Champions Cup Round 2 - Preview

After a busy week of training for our Aviva Premiership sides it’s almost time for them to take to the European field again. For some Round 2 represents the opportunity to build on a positive Round 1 and for others it’s all about redemption and finally getting off the mark in the competition. By the very nature of the new structure of the Champions Cup back to back losses in Rounds 1 and 2 would be very difficult to come back from so Exeter Chiefs, Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks know that their European futures are on the line. 

Of course this weekend will be an extremely difficult time over in Ireland. On Saturday afternoon the emotions at Thomond Park will be acutely felt as a province pays tribute to Anthony Foley. The minutes of silence, or applause, at every single game this weekend will be impeccably observed as we all remember a great player, coach and  man. The world of rugby will never forget Anthony Foley, may he rest in peace. 

Sale Sharks start the Champions Cup weekend by hosting Diego Dominguez’s Toulon. Steve Diamond has said that Toulon are the side with all of the pressure on their shoulders and while this is obviously his way of adding further to their pressure, he is right. The former champions know that nothing less than a victory will do and have selected a huge side to take on Sale. James O'Connor returns for Toulon  and will be itching to make his mark and the Ma’a Nonu and Mathieu Bastareaud centre partnership will be a lot to handle for Sale. Toulon looked impressive in their second-half at home and need to start their match at that intensity. Sale welcome back Peter Stringer from injury, he’s taking to the field on a hugely difficult day and I know that the entire squad will be fully behind him. The weather in Manchester is looking good and with a bit crowd expected Round 1 should start with a bang. 

The next match with Premiership representation in the Champions Cup will be Northampton Saints’ trip to Castres. These two sides have met each other eight times in Europe already with Northampton winning five of those meetings. Of Northampton’s five changes to their starting team arguably the most significant is the return of Dylan Hartley. It will put a smile on all Saints fans’ faces as well as Eddie Jones’ and his leadership should add greatly to the visitors output. Northampton need someone else to assist Tom Wood in leading the side and in the backs they need to fire. I expect to see another outstanding game from Louis Picamoles who just gets better and better with ever week but they need to show more in attack in order to put the points on the board to deliver a victory. 

After heading over to the Stade Felix Mayol Saracens’ Round 2 should be more of a formality. With all due respect to the Scarlets the title holders have more than enough power and know how to ensure that this is a comfortable victory. George Kruis’ injury is a blow, for both Saracens and England, but second-row is an area of strength in depth for both. Personally I believe that we will see another Saracens performance that sends a real statement of intent  to the competition saying that this is their title to lose. Scarlets have lost James Davies to injury and given his form this isn't ideal and Will Boyde has some big shoes to fill. The Scarlets’ performance against Sale was what they’ve been looking for but Saracens are a different kettle of fish completely and many a side have been undone by the ruthless nature of Mark McCall's men. 

On Saturday evening Exeter Chiefs are travelling to the Kingspan Stadium with it all to do. After Round 1 Rob Baxter asked for a reaction, he wanted to see his players arrive in training with a bit of anger to push turning around their form. I’m sure that will have happened and Exeter need to head out to Ireland with real confidence - even if they don’t fully feel it. The Chiefs will be met by a strong Ulster challenge especially given the return of Charles Piutau of their back line. Piutau made the most metres, clean breaks and beat the most defenders in last season’s competition and he adds so much to their side. The Irish province were fuming at the manner in which they lost to Bordeaux-Begles, they led until the 70th minute, so I expect to see two sides with great motivation clashing with force. 

Sunday’s Champions Cup starts with Wasps heading over to the Stade Ernset-Wallon and facing the acid test of their form. Toulouse’s European pedigree is well know and it may not have been as strong of late but they will mean business. We all watched Wasps score points galore against Zebre but this match will showcase that they can do it against a side that will bring a huge physical challenge. The likes of Ashley Johnson, Nathan Hughes and their front three will need to lead this charge and not be pushed about like they were against Saracens. In that Premiership game Dai Young’s team looked liked rabbits in the headlights and although they’ve got the cushion of the Round 1 win they cannot afford to be in that situation again.

Finally Leicester Tigers are hosting Racing 92 at Welford Road and when you look at the threats that Racing in their armoury and the damage that they could do given the current form of Leicester’s defence could be sizeable. Dan Carter, Brice Dulin, Joe Rokocoko, Juan Imhoff and Maxime Machenaud are the type of individuals to spot gaps galore and all will be keen to make a positive first step in the competition that almost was theirs last season. Leicester’s output in Round 1 shocked us all, none of us saw that margin of defeat arriving and Sunday will be a huge test of character. JP Pietersen starts on the wing and Marcos Ayerza and Ed Slater return into the forward pack. In this match we need to see more defensive cohesion from the Tigers and plenty of sparks in attack because they didn’t make a line break against Glasgow. Welford Road will expect the ultimate reaction from Leicester and will want to see that their side can do a 360 about turn in just a week, will it happen? We'll see. 

Champions Cup Round 1 Reflections

This weekend the world of rugby was shocked to its very core as we lost one of the game’s greats. Anthony Foley was a Munster man through and through and he was also a loving family man and friend. Those that knew him, and those that admired him from afar, respected him immensely and it is a true tragedy that he has been taken from us far too soon at the age of just 42. 

Right now our thoughts and condolences are with those that were closest to him and the anguish that they must be feeling is unimaginable. Rugby’s importance has been put into perspective and this European competition, and the season as a whole, will continue with Anthony’s memory at the forefront of all of our minds. 

Respectfully Sunday evening’s match at Sandy Park had one minute of silence prior to  kick off and all in the world of rugby are paying their respects to a great man who loved our the sport. He will never be forgotten by the game that he gave so much to and I hope that the season ahead delivers competitions that he would have been proud to have been a part of.  

The round started at Scotstoun Stadium where Leicester Tigers were taught a lesson by their hosts. In my preview I said that I expected Leicester to find their form in Europe, how wrong I was. The Tigers’ early season output has been inconsistent but I don’t think that anybody foresaw a defeat of such magnitude happening in Glasgow. Matt Toomua was a lucky man to see yellow because on another day another referee would have handed him a red but that wasn’t the cause of their defeat. Across the park Leicester’s defence was porous and they were out played by their opponents. There will have been a tough video analysis session today at the Tigers’ Oval Park Training Ground because Racing 92 have the threats to dismantle them if they don’t improve. 

Saturday started at the Ricoh Arena where Wasps ran in tries for fun. It truly was men against boys as Zebre had absolutely no way of handling their host’s physicality and creativity. There were delightful moments left, right and centre and the performances of a number of individuals turned heads, Joe Launchbury for example. However, as brilliant as Wasps were I’m dampening my exaltations due to the quality of their opposition. Without question the proof will be in the Toulouse pudding and I cannot wait to see whether or not Dai Young’s side can show that they have learned the lessons of their loss at Allianz Park a couple of weeks ago and deliver against a hurting European giant. 

Speaking of Saracens let’s just spend little bit of time focusing on their victory at the Stade Felix Mayol because it was pretty impressive wasn’t it? Saracens’ opening half was about as complete as it gets, they showed us all how you play European rugby and delivered a superb combination of intense physicality, outstanding handling from one to 15 and almost perfect precision. Many believed that the game was done and dusted at the break but the comeback that Toulon delivered was a mark of the character of former champions. There was a moment when you thought that they may succeed and take it, if you watched the game then you’ll know the moment that I’m talking about when Ma’a Nonu broke forwards with the game hanging at 23-28. Instead of putting boot to ball Nonu took contact and Saracens held firm before Owen Farrell added to their tally. The level of the output of Saracens’ squad as a whole was outstanding but a couple of individuals were immense. Mako and Billy Vunipola looked like they would fit right in with the All Blacks’ pack and Owen Farrell showed his class as he played as if his last competitive match was yesterday not in June. Toulon now head to Sale with a mountain of pressure on their shoulders while Saracens will march confidently to Allianz Park ready to dismantle the Scarlets.

At Franklin’s Gardens Northampton Saints were involved in a tussle with Montpellier and it took the boot of Stephen Myler, nicknamed the Iceman by his team mates, to snatch the spoils. Was it comfortable? You bet your bottom dollar it wasn’t but the four points are welcome ones give how challenging it is to progress out of the group stages of the Champions Cup. Within the nail biting victory there were performances to hail and praise; Ben Foden’s form looks to be returning and the mighty Louis Picamoles dominated against his former club. It’s a privilege to watch the Frenchman perform for a Premiership side and the go forward that he provides Saints is invaluable. Jim Mallinder’s side must continue to eek out wins while their truly complete form continues to  be missing and next will be a challenging visit to Castres. On a side note I must just mention the childish behaviour of Frans Steyn; shouting ‘miss’ during a kick at goal is the stuff of playgrounds. It’s totally unsportsmanlike and in my book not the behaviour that you expect from a professional athlete and a grown man. 

At the Parc y Scarlets Sale Sharks’ two yellow cards and defensive mishaps cost them the chance of starting their Champions Cup campaign with a victory. In all honesty the real excitement of the evening was delivered by the hosts as opposed to Steve Diamond’s side and need to find their feet before Friday night. Possession and territory were difficult to come by for the Premiership side and once they found themselves 13-3 after 15 minutes they were facing a uphill battle that they never truly looked like conquering. This week Sale need to find some precision and head into Friday night’s game with a greater amount of physicality, intent and focus than we’ve seen from them in recent weeks. 

The final match of the round with Aviva Premiership representation was Exeter Chiefs hosting ASM Clermont Auvergne and Rob Baxter’s side were taken apart by the French leaders. Last time the two met at Sandy Park Exeter contained Les Jaunards however on Sunday one of the most threatening back lines in Europe had a field day. When you are facing a back line that boasts the likes of Nick Abendanon, Noa Nakaitaci, Wesley Fofana and co your defence has to be on point and Exeter left gaps that were too generous. The Chiefs had a period of second half pressure but couldn’t convert and Rob Baxter has asked to see a reaction from the side. He wants them to show their hurt and anger at not fully firing and their to Ulster will be a real test of their resilience and fortitude.

Champions Cup - Premiership Focus

Happy Champions Cup Round 1! 

Once again a new European season is upon us and personally I’m think that we’re in for a belter. The Welsh and Italians will be looking to ruffle a few feathers, the Irish provinces all have fire in their bellies to right their wrongs of last season, our English clubs are all looking to ‘do a Saracens’, the reigning champs have their eyes on the double and who knows what to expect from the TOP 14 clubs!? In short we’ve a fascinating European season ahead of us.

As always I’m going to be focusing on our Aviva Premiership side’s journeys and the question that everyone is asking me right now is which club (of all 20 not just the Premiership) will lift the trophy? Right now, before a single match has been played, I can’t look past Saracens. Mark McCall’s side remain the most composed and impressive team in Europe and that’s not set to change anytime soon. European rugby always takes things up a notch and this weekend we’re going to see some test match intensity contests and all of the respective country's international coaches are going to learn a lot. 

Glasgow Warriors v Leicester Tigers

Tonight it all kicks off at Scotscun where the Glasgow Warriors are hoping to continue the strong home European record that they held last season. For Leicester this competition was a platform to really find their form and I have a sneaking suspicion that might happen again. Matt Toomua will be the man in the spotlight as the is handed his maiden Tigers’ start, he was described by Richard Cockerill as their ‘most important signing’ and I’m really interested to see what he can do in their backline. One injury apiece blights both sides, for the hosts Tommy Seymour’s absence is a blow and for the visitors they’ll miss the physical presence of Mike Williams. There’s plenty to look out for across the park, how will two young props go against each other as Zander Fagerson and Ellis Genge meet at scrum time? What about two full backs? Stuart Hogg and Telusa Veainu both have outstanding feet and an eye for a break. And, finally how will Leicester’s defence, and nerve, hold away from home? We’ll find out. Match Fact: Leicester scored more tries on average per game than any other side in last season’s competition while Glasgow boasted the best scrum success rate (97%).

Wasps v Zebre

It’s fair to say that Wasps didn’t really enjoy their trip to Allianz Park at weekend and it did expose some weaknesses that perhaps some thought weren’t there. However it’s better to learn lessons of that nature sooner rather than later in the season and in all honesty their loss last weekend won’t impact on Saturday’s outing in the slightest. With respect Wasps are streets ahead of their opponents and should win at a jog. I fully expect them to make light work of this game and move on quickly to the larger task of taking on Toulouse away from home. Wasps have lost just two of their last 24 home games in the top flight competition and in last season’s Champions Cup showcased some of their best rugby in the early rounds. The lessons of their last outing regarding physicality and winning the game line will be required but more so next weekend, so Saturday is all about about getting their European foundations in place on home soil. Match Fact: On average Wasps gained 491 metres per game last season, more than any other side, and they also beat a competition-high of 24 defenders per game. 

RC Toulon v Saracens

First and foremost let’s just say a little ‘thank you’ to EPCR for putting this cracker of a fixture bang slap in the middle of Round 1. Toulon’s start to the season may have been a little bit rocky and Saracens’ pretty smooth but that doesn’t really mean too much because the former champions will treat this like a derby fixture and have the personnel to turn something very special on. That said Saracens are the reigning champions for a reason and they remain the most settled, secure and ruthless side in the European competition. The big selection question is whether or not Owen Farrell will start or be on the bench - it’s a big call to make but Mark McCall is experienced enough to know the right one to make given what he sees in training this week. Toulon need to play their own game and not be sucked in by Saracens, so many teams are just look at Wasps last weekend. If Toulon get caught early the it could be over, even with the supporter of their passionate fans. The Stade Felix Mayol is a great stage to see all of these Internationals on and I can guarantee that this will be a test match in everything but the name. Match Fact: Saracens and Toulon have met twice before in the Champions Cup with Toulon emerging victorious in both knockout fixtures (2012-13 semi-final and 2013-14 final)

Northampton Saints v Montpellier

Northampton Saints have a real point to prove in this massive European opener. Jim Mallinder said that last weekend they took a clear step back and that can’t be the case again on the European stage. Personally I’m not fully versed in the inner workings of the club at Montpellier but with Jake White set to be replaced by Vern Cotter at the end of the season it may not be a totally peaceful place? Who knows. In the Challenge Cup Stade Francais failed to fully turn up on the road and I hope that this isn’t the case on Saturday or Montpellier. Physicality and really sharpening up their handling and fluidity in attack are the key elements for Northampton in order to start Pool 4 strongly. Jim Mallinder's men can't afford to be caught sleeping because in this competition we all know that if you don’t hit the ground running you’ll be out of the running in a blink of an eye. Match Fact: Saints are winless in their last five games against TOP 14 opposition but Montpellier have lost their last five away games in the tournament. 

Scarlets v Sale Sharks

Steve Diamond’s Sale Sharks start their European adventure on the road at Scarlets and given that the other members of their group are Toulon and Saracens it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that this match is important for them. At Bath the Sharks didn’t meet the standards that they set themselves; their handling was poor and they weren’t careful enough with their possession. That needs to change on the road and they need sparks to fly across the park with likes of Mike Haley and Will Addison really showcasing their worth. I’m pretty sure that Mike Phillips will enjoy playing against his former side, and visa versa, but the focus for this match will be on the collectives and not the individuals. Match Fact: Sale have lost four of their last six games against Welsh opposition but Scarlets have lost their last eight Champions Cup games. 

Exeter Chiefs v ASM Clermont Auvergne

The weekend’s European action finishes at Sandy Park where Exeter Chiefs will be facing the current TOP 14 leaders ASM Clermont Auvergne. Last season this fixture was huge for the Chiefs and they have to build on those memories ahead of Sunday night and park their slightly up and down start to the new Premiership season. The mindset for the Chiefs is that this a new competition and a fresh chance to shine. Clermont’s threats are well known and strong one; Noa Nakaitaci has been scoring some ridiculous tries and the English contingent of Nick Abendanon and David Strettle are both on the field and firing. Even though the opening of the Premiership hasn’t quite given them the positive springboard that they would have liked the Chiefs have to act like their the cream of the crop and go out there with a spot of swagger. On Sunday evening their experienced men, the likes of Thomas Waldrom, Gareth Steenson, Geoff Parling, must raise their games and lead the way of others to follow against a French side that's on form.  Match Fact: Clermont had the joint best goal kicking success rate in last season’s competition, landing 84% (27/32) of their shots at goal. Exeter are on their best run in the competition to date having won their last there Champions Cup home games. 

Premiership Rugby Round 6 Review - Blink and you'll miss it!

So that's it six rounds of Aviva Premiership rugby are done and dusted and it seems like only yesterday that we were toasting the start of the new season. Now it’s time for a little European break and for our domestic sides to go in opposite directions. For some the Challenge Cup will provide their Directors of Rugby the opportunity to mix things up a bit while for others it’s full steam ahead into the toughest domestic competition in the Northern Hemisphere. Regardless of what lies ahead let’s just pause for a moment or two and take a little look back at a weekend's action because it delivered some interesting results.

Bath Rugby 30 - 3 Sale Sharks

On Friday night Bath Rugby gave their home fans plenty to cheer about at The Recreation Ground as they made an off colour Sale pay for their inaccuracy. Not only were the home side hardy and physical in defence but they delivered the sparks of old in attack. Since Round 1 the quick ball that Kahn Fotuali’i has been supplying to George Ford has been a game changer and their partnership was outstanding again on Friday night. The presence of Jonathan Joseph added the reassurance that Bath needed in their back line and Matt Banahan was sensational. Sale just weren’t at the races, particularly in attack, and Steve Diamond will certainly be having a few stern words with them early this week about ensuring that they find their accuracy ahead of the Champions Cup. Key Man: Matt Banahan was outstanding, again! Greatly underrated played and I'd have no issues with him wearing an England jersey should it ever be required again. 

Exeter Chiefs 27 - 27 Gloucester Rugby

Another round and another draw! Surely after only six rounds  of the 2016-17 season we've already exceeded the number of draws that occurred in last two seasons put together! Once again Gloucester had put themselves in the perfect position to take the match. If any other side were 27-14 up you'd feel confident and yet there's always that question mark with the Cherry and Whites. To be fair Exeter weren't ever going to go down without a fight, especially not at home, and once Ian Whitten had gone over in the corner after 67 minutes you felt the momentum shift and the doubt creep into Gloucester's minds. With seven tries in total the crowd certainly to their money's worth but neither side will be fully satisfied with a draw. Exeter's next challenge is a huge one, the current Top 14 leaders Clermont Auvergne and Les Jaunards are looking ruthless. For Gloucester they need to use the Challenge Cup to rebuild their steel and confidence which will be vital to have back for the forthcoming rounds. Key Men: A mention to Charlie Sharples for his try on his 200th competitive appearance for Gloucester Rugby and Ross Moriarty continues to work tirelessly for Gloucester. 

Harlequins 20 - 9 Northampton Saints

A strong second-half performance from Harlequins saw them take the points against Northampton. It wasn't the greatest match in the world as handling errors littered the 80 minutes but there were higher points. Alofa Alofa's first try for the club was well worked and Tim Swiel had a big impact the bench after he replaced a clearly unfit Nick Evans. Adam Jones put in a monstrous shift, on the ‘wrong’ side of the scrum, and rolled back the years as Harlequins lost Mark Lambert to injury early on having previously lost Joe Marler ahead of the match. Northampton's points all came from the boot of Stephen Tyler and as a whole they look like a true cohesive unit that could pose a real threat on the outcome of the game which will concern Jim Mallinder. Key Men: Marland Yarde put forward his case to Eddie Jones well; he didn't get on the score sheet but was all over the park and looked sharp throughout. 

Leicester Tigers 34 - 13 Worcester Warriors

Worcester’s 121 year search for a victory at Welford Road continues as after a bright opening ten minutes they couldn’t find their feet against the Tigers. Leicester's performance was described by Richard Cockerill as 'far from complete but a step in the right direction' and he's right. Worcester are still looking to really establish themselves in a match against one of the 'big guns' but in the opening block of matches we have seen elements of promise. Carl Hogg and his men now travel to Russia for their opening Challenge Cup match and I wouldn't be surprised if their head coach rotates a few men for the trip. For Leicester it's a trip to Scotland to kick start the 2016-17 Champions Cup and the question I'm pondering on is whether they’ll use Europe to find their true form in the same way that they did so last season? Key Men: Telusa Veainu again showed that he has feet from another planet. Make sure that you see his 33rd minute try because despite less than effective Worcester defence his feet are lovely!

Newcastle Falcons 19 - 14 Bristol Rugby

Not for the first time this season Bristol Rugby gifted their opponents an easy foothold into the match and it was one that Newcastle Falcons did well to hold onto. Bristol gifted their hosts the first score of the match with an interception try and with it they also handed Falcons the momentum. Dean Richards' side gladly took both and looked the stronger of the two for the whole of the first forty. After the break Bristol turned up their intensity and with it came points and a nervous finale to the opening six rounds for Newcastle. The match itself proved that, although Andy Robinson's side remain firmly at the foot of the table, they do have the ability to compete. The challenge now is competing for a full eighty minutes and seeing where they takes them, if they don't for 80 minutes then their return to the competition will be short lived. 

Saracens 30 - 14 Wasps

On Sunday afternoon Saracens gave the competition a little reminder that they remain the ones to beat as they made a previously unbeaten Wasps side look flustered and un-nerved. The visitors didn’t ever win the gain line and were second best by a country mile in terms of their physicality. In my eyes the game was a bit of a slow burner but the second half really delivered. Danny Cipriani’s moment of magic was Wasps’ highlight but the rest of the highs belonged to Saracens as Jamie George crossed twice and Brad Barritt led his side with distinction. Early on Wasps looked like rabbits in the headlights and when Saracens found fourth gear they didn’t have a response. The performance, and result, sets  up Mark McCall’s side brilliantly for their trip to Toulon while Wasps simply need to take the lessons from the game and move onto what should be a straightforward outing against Zebre. Key Men: Billy Vunipola made a real statement against his England rival and once again Maro Itjoe was immense. 

Premiership Rugby Round 6 Preview

Welcome to Round 6! From my point of view normal service is resumed after a little sojourn to Barcelona last weekend for a family event I'm back on the rugby beat and can't wait to see how the final round before Europe unfolds. 

Once again we've had a week that's been filled with news and most of it has centred upon England's training camp in Brighton and the injuries that occurred at it with Sam Jones' fractured fibula and Anthony Watson's broken jaw. Eddie Jones himself said prior that it was going to be a testing camp to see who could cut the mustard and of course accidents do happen in training but his intense camp has perturbed some Premiership clubs. Prior to this point the relationship between club and country was going well but you get that feeling that a few feathers have been ruffled. For now I'm going to park this one, I'm sure that the discussion will continue for a while, and instead look ahead to this weekend's Premiership action. 

Todd Blackadder’s Bath have the honour of kicking off Round 6 and underneath their Friday night lights they will be looking to put in a strong performance to finish this opening block of fixtures. Sale should arrive in a confident mood and the fact that they’re able to welcome back Sam James and potentially have the firepower of Mike Haley off the bench only adds to their weaponry.  Bath did exactly what they needed to against Gloucester in their derby day last weekend and in Round 6 Jonathan Joseph’s return to fitness is key. JJ is the man that will help boost their creativity and make things happen from the mighty fine half-back partnership of Fotuali’i and Ford. Sale have lost 3 of their last four against Bath but this one won’t won’t be a walk in the park either way. Both have strong packs, both have firepower to launch in attack and I’m expecting a great contest to kick-start the weekend. Two to watch: Keep your eye on the two outside centres and the Kahn Fotuali’i  and Mike Phillips duel. 

Next stop on the Premiership road are two clubs that both have a spot pressure on their shoulders. Exeter’s home record last season was almost impeccable but already Saracens have shown how to beat the Chiefs at Sandy Park. The Chiefs blew a 13-0 lead at Franklin’s Gardens and need a result in Round 6 to keep them on track after a tough opening run of fixtures. Gloucester’s derby at Kingsholm was another bitter pill to swallow and they have to focus on delivering the right standard of output for the full 80 minutes. The most important thing from a Cherry and White point of view is cutting out their errors, errors simply cannot be present against a motivated Exeter side. In the face of recent adversity Gloucester could be galvanised and deliver a big performance but last weekend’s output leads me to believe another difficult result could be on the cards. Two to watch: Charlie Sharples making his 200th competitive appearance for Gloucester Rugby and Olly Woodburn continuing his fine form. 

Leicester Tigers return to Welford Road after a loss on the road and one that didn’t sit comfortably with their Director of Rugby. Conversely Worcester gained the home victory that they’ve been searching for but know that Leicester are a completely different kettle of fish. Carl Hogg has asked his players to head to Welford Road and ‘puff their chests out and express themselves’ and that’s exactly the right attitude to take. Selection wise Ben Youngs and Dan Cole have been rested, likely due to their involvement with England’s camp this week, but their replacements will do a job. In 13 previous visits Worcester haven’t won at Welford Road and the home side will want to prove another point in front of their home fans before heading on the European road. Two to watch: Keep an eye on Ellis Genge taking his starting opportunity and Worcester’s Jamie Shillcock.

At Kingston Park Newcastle Falcons host Bristol Rugby off the back of a match in which they frustrated themselves as they didn’t take all of their opportunities. Bristol’s outing against Saracens was always going to be a challenging one and I wonder if there will be any psychological damage having been nilled? Dean Richard's’ selection is a largely consistent and I believe the message will be ‘go out and show what you're made of’. For Bristol Rugby this is a big match, I don’t like to frame it as a relegation duel because we’re only in Round 6, but it is an important match for both. David Lemi’s return should have an impact from a leadership point of view as well as the return of his outstanding feet. Bristol need to march confidently up to Kingston Park, if they don't feel it they have to fake it, and irk their hosts from early doors. Two to watch: Jordan Williams is a handful from full back and how effective can David Wilson be on his first start back at the club?

Harlequins’ suffered badly at the hands of the form team in the competition last weekend but they need to put that behind them and remember the good times of Round 4 at The Stoop. Northampton’s victory against Exeter was vital and they need to work from the very significant positives that were present in that match; notably George North’s brilliance and Louis Picamoles showing his International class. The hosts welcome back Nick Evans and his presence always adds such experience and assurance in the middle. Saints bring Luther Burrell back into their starting XV and I’m keep to see what he’ll create for them because Harry Mallinder performed well last weekend. The visitors have won their last seven encounters with Harlequins in all competitions and all Quins fans will remember the manner in which they finished their last meeting at The Stoop with Ben Botica’s clanger!! Can Harlequins start to re-adress that winning record in Round 6? They'll need to deliver across the park and not just rely on one or two big performances from their internationals. Two to watch: Both returning fly-halves will be vital; Stephen Myler and Nick Evans. 

The weekend will finish with what should be the game of the round as Saracens host the form team of the opening five rounds Wasps. Wasps are able to welcome back Joe Launchbury to their bench and shift Ashley Johnson to the back row given the injuries to Sam Jones and Guy Thompson. Memories of their European semi-final defeat will be fresh in their minds and Dai Young’s side know that they’re in form and ready to take it up a gear again. Saracens fit Sean Maitland into their full back jersey as Alex Goode remains injured and sadly there’s still no sign of Owen Farrell in their match day 23. Saracens bounced back against Bristol but this is a different test completely. If I start listing eye catching head-to-heads then I’d just end up writing down the majority of both teams so instead I’ll simply say make sure that you are in front of a television or at Allianz Park for this one because it promises to be a belter. Two to watch: It will be a big day for Wasps’ back row to ensure they match Saracens’ trio’s physicality. 

Eddie Jones' EPS squad & training squad for Brighton

Friday saw the announcement of Eddie Jones’ 45-man EPS squad and his 37-man training squad that will head to Brighton to start preparing for their forthcoming test against South Africa. Before we delve into the detail let’s be clear on the difference between the two. The 45 in his England EPS squad are the players that Eddie can select from and is an agreement between England Rugby and PRL (Premiership Rugby limited). Then, the 37 are his immediate focus and are the ones that will be heading for a three day camp following the denouement of Round 5. 

Since the moment that Eddie Jones took the role as England’s head coach we knew that he was always going to do it his way. His viewpoints are strong ones and the thoughts that constitute ‘popular opinion’ mean little to him. They are white noise and he politely straight bats them back to anyone that tries to push him towards them. If you can put your hand on your heart and say that you foresaw Sam Jones Ben Morgan and Joe Marchant being included in his training squad for South Africa then you must have Eddie’s confidence because not all are obvious choices.

Three days doesn’t sound like a lot of contact time with the 37-man training squad yet Eddie Jones is 100% confident that during that time he’ll be able to find out which of the news faces have what it takes to make that successful leap to test level. On Tuesday in Brighton he will "test their resolve and their ability to see how they operate when they’re uncomfortable" and that is a subtle way of saying he’ll push them to beyond breaking point, replicating test intensity, and see how they cope. 

England’s back row has been an area of key focus for longer than Justin Beiber has been deemed to be acceptable and on announcing these squads England’s head coach provided a little more clarity regarding how he sees the blend and make up of it right now;

“The composition of the team at the moment, and I stress at the moment, is that we've got a big ball-running eight, Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes in that area.

“Then we've got a six who's a high work-rate player like Chris Robshaw, who was excellent last Saturday against Saracens, with a number of people behind Chris. Then at seven we're looking for a destructive defensive player, not your traditional seven player, because at the moment we don't have that in England. 

“We went down the route of trying to find that but it wasn't successful, so we're looking for a more of a destructive player like a Haskell. So Sam Jones and Mike Williams also come into that category.”

With that statement a number of things become clear, first is that the Australian believes that Matt Kvesic and Teimana Harrison aren't the answer to deliver a scavenging seven for England. The view on the former will surprise many but personally I’m not too taken aback by it because I think that if he rated the Gloucester man Kvesic would have been in the seven jersey from day one. Northampton’s back row forward, like Luther Burrell, clearly didn’t deliver on the field in Australia and as a result has been sent packing to work on his game. An indication of the Australian’s cut throat nature regarding selection. In terms of destructive defensive options then Sam Jones and Mike Williams are good ones and if they pass the Brighton test one could be in line for one of the toughest International debuts against South Africa at Twickenham Stadium. A good performance in that match and the jersey would be there for the taking for the duration of the series.

The other area that sparked a lot of discussion yesterday, and not for the first time, was the exclusion of Danny Cipriani. Arguably the fly-half hasn’t fully flown yet for Wasps but many believed that he would have his name in the 45-man EPS squad and therefore be an option for selection. Yet Cipriani remains firmly out of the picture and on this subject Eddie Jones said that "O2 got a good workout on their network yesterday”. The Australian did provide some level of clarity regarding his decision;

“It was a difficult conversation. Danny knows what he’s got to do. I said it quite clearly to him; at the moment he’s not one or two for England in terms of stand-offs. We see George Ford and Owen Farrell – 23 and 24 year-olds – as one and two. For Cipriani to get in the squad, he’s got to be able to show he can be No1. I don’t see him as a player who comes into the squad as a three or four player. He likes to be the main man.”

We’ve always said that selection is subjective so whether you agree or not with Eddie Jones’ viewpoint that the Wasps fly-half has to be the "main man" that’s how it is. It seems to be an viewpoint that isn't likely to shift anytime soon therefore the only way for Cipriani to get himself back into an England jersey is to outplay both George Ford and Owen Farrell, a difficult feat. 

With nine victories from nine outings Eddie Jones’ start to his England role has been a dream but with injuries aplenty the coming weeks will be a greater test of his coaching and selection ability. If Owen Farrell isn't able to recover in time then he has to make the right call in the midfield because it's the heartbeat of the back line and a pivotal in terms of defensive structure. England cannot afford to have a repeat of what happened in the opening thirty minutes of the first Test in Australia, he has to get selection right from the word go against South Africa. Elsewhere the choice in England’s back row is just as critical, this was the area that provided the impetus and power for England to thrive Down Under and against a South African side that will be tremendously motivated and experienced in that area the call is vital.

Now Eddie Jones and his team have to make clear decisions on players following limited contact time with them in Brighton and after that he will announce  final squad for the Old Mutual Wealth Series (autumn internationals in old money) on October 26. Jones' viewpoint is these coming weeks are months are that they’re "not a test but an opportunity". Of course he is right and ultimately England Rugby will be better for developing other players now. However it’s safe to say that a spot of luck injury wise over the coming weeks would help the Australian a sleep a little better at night because they cannot afford to gain any new ones and the recovery of Dylan Hartley and Owen Farrell in particular would be a huge bonus.