8th April 2010

News


I see Jake White and Eddie Jones have teamed up to take over at the Lions in South Africa after Dick Muir was fired. What’s the point? It would take a come back to rival Lazarus at this point in the season, and the Lion’s many problems start with lack of continuity of players and coaches.

Super 14

Chiefs vs Bulls should be an interesting match, can the Bulls bounce back? I’d say yes they can, they won’t be happy with last week’s performance. Blues and Stormers should be good too, and I think the Stormers are going to come to the fore, they are a different team this year and the Blues could easily underestimate them. The pick of the weekend though is the Crusaders against the Waratahs, where I think the ‘Tahs are going to come unstuck against some New Zealand steel. They’ve been riding their luck for a while, and I think it’s about to run out round about now.

Heineken Cup

Looking at the finalists, we have four French teams, two Irish, one English and one Welsh, which meant it was a pretty good litmus test for the 6 Nations. And looking at the stats, England Could Do Better with only one team when Ireland have only 4 four provinces and two of them in the finals. In the top 14 at the moment, Clermount Auvergne are 4th, Toulouse are 5th, Biarritz are 7th and Stade Francaise are 9th. Leinster and Munster are 1st and 2nd in the Magners League, the Ospreys are 5th with a game in hand that would send them 2nd if they win it, and Northampton are 2nd with a game in hand over Leicester.

The first match up pitches champions Leinster up against the nearly men of French Rugby. Clermont have made the finals of the French Championship 10 times but never won it. Clermont are one mean team stuffed with stars like Parra, Bonnaire, Rougerie, Ledesma, Malzieu, Baby, Nalaga – the list goes on and on. No wonder French rugby is so strong at the moment. They also have the best Australian fly half – in the world- in Brock Harris. Leinster have their stars too with BOD, Heaslip, Carney, and Van Der Linde. French sides are iffy when they play away – victory at home is non negotiable, but anything can happen away, so I reckon Leinster will take this in a tight match.

On Saturday, Biarritz will take on the Ospreys in San Sebastien. Biarritz have the normal contingent for French teams of top players like Barcella, Thion, Harinordiquy, Traille and the blistering pace of Takudzwa Ngwenya, as well as Englishmen Lund, Erinle and Balshaw. The Ospreys have talent like Adam Jones, Ryan Jones, Holah, Collins, Phillips, Bowe, Byrne and Williams and have underperformed in this tournament. Facing Biarritz at home looks a step too far for them though, so I’m going with home advantage.

Also on Satruday and my pick of the weekend is Munster up against Northhampton. Munster’s talents (and recent failings) are well known, but they will be a different side with Earls and O’Connell back, and they take the Heineken Cup a lot more seriously than the Magners League. The Saints have plenty of stars in the making, and with a bit more adventurous management England should look a lot more like them. They beat Munster at Franklin Gardens and nearly did the double at Thomond Park. But I think there’s still another lesson to be ditched out by the Old Master yet, and Munster should squeak through this one.

Finally on Sunday, Toulouse will take on Stade Francais. Stade Francais are better known these days for their flash but they have their quality too with players like Szarzewski, Marconnet, Roncero, Beaxis and Bastareaud as well as Palmer and Haskell. Toulouse have a staggering array of stars including Servat, Albecete, Dusaurtoir, Nyanga, Picamoles, Kellerher, Michalak, Skrela, Fritz, Jauzion, Clerc, Heymans, Poitrenaud the list goes on and on. The French home team normally triumphs, and Toulouse just look too strong anyway, even if Stade have the carrot of the final in Paris

Amlin Challenge Cup

Wasps vs Gloucester on Sunday looks to be a pretty entertaining match, as will Newcastle vs Cardiff, with Wasps and Cardiff probably edging it. Connacht vs Bourgoin will be a test for the Irish province, but as Bourgoin are 12th in the Top 14, it should be fine French dining for Connacht.