Champions Cup: Five players that need to step up this weekend

With the first leg of the round-of-16 in the books and one game remaining before eight sides are knocked out, the teams will need to dig deep should they wish to remain in the prestigious Champions Cup.

Four of the games played last weekend were won by less than a converted try, meaning those ties are far from over, but sides like Harlequins, Clermont Auvergne, Bordeaux-Begles and Stade Francais will need nothing short of a miracle to progress to the quarter-finals.

80 minutes of rugby stands in the way of progression in the tournament and we have picked out individual players who will need to step up to bring their respective teams one step closer to glory.

Iain Henderson (Ulster)

Ulster shocked Europe last week with an upset win at Stadium de Toulouse following the red carding of home wing Juan Cruz Mallia after just 10 minutes of play.

Despite having a one-man advantage for 70 minutes, Ulster were only able to clinch a six-point lead when Wayne Barnes blew the whistle to signal the end of play. Although they are now slight favourites, Dan McFarland’s men will be very wary of the quality the defending champions possess.

Captain Henderson defended well against the relentless Toulouse pack, who brought on the likes of Cyril Baille and Anthony Jelonch in the second half to keep the pressure on Ulster, but failed, as did the rest of the Ulster pack, to repeatedly break the gain line. The French team held up well to the visiting forwards with the serious damage coming from hat-trick hero Robert Baloucoune and full-back Michael Lowry.

If the United Rugby Championship team are to retain their lead, Henderson and his pack must carry harder and more effectively to allow John Cooney and Billy Burns to call the shots.

Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

Exeter‘s hard fought victory over Munster at Sandy Park saw the former European champions grind out a five point advantage heading into the return fixture at Thomond Park.

Forwards like Jacques Vermeulen, Dave Ewers and Sam Skinner stood out for the Chiefs, earning places as honourable mentions in Planet Rugby’s Champions Cup Team of the Week, but star number eight Simmonds was kept quiet all game. He provided nine tackles defensively, but the attacking prowess that earned him a nomination for European Men’s Player of the Year was nowhere to be seen.

Simmonds usually plays a forward-back hybrid style of rugby that flashes his centre-like pace as well as the crunching carries one can expect from a modern back-rower. It’s vital for Exeter that he turns up at Thomond Park as the Premiership side will be greeted by a tough Munster team and a wall of noise provided by their passionate fans.

They know what they’re up against having already grinded out victory back home in Devon and, with the help of an in-form Simmonds, Exeter can perhaps just about retain their advantage and progress in the tournament.

Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)

A lifeless performance from the Sharks led to a narrow loss to Bristol at home last Saturday in front of a meagre crowd of 4,672. The side failed to create any form of sustained attack, with outside centre Sam James carrying just three times all game.

De Klerk, the scrum-half who is usually the dynamo at the heart of the Sale offence, was substituted off after 49 minutes alongside Manu Tuilagi.

With a slim one point margin between the two sides, the game is within reach for the Greater Manchester side and the World Cup winner may be the key to it all. If the Springbok can create a faster tempo for the Sharks to work with, the ball may be able to see more of the wider areas of the field, allowing Sale’s outside backs more opportunity to display their quality.

The 2018 World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year runner up will have received a shock to the system having been removed from the game so early and hopefully this is enough to rekindle the energy and flair he usually plays with. English livewire Raffi Quirke won’t be an option at nine this week due to an injury he sustained in the first leg, so all eyes are on De Klerk.

Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

After head coach Tabai Matson was vocal about his side’s aspirations in the European Champions Cup this year, Quins all but suffocated any chance of glory this season with a devastating 40-26 loss to Montpellier.

A 14-point margin is simply gargantuan when dealing with a team of Montpellier’s calibre; the French side currently sit atop the Top 14 competition.

If they are to cause an upset upon their homecoming this weekend, a drastically improved performance is needed across the board but particularly from their fly-half. Despite disappointing last Sunday, Smith has seldom been known to slump, with the England international being one of the more consistent 10s in the Premiership.

Should he and half-back partner Danny Care find a groove early on, a comeback may well be on the tables but they will have to do it for the whole 80 minutes.

That would help get Andre Esterhuizen, one of Smith’s favourite weapons in the backline, into the game was carded and potentially put the visitors under pressure.

With discipline, an improved game plan and defensive might, Quins will have a shot at pulling off the seemingly impossible, which would be remarkable considering they were 34-0 down at one stage on Sunday, but it will be a difficult task.

Mack Hansen (Connacht)

Truth be told, Connacht were unfortunate to lose this all-Irish duel last weekend, going down 26-21 and leaving them with a tough trip to Leinster this weekend.

The difference between these two sides could be a strong outing from newcomer Hansen on the wing after a frustrating game in the first leg fixture. John Porch stole the limelight on the other wing with 94 metres made from 10 carries while Hansen ran for just 29 off eight.

Should the winger recover some of the form he found at the Six Nations during his debut Championship with Ireland, Leinster may be in for a shock. His ability to roam, create space and pick lines when off the ball could open up this game and provide another dimension for the Connacht half-back duo of Jack Carty and Kieran Marmion to work with.

Hansen will need his pack to create a platform but, if it all goes to plan for the Galway outfit, Leinster’s Jimmy O’Brien will have his hands full in Dublin.

READ MORE: Loose Pass: Champions Cup format a hit and England’s one that got away