On fire in France: Delon Armitage
Now that the dust has settled in Europe, it's time to dish out the kudos for outstanding performances in Round One of the Heineken Cup.
Saracens, Harlequins and Toulouse were the big winners of the opening weekend.
Sarries went on the rampage in the Scottish capital, while the champions of England put themselves in pole position in Pool Three thanks to a storming second half against Biarritz.
Toulouse took the lead in the 'Pool of Death' with a performance - especially at scrum time - that will have been noted across the competition.
Meanwhile, Toulon's army of stars confirmed they are the real deal.
Team of Round One:
15 Delon Armitage (Toulon): Both Armitage brothers were in fine form for RCT and Delon makes our team thanks to his two tries against Montpellier. Mentions too for Alex Goode , who touched down for Saracens and Jared Payne who gained 117 metres for Ulster with ball in hand.
14 Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues): It's never fun when you score a hat-trick and your team still loses! Northampton's Ken Pisi deserves a mention as does Sitiveni Sivivatu , who scored for Clermont.
13 George Pisi (Northampton): The Pisi brothers are proving to be a real threat for Northampton. George bagged two tries with another scorching performance. Jonathan Davies did well for Scarlets while Waisea Nayacalevu scored twice for Stade Français in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
12 Gael Fickou (Toulouse): Another fantastic talent rolls off the Toulouse academy production line. The 18-year-old's try in his European debut against Leicester was out of the top drawer. Guy Novès doesn't need to look much further for a replacement for the ageing Yannick Jauzion. Wesley Fofana was dangerous as ever for Clermont with over 100 metres gained.
11 Eli Walker (Ospreys): A tough call because there were plenty of good wings but Walker's solo try against Treviso will long be remembered. Simon Zebo must have thought he'd scored the winner for Munster in Paris but the Fat Lady was yet to sing.
10 Charlie Hodgson (Saracens): Another difficult decision with a handful of candidates. The veteran pivot scored a try amongst his 25 points and didn't miss a tackle. Luke McAlister, Danny Cipriani and Ben Botica all made headlines.
9 Paul Marshall (Ulster): Danny Care is unlucky to miss out after an outstanding display for Quins but Marshall edges it thanks to his double against Castres.
8 Nick Easter (Harlequins): This one nearly caused a fight at Planet Rugby HQ and Ed is still sulking because Louis Picamoles was outvoted but Easter's man-of-the-match performance cannot be ignored.
7 Shane Jennings (Leinster): It was a tough day at the office for the defending champions, as illustrated by the 16 tackles made by their openside flank. A mention too for Steffon Armitage and Chris Robshaw.
6 Julien Bonnaire (Clermont): Another veteran still putting in the hard yards...and the big hits. A try was his reward. Keep an eye on Toulon's 22-year-old flank Pierrick Gunther, who is a star in the making.
5 Samu Manoa (Northampton): The big American wore 4 on his back but we can't leave him out after he carried the ball for 84 metres, beating four defenders along the way. Exeter Chiefs nearly caused the upset of the year and skipper Tom Hayes was in the thick of the action. Johan Muller was a tower of strength for Ulster.
4 Steve Borthwick (Saracens): There's life in the old dog yet! The flash boys got the headlines for their tries but the Sarries captain led the tackle count in Edinburgh with 14 hits. Bakkies Botha was so good for Toulon that France coach Philippe Saint-André said he wished he could pick the South African enforcer for les Bleus!
3 Census Johnston (Toulouse): The Tigers scrum was under the cosh in wet conditions in Toulouse and the fiery Samoan was the root cause of the trouble. John Afoa put in another big game for Ulster while former a certain Carl Hayman was fit enough to make 16 tackles for Toulon. Davit Zirakashvili helped Clermont win a penalty try.
2 Richard Hibbard (Ospreys): The Ospreys dominated a very strong Treviso scrum and Hibbard made a impact on defence with 10 hits. Rob Buchanan's try for Quins changed the complexion of the encounter against Biarritz.
1 Thomas Domingo (Clermont): Getting back to his best form, Domingo caught the eye with his energy around the park. Saracens prop Mako Vumipola also had very strong game. Honourable mention too for Racing's Andrea Lo Cicero.
Comments
heart_of_oak says...
well said again connaughtabu - another brilliant post.
Posted 16:52 16th October 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Capedcrusader - couldn't disagree with you more. There was a real variety to these games. There were games with high scores and flowing rugby, there were great comebacks (Saints Glasgow), there were tough hard fought games where underdogs performed really well (Leinster Exeter), there were games where good teams got hammered (Toulose Leicester). This is what you want from a competition I think - variety and something unexpected.
Though I'm English and would like an English club to win, Toulouse are looking strong. Leinster, who looked poor are sure to come back with a lot of fight for their next game. I think BoD will be determined to show he can do better than he did. But right now, it's still very open and almost anyone could win.
The Super Rugby tournament is now over and we knew very early on who was going to win it. I'm not saying I don't admire SH rugby - I do - and I'm ready to admit the standard is higher in general than in NH rugby. But your comment about these games is just plain wrong.
Posted 16:48 16th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Capedcrusader - beat you to it, I'm afraid, but thanks for playing!
;-)
Posted 16:30 16th October 2012
connaughtabu says...
@ Capedcrusader says... "Very very mediocre so suits the HC. A mediocre tournament. NH rugby continues its mediocrity"
Well, having lived in New Zealand for 12 years and gone to every class of game - club, provincial, super and test, I can declare that it is SO much more fun going to rugby matches in the northern hemisphere - large singing, chanting, joking, smiling crowds of supporters. I do believe the HC final at the packed Aviva stadium in 2011 (Leinster vs Northampton) was as much fun I have had with my clothes on for many a year, as the say goes! In contrast, rugby games in NZ are poorly attended and require inane piped music to generate any sort of atmosphere. The quality of the rugby is mostly of the highest standard, but sometime that isn't what is important, is it?
Come check it out, Capedcrusader you might be surprised how "un-mediocre" HC rugby can be!
:-))
Posted 16:09 16th October 2012
munster30 says...
@ Capedcrusader
Very mediocre comment. Ever hear of a thesaurus mate? You can get them on amazon for a few bucks.
Posted 15:28 16th October 2012
Capedcrusader says...
very very mediocre so suits the HC. A mediocre tournament. NH rugby continues its mediocrity.
Posted 13:03 16th October 2012
Toulousain says...
Sincero, that's exactly what many have been saying all along. Let we French and English gloat this weekend and next if we must. But the reality is the Irish will come back strong in December/January and probably still make the QFs. Then the worm will turn.
I, for one, will be the first to shout "foul" when Leinster's 1st XV (plus a few Xmas transfer window signings) fresh from a few weeks rest in Pro12 knocks out Toulouse's 2nd XV (with a couple of 1st team players on crutches and playing out of position) in the semis in April. Sound fanciful? Not really.....
So we should all also recognise that it is "unfair" that Leinster are barely out of pre-season at the moment, and yet are dropping potentially valuable bonus points.
Mind you, it keeps it all interesting......
Posted 13:00 16th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ kybone - I know, that's one of the reasons he'll give SL a headache.
@ heart_of_oak - I genuinely belive that if Cips can keep this form up (and, indeed, improve), and stop any off-pitch nonsense, he's got a chance to get the Red Rose on his chest again. Lots of "ifs" there, though...
And folks, please stop the politics and hating daftness. It's unnecessary and makes you look childish.
Posted 12:11 16th October 2012
Dannyboy says...
@Froggy73
Oh Froggy, don't get upset, we're all just having a little fun, aren't we?!
Look, deep down, we Celts don't think the French and English are bullys for the just sake of it. Of course not.
We know it's for the money you're threatening to ruin the best club rugby competition in the world.
Posted 11:30 16th October 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Sincero, you really do have a problem. Your hatred of the English is an obsession, isn't it.
Connaughtabu - it's a pleasure to read your posts which are honest and give non Irish readers an insight into Irish club rugby. As I said before, I will never see all Irish posters as bigots and hope you don't see all English posters that way, though I know some of my countrymen have posted some pretty racist stuff. I worked in Dublin some years ago, loved the place and had a great time. I also had a great time with my Irish colleagues whose sense of humour kept a difficult project a pleasure to work on.
This is the way I would hope we can all relate to each other. Yes, in the past, the English have done bad things but that's the past. I don't blame Germans I meet for the 2nd world war.
Please could we just focus on Rugby ?
Posted 11:29 16th October 2012
Rosbif says...
btw, genuine question to any mathematicians out there. How do you calculate %s and compare across countries when Toulon play Montpellier? Is that a win and a loss for the French, or is the sample size reduced or increased, or divided by the square root of something....how does it work again? (and btw, do you think any team from any country would have gone to mayol and got a victory on sunday night?)
Posted 11:28 16th October 2012
Sincero says...
BTW, that one Leinster player who performed well enough to make your composite XV, Shane Jennings, has started *every game this season*.
So, PR, do you admit you were wrong in last week's piece crying foul at the outrageous advantage the Irish have in the European Cup due to player rotation??? Just to have the record clear...
Posted 11:13 16th October 2012
Dannyboy says...
@jamesliveinhope - Well actually, when comparing differing overall totals, using percentages is quite a common method.
But for the English, I also included the fractions. You understand fractions right?
e.g In two years, when the Scots vote to break up the UK, England will be 1/3 more isolated.
Of course, you can write the UK will shrink by 33%, but if your not comfortable with percentages, that's very understandable.
Posted 11:07 16th October 2012
BODsGODmisspelt says...
connaughtabu:
Given the limited support by the IRFU with many of our best up-and-coming local players being pinched by Leinster and Munster to man their subs bench (Carr, Keitley, Hagan), it can't be easy.
I think you'll find Carr, Keatley and Hagan are all products of the Leinster academy actually. They would have gone to connaught for game time and that's it.
Posted 11:04 16th October 2012
Sincero says...
Great call putting Jenno in there, PR... he has been outstanding of late, especially against Munster and Exeter... few other positives so far for our Champions.
Now: where are all you moaning Nigels who complained 'oh they Irish are cheating by resting palyers' etc. The French and the English teams were far sharper than Leinster and Munster due to the IRFU enforced resting of internationals, while Ulster look great... but, of course, they're massively under-represented in green thanks to the Stiddy O'Kidney selection bias, so were denied fewer players.
Case in point is Cian Healy: Ireland's first-choice loosie, and his first game back for Leinster... he was gulping in air by 25' because he's simply not match fit... whereas the Exeter boys, or Clermont or Toulouse (that PR had so much sympathy for, because they poor professional rugby players on those teams had been forced by an Irish conspiracy to play rugby seven or even eight times this year, while out lads put the feet up and smoked pipes around the fire discussing philosophy) looked sharp and battle hardened.
So, basically: you were all wrong and complaining without any logic behind you... will that stop you from moaning still? Given your track record as Whinging Poms... I'm going to plump for no.
Posted 10:51 16th October 2012
RFDY says...
connaughtabu - Where are Carr, Hagan and keatley (even though he went to Munster) from? Leinster - so they are not local boys. I agree with you on the second row issue at Leinster. Agree with you that Conway hasnt stepped up. Disagree on O'Malley as he has been injured and prior to that was playing very well. Agree with you on Fergus but your comment on BOD and Darcy's centre partnership is rubbish. Second test in NZ proved that. BOD is a better player when playing with Gordan. But by breaking down your comment it is clear to see that you dont watch Leinsters matches. Healy is just back from injury and was not match fit, jennings was very very good against both Munster and Exeter. The only talent Leinster need to buy is a second row.
Posted 10:50 16th October 2012
froggy73 says...
@dannyboy: Thanks for you meaningless stats. French clubs are indeed too weak for the Irish clubs. Yes that is the only reasons why they are threatening to go. We can't match you guys. But tell me: why is that bothering you so much. After all, you are the kings of the world, let the minnows go and have your own cup. I personally wouldn't be too bothered.
Posted 10:36 16th October 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
4 English players all excluded from England for one reason or other.
Posted 08:46 16th October 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@dannyboy - hard work sometimes to find a stat that makes it all look ok - not many people use percentages when the sample is only 4.
(Other than Eurozone economists). :-p
Posted 08:08 16th October 2012
connaughtabu says...
Is it wonderful that the HC has begun and the Connaught has kicked off with a victory! Roll on Saturday in Galway, we have a rotten ground (for those who haven't been there, it's a dog track), but the atmosphere is great, the expectations of the fans reasonable and the effort of the players genuine. I'm not sure about our coach chucking it in, though. Given the limited support by the IRFU with many of our best up-and-coming local players being pinched by Leinster and Munster to man their subs bench (Carr, Keitley, Hagan), it can't be easy. The story is that Elwood wants to spend more time with his family, don't we all, but we still got to work!
Of the Irish major Irish sides, only Ulster, the Manchester City of Irish rugby look the business. Munster seems to have hit a low patch and are going through the necessary root-and-branch changes, so they may be quiet for a season or two. The biggest surprise of the season is just how poor Leinster is: their test props get a going over by lowly Exeter, not a decent lock in the squad (bring back Thorn!) and the backrow in disarray (Jennings the best No7 on display at the weekend, really?). Of major concern is just how stale the Leinster backs are. Nacewa has lost his sharpness , and whatever people say, the new crop of backs (Conway, Madigan [at fullback??], O'Malley) don't seem to bring the same punch as the Kearney brothers and Fitzgerald. The centres need a complete re-think - the O'Driscoll and Darcy era is officially over! and their successors are quite ready yet. McFadden is neither a No12 (too small, poor penetration) nor a No13 (poor defence), so maybe Leinster should buy in some talent - how about Nonu and Smith!!
Bring on week 2! :-))
Posted 04:58 16th October 2012