A few posts this weekend as I get completely immersed in another incredible European Rugby weekend. Last weekend saw arguably the best round of Pool matches we have seen in the history of the tournament, and certainly the best opening weekend. Following on from the World Cup and the rapprochement in terms of level there, there are encouraging signs for the global game. Let us forget Southern Hemisphere for the moment though, as Europe is where it is ALL at at the moment.
Thursday night's low key Amlin Cup hors d'oeuvre, which saw the Dragons continue the Welsh regions' 100% record so far in Europe this season (P5, W5) against a below par (that's being polite, it should read disinterested) Perpignan and Bayonne beat Bordeaux-Begles (alliteration anyone?) set the mouth watering for another Friday/Saturday/Sunday of action and tension.
The remarkable nature of this year's tournament continued, with Northampton, much fancied across Europe, not just within England, for this year's tournament, hosting the Scarlets. Northampton just weren't at the races for much of the game, serial offenders in terms of handling and missed tackles, and before they woke up they were 28-9 down, with Scarlets taking a bonus point, but an attacking one rather than the losing one they may well have settled for if pushed before the game. 2 late tries meant Northampton escaped with a losing bonus point, but they now need to beat Castres twice, Munster at home and Scarlets in Llanelli to have a chance of qualifying (and therein breaking a hoodoo which has seen no side qualify after losing their 2 openers).
So 6 out of 6 for Wales in both competitions, and when London Irish were reduced to 14 after a dangerous spear tackle, it would surely be a comfortable 7 from 7. Well it was in the end, but Irish battled manfully, or maybe that should read 14-manfully, and came away with a bonus point they would not have expected. The Welsh confidence is high, in stark contrast to the English though, and a Welsh double, unexpected as it was, showed just where the game is in the two Nations at the moment.
Clermont needed a win against Aironi after last week's late capitulation against Ulster. They ran in a shedload of tries to come through 51-3 winners and put the train back on the rails. The first real and complete shellacking of this year's cup, and Clermont put themselves back in the shop window as potential winners, if they get out of one of the trickier groups (Leicester and Ulster play Saturday evening in the other game).
Finally, Racing Metro travelled to Edinburgh for a tough game to call. Many having it down as a penalty either way deciding the winner. Clearly nobody told Racing, as they ran in 5 tries and extended out to a lead of 24 points midway through the second half. Bonus point in the bag, job done. Foot off the pedal..... Oops! As proved last week, Edinburgh have bottle and they started to claw their way back, getting to within 6 points as the clock ran down. Visser, a late scorer the week before against London Irish, then went over to give Laidlaw a chance to convert from wide and take an incredible comeback victory, which he subsequently too, making the Scottish side the winner by the odd point in 95!
16 games in and I'm running out of superlatives for this year's tournament. Let's see what Saturday brings.
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