Premiership Rugby Round 7 Review

It’s fair to say that Round 7 was quite an eventful one and that it certainly delivered after the highs of the European competition the week before. Across the country we saw individuals really stand up and pleasingly for Eddie Jones the majority of those are members of his squad heading to Portugal for their training camp. 

Of course now it’s time for two weeks of Anglo-Welsh Cup and that provides us the opportunity to see a number of our Aviva Premiership clubs' squad players in action. It’s a competition that not all love but personally I believe that its place in the season is merited and required. More on that later but for now let's look back and review all of the Round 7 action!

Northampton Saints 23 - 20 Gloucester Rugby

Under the Friday Night Lights Northampton gained a domestic home victory that they so desperately wanted but it wasn’t an easy one to grasp. Ahead of kick-off a knee injury to Courtney Lawes forced them to reshuffle their options at second row and he will have a scan early this week to see the full extent of what’s going on. On the field itself it was a pretty nervy affair and Saints’ fans’ fortitude was tested when their side squandered a 10 point half-time lead. The try by Louis Picamoles to deliver that lead looked a little dubious, yet it was given and Saints had their cushion before the pressure hit. Gloucester’s resilience to come back fighting in the second half was admirable and throughout Charlie Sharples and Jonny May gave Saints plenty to think about but Tom Kessell was the man of the hour for Saints. David Humphreys pinpointed ‘too many penalties at the set piece’ as an issue and his side continue to have a spot of thinking to do while Northampton breathe a small sigh of relief. Key Men: Picamoles’ try was doubtful but his work around the field wasn’t. Three home matches and three man of the match performances. We're lucky to be able to watch the great man in action week in, and week out. 

Saracens 24 - 10 Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers’ quest for a victory at Allianz Park continues as Mark McCall’s side gave us all another reminder of their physicality. Saracens were unrelenting in their output and dominated collisions but were frustrated with themselves that they couldn’t deliver the bonus point. After a third try on 44th minutes you’d have put your mortgage on the extra point arriving yet it did not! Once against Billy Vunipola was monstrous and let’s just take a moment to applaud Michael Rhodes shall we!? The back rower wasn’t particularly happy at having to move into the engine room and yet he did an outstanding impression of Maro Itoje and taking the man of the match champagne! Jim Hamilton was Saracens’ go-to man at the line-out but when required Rhodes delivered in that area. Also, he was strong at the set piece and a threat in the loose all day long. On the whole it was a match Leicester will park and Saracens will use the lack of bonus point frustration to continue to drive their standards. Key Men: The two men previously mentioned Michael Rhodes and Billy Vunipola with the latter making a staggering 24 carries. Yes, that’s 24!!

Harlequins 36 - 14 Worcester Warriors

At the Twickenham Stoop some key words from John Kingston were required at half-time to light the home side’s fire and as a result they gained their first bonus-point win of the new season. Over the course of the 80 minutes there were a number of standout performers that need mentioning. First Harlequins’ 20-year-old centre Joe Marchant looked sparky, sharp and very much like Jonathan Joseph with his outing. The centre bagged a try and by my reckoning it was one of his best Premiership outing in a Quins jersey. For the visitors another centre caught the eye and that was Ben Te’o. Te’o’s time, and indeed impact, in a Worcester jersey has been limited until recently but Saturday’s outing showed his worth. The Warrior scored one of his own, set up fellow centre Jackson Willison and was a threat throughout. Following the Anglo-Welsh Cup the challenge for Harlequins will be to deliver their second-half performance for the full eighty without their front line internationals while Worcester will continue to search for victories. Key Man: Ben Te’o finding his form well and giving Eddie Jones something to think about and potentially another option in England's mid-field. 

Wasps 31 - 6 Newcastle Falcons

At the Ricoh Arena Wasps extended their home unbeaten record to a staggering 14 games in a row. It’s fair to say this wasn’t one of their most beautiful victories with the later tries putting a gloss on the scoreboard but not every match can be pristine. The injury to Marty Moore early in the first half was a concerning one as he had neck pains after a collapsed scrum. Thankfully the update from Wasps is that his CT scans were clear and that he’s retuned home from hospital. Simon Hammersly also picked up a knee injury and that blotted Falcons' copy book because as a whole their effort was strong and the scoreline didn’t reflect their endeavour. A first-half yellow and penalty try swung the early momentum but again Dean Richards’ side will want to up their conversion rate in terms of chances made to chances scored. Key Men: Personally I’m a great fan of the versatility and output of Jimmy Gopperth. He plays anywhere you ask him and does so with gusto and brilliance. Equally a hit tip to Joe Launchbury who should add greatly to England’s pack this autumn. 

Bristol Rugby 13 - 31 Sale Sharks

Bristol have now lost seven in a row on their return to the Premiership and that’s tough to take. The West Country side’s woes were further compounded on Sunday as they lost Gavin Henson to a ‘serious shoulder injury’ after another all to brief cameo on the field. It’s a huge personal blow for Gavin and difficult for Bristol to take as his spark and invention was greatly needed. Sale Sharks arrived at Ashton Gate and did the job well. Mike Haley showed everyone that doubted his inclusion in England’s squad exactly what Eddie Jones sees in him and across the park their backs cut Bristol in two. David Lemi’s 50th league try for Bristol gave the hosts their consolation at the end but it wasn’t a match that they ever looked like winning. Key Men: The aforementioned Mike Haley who is described by Steve Diamond as having the ‘x-factor’ and he showed that.

Exeter Chiefs 10 - 13 Bath Rugby

When the half-time whistle blew at Sandy Park there was a fair amount of disgruntled opinions being put out on social media from individuals that hadn’t really enjoyed the 3-0 opening forty. Yet by full time those viewpoints had reverted 180 and the match in the West Country was being praised left, right and centre. It was a slow burner but for a neutral, and Bath fans, thrilling! At 10-6 up with eight minutes to play Exeter looked to have done enough then Bath decided otherwise. I’ll gloss quickly over the multiple reset scrums that, as Ugo Monye rightly said, were ‘longer than a Monday’ and head to the nerve of the visitors. George Ford’s pinpoint pass to Semesa Rokoduguni on the right wing was sublime and the finish of Rokoduguni phenomenal. If the Bath winger isn't starting against South Africa then I will be VERY surprised indeed. It was a result, and manner of defeat, that will take a few days for Exeter to recover from because they were so close to gaining the win that could have sparked their confidence and revival. For Bath it was pure elation and for the neutral a great reminder of the wonder of sport. Key Men: Ford and Rokoduguni. The former missed a few earlier kicks but still pushed Bath around the field with brilliant and Rokoduguni combined brilliant aerial skills with unrivalled power and pace. 

Premiership Rugby Round 7 Preview

It’s time to say welcome back to the Aviva Premiership and to look ahead to Round 7. As expected some sides used the European competitions to find their feet while others found the going a little tough and have it all to do this weekend. 

Obviously International rugby is moving towards the front of our minds and with this being a standalone Premiership weekend Eddie Jones will be praying to the rugby gods that no further serious injuries occur. 

The round starts with a vital match for both Gloucester Rugby and Northampton Saints. The two Directors of Rugby have made five changes apiece with the notable moves being Billy Twelvetrees shifting to fly-half for Gloucester and Mikey Haywood starting for Northampton at hooker with Dylan Hartley taking a place the bench. Saints’ thumping last week made alarm bells ring and prior to Round 6 they haven't quite been able to put their finger on what hasn't clicked into place.  Conversely Gloucester gained two bonus-point victories in the Challenge Cup, but it was against lesser opposition. Regardless they need to take that confidence into this match and up their performance level again. The history between the two sides sits in Northampton’s favour as they’re unbeaten in their last five Premiership encounters with Gloucester but there will  be more pressure on the home side. Can they manage that adequately and put on a show at home/ We'll find out. Two to watch: Ben Morgan and Tom Wood both were included in Eddie Jones’ squad and both will be eager to put down a reminder to him as to why he has selected them. 

On Saturday Harlequins will be looking to continue their solid home form as they host Worcester Warriors. Both sides lost their Round 2 Challenge Cup matches by a single-point last weekend and that will fuel their fires for this Premiership round. Harlequins have lost Harry Sloan for the season due to a knee injury and Sam Twomey will also be out of action as he's about to have surgery on his foot. Both injuries will impact them now, and in the coming weeks when they lose multiple players to International duty.  On a more positive now two big returnees, Danny Care and Tim Visser, will add spark to their output. Worcester Warriors also have a big boost as they welcome back Chris Pennell for his first Premiership action of the season. It's great to see him ready to take to the domestic stage as he always add so much to their game. The Warriors have won just three of their 10 previous visits to the Stoop and given that Quins are feeling confident at home they'll need to raise their game and fire from the off. Two to watch: The names just mentioned - Tim Visser and Chris Pennell - they'll be sharing a wing and the question is what can both do to ignite their sides?

Elsewhere in London Saracens will be hosting the Leicester Tigers with the latter looking to gain their first victory at Allianz Park. Last weekend we saw Saracens put 44 points on the board at a canter while Leicester finally reminded us how strong they can be as they made swift work of Racing 92. Clearly both sides will be missing players that they’d rather have on the field, notably Itoje and Toomua, and the latter's absence presents a greater challenge than the former's. Peter Betham and Jack Roberts will partner in the centres for the first time this season and it's a partnership that needs to fire immediately. Saracens' squad depth is showcased again as Ben Spencer comes into their starting XV as does Nick Tompkins' after his impressive outing against Scarlets. Saracens have lost just one of their last 18 fixtures in all tournaments and  the Tigers have to turn up from minute one if they're to change history and finally gain a victory at Allianz Park. Two to watch: Dan Cole and Mako Vunipola going head-to-head at scrum time and trying to out fox each other!

Wasps are another side with an imperious home record - they have won their last 13 matches at Ricoh Arena since Saracens beat them there in Premiership Rugby on 27th December. That record is at the other end of the spectrum to Newcastle Falcons’ away tally as their victory at Kingsholm in Round 4 broke a 23 month barren spell on their travels in Premiership rugby. Jimmy Gopperth will don the 10 jersey for the first time this season as Danny Cipriani drops to the bench while Ashley Johnson reverts to hooker from the back row. Newcastle Falcons hand Callum Chick his debut for the club at Number 8 and he's one of four personnel changes after their eight try victory in Challenge Cup. Dean Richards has said that 'if we play to our capability it will be an interesting game' and boy will they need to because Wasps have shown how ruthless they can be if a side doesn't quite reach the boil. Two to watch: Keep an eye on the feet of Christian Wade and Sinoti Sinoti out wide, it could be a case of anything you can do, I can do too when it comes to stepping and beating defenders. 

Further south Ashton Gate will open its doors for another Premiership fixture as Steve Diamond’s Sale Sharks make the trip southwards. Bristol’s derby against Bath in Round 2 of the Challenge Cup wasn’t a classic fixture but from their point of view it showcased another step forwards in terms of their output. The big news is that Gavin Henson is returning to their starting XV and personally I hope that he flies at Ashton Gate. Sale may not have prevailed against Toulon but Steve Diamond’s fairly positive assessment was right. The Sharks were hardy and asked questions of Toulon. In terms of Sale's personnel they welcome Johnny Leota back after his two game suspension and Halani Aulika starts in the front row in place of Brian Mujati. There's no question that Steve Diamond's side will test Bristol’s defence heavily but interestingly Sale have not won away from home since their trip to Newcastle on the final day of the regular season last year. It will be a big afternoon for Bristol Rugby as they have been making strides forwards but the question remains, can they push on again? Two to watch: Obviously all eyes will be on Gavin Henson and personally I'd like to see how Will Addison presses on after a head-turning display against Toulon. 

The final match of the weekend should be an intriguing fixture between Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby. The Chiefs’ loss to Ulster at the Kingspan Stadium was difficult to swallow if you have Rob Baxter’s side in your heart but for the neutral it was an enthralling finish. Bath’s two Challenge Cup weeks delivered two victories and an opportunity to provide game time to a number of other members of their squad which will hold them in good stead. Exeter make just one change as a bicep injury forces Julian Salvi out and he's set for a long-ish spell on the sidelines. As a result Dave Dennins is promoted from the bench and he'll start in the back-row alongside Kai Horstmann and Thomas Waldrom. Bath have made eight changes to their line-up with five of them coming in the pack. Ross Batty and Henry Thomas return to the front row, Dave Attwood comes into the second-row and Tom Ellis and Charlie Ewels arrive into their the back-row. George Ford and Kahn Fotuali’i are back in the half-backs and their performances this season have been outstanding and something that the Chiefs will need to watch out for.  Exeter are without a victory in their last four fixtures in all tournaments and the fact that they’ve won just one of their last four home games in unheard of. Two to watch: My eyes will be fixed on the two packs - which will gain the ascendancy at the set piece and which will own the gain-line? 

England Rugby - Old Mutual Wealth Series Squad

In the blink of an eye we’ve witnessed six rounds of domestic rugby and two rounds of Europe and it's almost time for International rugby to take centre stage again with the Old Mutual Wealth Series. 

Since Australia the landscape has changed a touch as some players have pushed themselves into the mix while others have lost their spot in contention. Of course in recent days we’ve been discussing injuries more than any of us would like and clearly having ten individuals on the sidelines isn’t ideal. But, as you’d expect England’s head coach is seeing it as an opportunity and as a positive step in the progression towards the ultimate goal which is the 2019 Rugby World Cup:

‘History shows that when you’re preparing for a Rugby World Cup you need depth down to four and five in all positions. Stephen Donald was out whitebaiting and then kicked the winning penalty in a World Cup final wearing a jersey that was too small. That’s the sort of depth you need. You never like to see players get injured but it presents opportunities for other guys to come forward.’

The opportunities this autumn are ample and personally I’m expecting the individuals that are coming into the squad to thrive. Players like Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes will be chomping at the bit to get their hands on a starting jersey again and those that haven't had huge amounts of contact time with Eddie and the coaching team like Jonny May, Ben Morgan, Mike Haley, Nathan Hughes and Tom Wood will be eager to showcase their worth. 

Clearly there’s one area of the field that is occupying the lion’s share of discussion right now and that’s the back-row. Eddie Jones has been very clear regarding the balance that he wants to achieve currently with a ‘ball-running eight, a high work-rate player at six and a destructive defensive player at seven’. After James Haskell's injury Sam Jones and Mike Williams both could have had a shot at making the seven jersey theirs for the series but injuries put paid to that and now Teimana Harrison and Tom Wood are the front runners. Without doubt James Haskell took the output in the seven jersey to a new level in Australia and whomever takes it over from him has very large shoes to fill. 

(C) Paler Images

Let’s look at the former first and examine Eddie Jones’ current thoughts on the young man that he pulled off after 30 minutes in Australia. The Australian was quick to point out the improvement that Teimana has made since that tour:

“It’s about his effectiveness as a ball-carrier, his effectiveness clearing-out and his effectiveness in the tackle. He’s starting to stop people and he’s starting to put people back when he carries. I thought his game against Castres was a really good performance so he has certainly elevated himself greatly.”

Interestingly he backed up this positive assessment by later describing Teimana’s performance against Castres as ‘the best performance I’ve seen from a No 7 in a Premiership team’. Clearly the 24-year-old has made strides forwards. 

According to England's head coach Tom Wood is ‘certainly in contention’ and Northampton Saints’ captain has also shown the development required in terms of ‘his work off the ball’ and added ‘more dynamism to his ball-carrying’. Injuries have presented the man with 42-caps an opportunity to get significant contact time back in the International set up and knowing Tom Wood he'll grab that chance with both hands.

Finally when it comes to the back-row let’s not forget that Chris Robshaw still has what Eddie Jones calls his '6 and a half jersey' in the locker and he isn't short of test experience at openside. If you consider the options and spell them out as Eddie has done below then all of a sudden this ‘crisis’ isn’t quite so large as first thought;

(C) Paler Images

“We’re talking about an injury crisis but we’ve got those three guys [Ben Morgan, Nathan Hughes and Billy Vunipola] at eight. At six we’ve got Chris Robshaw, Nathan Hughes, Ben Morgan and Tom Wood. At seven we’ve got Teimana Harrison, Tom Wood and possibly Nathan Hughes. Out of every situation comes a lot of positivity.”

Naturally England's coaching staff will watch this Premiership weekend from behind a pillow and be praying to the rugby gods that no further injuries occur. After that they’re all off to Portugal for a week of training in the sunshine with a clear purpose;

“We’ve got a big job ahead because we’ve got ten guys who’d normally be in our top 30 not there. That leaves a tactical gap, a physical gap and a social gap in the side. So, we’ve got to fill all of those gaps in and we’ve got a week in Portugal to do that before start Test match preparation.”

The long and the short of this 33-man England Rugby squad is that even without ten front-line players there’s ample strength to turnaround what their head-coach calls their 'abysmal' record against South Africa.  

England Squad - Old Mutual Wealth Series 2016

Backs: Mike Brown, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Alex Goode, Mike Haley, Jonathan Joseph, Alex Lozowski, Jonny May, Semesa Rokoduguni, Henry Slade, Ben Te’o, Marland Yarde, Ben Youngs 

Forwards: Dave Attwood, Dan Cole, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Teimana Harrison, Dylan Hartley, Nathan Hughes, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Ben Morgan, Chris Robshaw, Kyle Sinckler, Tommy Taylor, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Tom Wood 

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.