The Investec Champions Cup and EPRC Challenge Cups began to take shape as the teams met for the round two weekend.
The Investec Champions Cup and EPRC Challenge Cups began to take shape as the teams met for the round two weekend.
The action didn’t disappoint and there was some amazing rugby played across Europe and in South Africa, as the teams fought to get back to winning ways, or establish themselves among the favourites to progress from the pool stages.
Teams will now return to domestic competition, with the tournaments returning to conclude the pool phase in January.
Here’s what caught ATR’s eye over the weekend…
Glorious Glasgow
Oh, to be in Scotstoun when the Warriors are on the charge. The hosts looked down and out at halftime, 21-0 down to a rampant Toulouse, with Antoine Dupont marking his first start since March with a try after less than five minutes.
But then the Warriors woke up and raised the intensity thanks to Gregor Brown’s appearance off the bench. He in turn set the template and Rory Darge, Zander and Matt Fagerson, and Jack Dempsey followed in the path he blazed. Zander Fagerson was his usual workhorse self with 17 carries alone.
Then there was Sione Tuipulotu’s performance. The captain threw himself into everything, including any rolling maul that headed towards the Toulouse line, while geeing up and driving on his teammates.
It was the type of the result that the tournament needed. A bit of jeopardy, and a sign that the big guns won’t have it all their own way.
Bite Like A Shark
There was a similar sense down in Durban where the Sharks picked themselves up after their thumping by Toulouse in round one, to squeeze out Saracens, who were aiming for their second victory.
Siya Kolisi was back to lead a stacked Sharks team, and he set the template with a try after five minutes. Saracens weren’t at their strongest, but they weren’t exactly stripped bare and they will be satisfied with one bonus point but disappointed they didn’t take two with them.
With the Stormers making it two from two, it was a good weekend for South African teams in the Champions Cup. Keep going this way and maybe there will be a few less empty seats next time.
Cold Bath Time
It was a bit of a wake up call for the English champions, who took only the four-try bonus point from their visit to France’s Mediterranean coast and Toulon’s Stade Mayol.
Magic happens there when the sun goes down, and much of it was inspired by the reinvigorated Kyle Sinkler, who tore into the Bath pack, along with Lewis Ludlam, and Brian Alainu'uese, both of whom grabbed tries. In fact, Bath’s forwards struggled against Toulon’s pack, as shown at the end when they couldn’t stop Teddy Baubigny going over from a rolling maul to deny them the losing bonus point.
If there is one thing the stacked ranks at Bath miss, it is a powerful enforcer, so this trip to Provence should be a wake-up call. Last season, Northampton Saints used their win away to the Bulls as a springboard for a run to the final. This could have been the same for Bath, but alas they failed on that front.
Mal Du Voyage (Travel Sickness)
On, la la ! Mon dieu ! Quelle horreur ! Insert whatever French expletive you want, but round two in both the Champions and Challenge Cup was not a good weekend for banishing the French stereotype of being terrible on the road.
Toulouse we’ve covered, La Rochelle left Cape Town with nothing, and Bayonne and Pau were on the end of floggings from Harlequins and Bristol. Let’s not mention Clermont Auvergne losing at home to Sale Sharks.
There were few highlights, though the Bayonne and Pau fans still looked as though they were having fun, which tells its own tale of their expectations. The two players who did stand out were Bayonne flyhalf Tom Spring, who scored a try and four conversions, and Pau centre Fabien Brau-Boirie who crossed for two scores.
The only team to buck the trend were Stade Français. The Parisians won 45-22 away to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in the Challenge Cup to maintain their revival this season. There was another Joe Marchant try as he continues his French farewell season. At this rate he could have a parade down the Champs Elysee.
Dragons Roar
ATR’s Welsh correspondent won’t thank us for the now obligatory reference to Welsh rugby’s ongoing struggles, but this week the respite wasn’t left to the Ospreys who made it two from two by beating Montauban 33-22.
That accolade belongs to Cardiff. The Welsh capital’s side has had plenty to deal with this year, but Callum Sheedy showed what a good team they can be when his late penalty gave the black and blues a win over the impressive looking Ulster.
Then to make it a Challenge Cup full house, the Dragons squeezed out Lyon 23-21 at Rodney Parade on Sunday. The French side will be sick of teams whose name begins with New, after falling to Newcastle Red Bulls in round one.
Newcastle, in turn, followed up their win over Lyon by defeating the Lions 14-10 at Kingston Park. Two wins from two for the Geordies, maybe the ship is starting to turn.