went there on Saturday with real hope that they might be able to utilise their young talent to conjure a win, did they really believe it would happen?

The opening exchanges proved fast and furious but with little pattern as Leinster relied on fly-half Jimmy Gopperth's boot, while Bath provided early counter-attacking threats via Watson and centre Kyle Eastmond. Heaslip then went close himself to touching down near the Bath posts, but, despite the visitors denying him, they conceded a penalty and Madigan kicked Leinster 3-0 ahead.

But Bath were not to be denied and they stormed back up field through a typically bustling run from Horacio Agulla, and then the equeally brutish Francois Louw, whose powerful break meant that Leinster resorted to illegal means in an attempt to stop him. French referee Jerome Garces expertly played advantage, though, and Ford conjured a try out of nothing, leaving Leinster's defence leaden-footed as he sliced through an inviting gap he created with dummy before he scooted past Rob Kearney to dive over.  Say it quietly, but there is something of the 'Dan Carter' about him when he's on form.

 

His conversion attempt hit the post, yet Leinster responded rapidly as Madigan booted a second penalty before Bath had Watson sin-binned when he took out opposite number Kearney in mid-air, leaving Garces with little option but to brandish a yellow card. Bath had to tighten up their discipline and Madigan did not require a second invitation to keep punishing them as he completed his penalty hat-trick.

 

Bath, though, did not learn their lesson, and two more Madigan penalties opened up a 15-5 interval advantage that meant the visitors had a mountain to climb one that would prove too steep.

Leinster, though, suffered an injury blow within a minute of the second period getting under way as wing Fergus McFadden was helped from the pitch after his head made contact with Eastmond's shoulder. South African Zane Kirchner replaced him - not a bad bloke to bring on really.

 

Bath's best attacking moments continued to be provided by Ford, and he came up trumps again after 48 minutes as another break between Devin Toner and Cian Healy took him close to Leinster's line before he found Hooper in support to claim a well-worked try. Ford's successful conversion brought Bath back to just three points adrift, but Madigan's sixth successful penalty gave Leinster a hint of breathing space.  On the whole though, Bath were looking more threatening with the ball in hand and, now they had tightened up their discipline, they looked the better side.

 

Watson then launched another thrilling break from deep inside his own 22, only for wing Horacio Agulla to drop Ford's pass when the Leinster defence was stretched to breaking point. Bath continued to press, but the hosts were in no mood to surrender, defending with brutal physicality around the fringes and scrambling well to chop down dangerman Jonathan Joseph at every opportunity. 

 

A Ford penalty six minutes from time gave Bath renewed hope, and then they surged towards the line for one last assault, or at least a penalty or drop-goal to force the game into extra time.  During the ruck exchanges Leinster were, in truth, very lucky not to be penalised for hands in the ruck on several occasions, but Jerome Garces eventually called time on Bath's brave campaign by penalising Matt Garvey for a borderline side entry.  Leinster were in the semi-finals again - where they belong.

The odd thing was that Bath looked busy and inventive, whilst the hosts didn't seem to have to do too much for their win.  However, Leinster are a mirror-image of the Championship-winning Irish team; they are no longer the 'moral' winners who play beautiful rugby but come up short, they are the hard-nosed, ruthless and infuriatingly well-disciplined machine that churns out wins in big games. And that is all that matters.
 

European Cup Preview - Leinster v Bath

 

The news this week seems to have been filled with headaches.  Whether it’s George North’s bonce yet again taking a pounding after Nathan Hughes stumbled into him with almost comical (if the outcome hadn’t been so serious) clumsiness, or the headache everyone who watched the 7-party ‘bullshitability’ ‘debate’ on Thursday experienced, we’ve all be reaching for the panadol one way or another.  And I can guarantee there will be a few sore heads in Dublin on Sunday too – win or lose, a quarter final away against Leinster is always a good time.

Except that the Leinster fans are 100% expecting to win.  And why shouldn’t they?  They may have spluttered through the pool stages and Matt O’Connor is still struggling to get his side firing on all cylinders, but this is their territory now.  Not just in terms of playing at home, but they know the deal when it comes to European knockout rugby – after all, guys like Healy, Heaslip and O’Brien and all have got their hands on the trophy enough times before.  They know what it takes to win, and from looking at their starting line-up and their form, they have a classic side built to win the big games: a huge, ball-carrying pack, two play makers and a back three who are great under the highball and smart counter-attackers and kickers.  It’s a team designed to bully and squeeze opponents out in the tightest of games. 

The same can’t really be said about Bath.  Yes, they have some big bruisers themselves, such as Dave Attwood and Carl Fearns, but pound for pound it’s hard to say that there’s more explosivity in their ranks – but what there is, is a bucket load of instinct and natural flair.  The three-quarters especially, in Ford, Eastmond and Joseph, are not the biggest but they can run rings around you and create space in the tightest of situations all day.  They may be charged at by the big bullies all day but they won’t be afraid to make a few of the bigger boys look like fools too – and let’s not forget, with an all-international back three, they have just as much firepower as (if not more than) Leinster out wide.  Yes, Leinster have the capacity to win the game up front, as the international side did just over a month ago, but Bath have the capacity to punish any mistakes with ruthless efficiency.

Because here, in the European quarter finals, is where every moment, every mistake counts.  And headaches and hangovers are so much better with a win under your belt.

Leinster Team News

Matt O’Connor has recalled the big guns to his side following international duties with Ireland, with Jamie Heaslip returning at number 8 Heaslip alongside Sean O'Brien.  Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Mike Ross form a revamped front row while Devin Toner returns to the second row.   Rob Kearney is included at full-back with wing Luke Fitzgerald and scrum-half Issac Boss also included.

Starting Line-up:  Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Ben Te'o, Ian Madigan; Luke Fitzgerald; Jimmy Gopperth, Issac Boss; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Jordi Murphy, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip (capt).

Subs: Richardt Strauss, Jack McGrath, Marty Moore, Tom Denton, Dominic Ryan, Eoin Reddan, Gordon D'Arcy, Zane Kirchner.

 

Key Player

Ian Madigan.  The Leinster utility back had a bit of a disappointing Six Nations, being overlooked for the 10 role while Johnny Sexton was injured, in favour in Ian Keatley, followed by a couple of less-than-impressive cameos from the bench, where his poor decision making and execution seemed to almost steer an otherwise very tight Irish ship-off course.  But that was in the fly-half role, and at 12 today he has a bit more space in which to operate pick his options and his lines of attack.  Madigan is no doubt a gloriously gifted player, and he will need to make sure he offers a calm presence out wide to give genuine threat and option to the Leinster attack.

 

Bath Team News

Bath welcome back five internationals including England quartet George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson and Dave Attwood.   Wales prop Paul James is back after recovering from a thumb injury.   Attwood comes into the second row with Ford at fly-half, Joseph is named at centre and Watson takes over at full-back.  Big Sam Burgess finds himself on bench duty again for the big game.

Starting Line-up:  Anthony Watson; Horacio Agulla, Jonathan Joseph, Kyle Eastmond, Matt Banahan; George Ford, Micky Young; Paul James, Rob Webber, Kane Palma-Newport, Stuart Hooper (capt), Dave Attwood, Carl Fearns, Francois Louw, Leroy Houston.

Subs: Ross Batty, Nick Auterac, Max Lahiff, Matt Garvey, Alafoti Faosiliva, Peter Stringer, Sam Burgess, Tom Homer.

 

Key Player

Jonathan Joseph.  The outside centre was probably England’s player of the tournament and, whilst he may not have claimed the same gong for the Six Nations as a whole, he was certainly the revelation of last two months.  With lightening footwork and acceleration and a telepathic understanding with George Ford, Joseph quickly became the most dangerous attacking weapon in Europe, but he will really need to dig deep into his box of tricks if he is to get by a Leinster defence that is renowned for being more suffocating than an overcrowded sauna for obese people.  He will need to hold his depth to give himself time against Ben Te’o, who likes to rush up in defence but can be seen as a potential weak link, too.

 

Key Battle

Sean O’Brien.  After an injury plagued Six Nations, O’Brien announced himself back on the international stage with a serious bang, battering his way forward for two tries against Italy on the final weekend.  He’s fresh, on form and looks to have added to his carrying game with more nous over the ball – and he’s coming up against one of the world’s best in Francois Louw.  The South African is more of a ‘classic’ openside than O’Brien, but that doesn’t mean to say that the Bath man shirks any of the physical stuff at all – he will relish playing against O’Brien’s bruising, direct style.  It’s probably fair to say that Leinster have more carrying power in their pack, and so Louw’s work over the ball will be absolutely crucial to stifling any momentum for the hosts.  How O’Brien deals with him will not just be fascinating, but will probably be the key to the match.

 

Prediction

There’s no doubt that this, of all the quarter finals, has the potential to be the easiest on the eye.  Leinster have a phenomenal amount of power in that pack and an intelligent backline, but Bath have some magic dust sprinkled over that three quarter line and it is that that lends a sense of unpredictability to the fixture (getting my excuses in early).  For me, the hosts are the favourites because of their physicality and experience, but if Bath can hold a solid set piece and Ford can show the same maturity as Jimmy Gopperth, then there is no way of knowing what could happen.  I’m going to go for the safe call of a Leinster win, but don’t be too surprised if there’s an upset.  Leinster by 6.

 

Champions Cup Review - Wasps 20 - 20 Leinster

I mentioned in my preview that I felt that this game was the real ‘baptism’ of Wasps’ new home – but I don’t think I appreciated how significant this really was.  Several minutes of witnessing 2 Wasps fans engaging in a Guinness-only drinking contest with 4 Leinster-men at 10am in Wasps’ new pre-match-party arena confirmed it to me however...Wasps are back in the big time.

 

I was lucky enough to witness this first hand thanks to BT Sport, who had the good grace to show me all the backstage (and front of house) details of the Ricoh Arena (you can find my article on that on The Rugby Blog), but there was no-denying the real tension in the air.  Here were two clubs that had previously dominated Europe at separate times.  The Irish side, apparently on the wane, against the English club, for whom the only way is back up; a winner-takes-all clash with only a victory carrying a guarantee of progression (although, as it would transpire, there was an “everyone’s a winner” scenario).

 

The significance of a Wasps v Leinster clash was not lost on anyone – least of all Lawrence Dallaglio, who looked as if he wanted to get onto the pitch himself.  When asked what he was looking forward to the most before the game, he rather predictably answered “The battle of the number eights.  Hughes and Heaslip are two of the most athletic guys in the backrow in Europe and they will be wanting the ball in the open spaces as much as possible.”  And on Wasps’ – given no chance prior to the start of the tournament – chances?  “As long as they start with a bang, I think they can win it”.

 

However, when Dallglio said ‘start with a bang’, I don’t think Dai Young and co would have had Ashley Johnson recklessly wiping out Dave Kearney in the air off the kick off in mind.  It was a clumsy challenge which saw the Ireland winger forced off the pitch, and an apologetic Johnson joined him shortly after, albeit only for 10 minutes.  Down to 14 men, it was hardly the start Wasps were after on this, their biggest stage for some 7 years.

 

Leinster, despite an impressive showing against the hapless Castres last weekend, have not been at their best this season – but they are still a quality outfit and demonstrated that by taking full advantage early on.  Applying pressure to a Wasps pack playing a man-down, they used two penalty line-outs to march themselves into position before applying relentless pressure to create an overlap for wing Fergus McFadden to exploit, plunging over in the right hand corner.  A fine touchline conversion from Ian Madigan gave the hosts a 7 point lead – but the quality of the kick was to be misleading, as the Leinster-man found his radar on the blink for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Andy Goode pulled three points back to the delight of his local crowd after Sean Cronin had picked up a loose ball from an offside position, but then Madigan’s eventful afternoon continued – missing two gettable penalties, chipping out on the full and then making a searing break...only to ignore the overlap and butcher what looked like a certain try for his side. 

 

But Wasps, simply couldn’t get their hands on the ball.  With Luke Fitzgerald causing mayhem in the middle and Heaslip carrying strongly, the men in black found themselves constantly on the back foot, resulting in (finally) another three points from Madigan before Cittadini saw yellow for killing the ball with Leinster creeping towards the Wasps’ line.

 

It didn’t help the hosts’ cause, with the Leinster pack relishing the monopoly on possession they enjoyed.  Jimmy Gopperth (relieving Madigan of kicking duties) and Andy Goode exchanged 3 pointers before the visitors dealt what appeared to be a hammer blow just before half time.  With Leinster camped on the Wasps line, Isaac Boss (on for the injured Eioan Reddan) and then Gopperth both had darts at the line, with neither being awarded a try – before the TMO intervened and determined that Boss had indeed crossed the line with his attempt a couple of phases earlier.  It was a confusing set of circumstances but Leinster didn’t care – thanks to conversion from a re-energised Madigan, they held a 20 – 6 lead at half time – despite losing Kane Douglas to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Johnson.  Game over?

 

Not quite.  A year ago I would have pegged Wasps to cop a thrashing in this situation – but something has definitely changed since then.  For starters, James Haskell is captain, and the England man was at the forefront of an immensely physical display from the Wasps pack which clawed them back from the abyss.  This time Wasps did start the half positively, with Tom Varndell haring over in the left hand corner for a try – only for the TMO to rule it out for obstruction by Nathan Hughes.  It was a borderline call, but probably the correct one, given that Hughes is a fairly large obstruction.

 

Wasps, however, were undeterred, and were spurred on by the sight of Madigan missing yet another chance to extend his side’s lead.  They found the Leinster defence, however, hard to break down – even Christian Wade, who had an industrious match, was well-contained by an organised Leinster defence led superbly by Fitzgerald.  However, as much as Leinster enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the first half, it was Wasps turn in the second period.  After Hughes had made a trademark break through the middle, the Wasps pack dragged themselves within range to allow Matt Mullan to wriggle over for a crucial try.  A fine conversion from Andy Goode pulled the hosts back within striking distance – and it didn’t take long for them to make their move.

 

After a poor kick from Gopperth gifted the hosts field position, the Wasps driving lineout kicked into gear, providing the platform for the magnificent Hughes to dive over for an equalising try (after Goode’s conversion at the second attempt, thanks to an early Leinster charge) with 10 minutes to play.

 

The final minutes were played at a frantic pace – Gopperth, so industrious with the ball in hand, swiped a drop goal wide before Madigan (again, dangerous when running) followed suit with a snatched penalty attempt, his fourth miss of the day.  Wasps held firm against the storm, and waited for their chance.  Working themselves into position, Hughes and Johnson made valuable half breaks to give Goode the space he needed – but the former England man, such a hero in Wasps colours this season – shanked his drop goal attempt horribly wide.  The score remained at 20 apiece.

 

A hushed silence fell over the stadium.  Leinster had qualified, but not in the manner that they would have wanted.  There were positives, to be sure, with O’Driscoll putting Fitzgerald forward as “a real option” for Joe Shmidt in the 13 jersey after a physical display for Leinster.  “He didn’t play the spectacular, all dancing game that we know he can produce”, said O’Driscoll.  “But he did make telling hits in defence, especially in that second half, took good options and carried strongly.  First and foremost, that’s what you want an international centre to do”.

 

And for Leinster as a team?  O’Driscoll thinks more time is needed.  “There are signs that the messages from Matt O’Connor are starting to filter through, but it isn’t a quick process.  They have shown in fits and starts how they want to play, but producing it over 80 minutes is the real challenge now”.

 

Very true.  Leinster conceded 14 unanswered points in that second half – partly due to Madigan’s kicking, partly due to being physically bullied, which is not something you would expect from a Leinster side.  For Wasps, the heroics of that second half seemed to all be in vain – but, following an agonising wait for the results to come in, the men from Cov (get used to it) have made their first foray into the knockout stages since they won the competition back in 2007, joining Leinster in the quarter finals as one of the best runners-up.

 

I’m not saying this side is as good as that Dallaglio-led Wasps one was, but all the signs are – on and off the pitch – they are on the right path.  And, thanks to a bit of luck with other results, who knows where that path will end?

Many thanks to BT Sport for the backstage pass at the Ricoh Arena!

Champions Cup Preview - Wasps v Leinster

Individual moments don't just define passages of play, or games.  They don't just define seasons or cup glory.  They define careers, livelihoods – and the future of entire clubs.  Cast your minds back to April 2012, to the Rec, as Sam Vesty coasted in to score a try beneath the sticks for the West Country outfit, one arm raised in celebration.  A touchdown against Wasps would have denied the visitors a bonus point, and put the bottom club, Falcons, within striking distance with a head-to-head encounter to follow on the last day of the season.  Sam Vesty's try could have sent Wasps down.  Sam Vesty's try could, in the words of Nick Eastwood, Wasps CEO, have seen the club go bust. 

Enter Tom Varndell.  The flying finisher, now Bristol-bound, has never been known for his defence but he pulled off a miraculous try-saving tackle on his former Leicester colleague, chasing back and rolling him over to prevent the try.  Whilst we were all busy laughing at what a prat Vesty was, it perhaps overtook us that Varndell had rescued a bonus point.  Varndell, as it would transpire, had secured Wasps' future.

Fast forward just less than 3 years and things are a little different.  A new home, new prospects and a new atmosphere surround the club.  The screams of protest from 4 months ago, when it was first announced that Wasps would be uprooted from their traditional London(ish) base, have been quietened and gradually replaced with murmurings of approval and acknowledgements of the necessity of the move – and that's not to mention the deafening roar of their fans (both old and new) who have packed out the previous two fixtures against London Irish and Wasps.  But Saturday's fixture against Leinster is the real baptism of the Ricoh Arena – as Eastwood says "the real culmination" of all the hard work that's been put into the project by so many people.

Because this is where Wasps want to be – facing off against the European heavyweights in a winner-takes all clash, with the opportunity to reach the knockout stages in Europe for the first time since they won the entire thing in 2007.  And it promises to be some spectacle.  Leinster haven't really hit their stride as yet and haven't really clicked under Matt O'Connor, but the performance against Castres last week was one to behold, with the likes of Sean Cronin and Jamie Heaslip oozing power and class.  They were given a scare in the home fixture against the English club (by Christian Wade in particular) but they're used to these knockout situations and they know a win or a draw will see them through.

Wasps have been hammered by the fact that Alapati Leiua is unavailable – the big centre has been magnificent for the hosts in recent weeks – but even that can't detract from a feel good-factor that pervades the club at the moment.  In particular, the back row of Johnson, Haskell and Hughes is probably one of the most physical around, and with the likes of Simpson, Wade and Varndell there is some serious pace to compliment it.  The side has balance and direction – something that hasn't been seen at Wasps for a fair while – and they know that a win will (barring Leinster grabbing 2 bonus points) see them top the group.

They face a stiff test on Saturday against one of Europe's elite but, once again, it only takes a moment for somebody to write a new chapter in the Wasps' history books.

A big thanks to Nick Eastwood, who spared a few minutes with me earlier today.

Wasps Team News

Dai Young makes two changes to the side that won 23-3 at Harlequins, James Gaskell starting at lock, while Ben Jacobs returns at centre with Alapati Leiua out with a knee injury.

Starting Line-up:  Miller; Wade, Daly, Jacobs, Varndell; Goode, Simpson; Mullan, Shervington, Cittadini, Davies, Gaskell, Johnson, Haskell (capt), Hughes.

Subs: Festuccia, McIntyre, Cooper-Woolley, Myall, Thompson, Jackson, Lozowski, Masi.

Key Player

Andy Goode.  He may not be stylish or especially fashionable, looking more like your local McDonald's restaurant manager than a professional sportsman, but on the pitch Goodey is as smooth and as effective as they come.  His performances this season have been nothing short of sensational – varying play magnificently, kicking over points with monotonous regularity and using his boot with supreme tactical awareness.  His skillset is right out of the top drawer – something he doesn't often get credit for – but it's his experience that will really stand him out as a key man for Wasps.  He's been in these situations before – for Leicester and for England – and knows the intensity that a winner-takes-all European contest brings; in such a pivotal position, he needs to be the calm head amongst his peers and control the emotions of those around him.

 

Leinster Team News

Leinster coach Matt O'Connor also opts for two changes with Kane Douglas and Dominic Ryan drafted into the pack.  Mike McCarthy and Jack Conan are on the bench after starting against Castres.  O'Connor has retained Marty Moore at tight-head prop ahead of Mike Ross in an unchanged front row alongside Michael Bent and Sean Cronin.

Starting Line-up: R Kearney; McFadden, Fitzgerald, Madigan, D Kearney; Gopperth, Reddan; Bent, Cronin, Moore; Toner, Douglas; Ryan, Murphy, Heaslip (capt).

Subs: Strauss, Hagan, Furlong, McCarthy, Conan, Boss, G D'Arcy, Fanning.

Key Player

Ian Madigan.  Being shunted out from his usual fly half role may not seem like the loudest ringing endorsement of Madigan's qualities, but with the vastly experienced Gordon D'Arcy being kept on the bench, it actually goes to show how much Matt O'Connor and his team value him, moving him to 12 just to keep him on the pitch.  Of course, he has had plenty of game time in the centre – he is a physical presence for a 10, and his ability to spot opportunities and space half a second quicker than others make him an ideal second distributor.  Leinster's real strength lies in bringing in powerful runners through the middle of the park, so look out for Madigan taking the ball to the line and using his deft hands to put the big men through the gaps…or having a dart himself.

Key Battle

Nathan Hughes v Jamie Heaslip.  This is one of those battles that is worth the admission price alone.  Although it's sad that we won't get to see the "Battle of the Biceps" between James Haskell and Sean O'Brien (there's an off-season fundraiser for you), this matchup is likely to be more critical than that one ever could be.  The two men are, in many ways, very similar number eights, looking most effective in the slightly wider channels where their power and athleticism allows them to make breaks themselves and offload to devastating effect in the wider channels.  Simply put, both sides will be looking to them as their primary source of both front-foot ball and the trigger for breaking the opposition defence; whoever has the bigger game, wins their side the match.


Prediction

This is a watershed moment for Wasps.  A new home, and potentially a trip to the knockout stages for the first time in eight years is at stake.  There's a feel good factor about Wasps at the moment and, despite Leinster's pedigree and the big loss of Alapati Leiua, I can see the hosts having the sharper sting in the tail (sorry).  They'll get the win, Leinster will grab a losing bonus point, but it won't be enough to stop Wasps from confirming their re-emergence as a European force in the knockout stages.  Wasps by 5.

@RuckedOver