Loose Pass
This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with domestics, finance, and a forthcoming tournament in New Zealand…
This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with domestics, finance, and a forthcoming international tournament in New Zealand…
OK, so we're all looking at New Zealand at the moment. But there's been an explosion of action in Europe over the past couple of weeks as all those unfortunate enough not to be heading down under start holding the fort at their clubs.
There's inevitably going to be some skew results – not least Exeter's victory at Welford Road – but while these matches are to a certain extent devalued by the absence of the World Cuppers, for the diehard club fan, the forthcoming period should prove an accurate measure of his or her club's internal stability.
Results are results, but this is a time to look down the teamsheets and look at the unfamiliar names making an impression, the players dredged up from the reserves, youth teams and academies who excel when given their opportunity.
Sunday's match between Northampton and Gloucester was a good case study. Northampton flanker Ben Nutley was impressive for the Saints, while Gloucester centre Jonny May did equally as well for Gloucester. While Leicester did not get a good result, Richard Cockerill and co. will have taken note of the talents of George Ford and there were plenty of good displays from lesser names in the Quins-Irish match.
In France, there were also some new faces leaving an impression. Clermont full-back Jean-Marcellin Buttin was excellent, among two or three other young faces among the jaunards' squad.
By contrast, Newcastle – sadly – look to have lost a promising youngster too many over the close season, while in France, Biarritz forwards coach Serge Milnas bemoaned his youngsters' inability to step up to the plate against Agen, as well as his older heads' inability to step up and lead them, saying: “our youngsters are afraid of expressing themselves, engaging themselves, and our veterans aren't helping them much either.”
In the RaboDirect PRO12 (ugh!), the Ospreys showed they still have the monopoly on Wales' best emerging talent in their victory over Leinster. Keep your eyes on scrum-half Rhys Webb and centre Ashley Beck.
Once next year rolls in and the Heineken Cup returns in earnest, all the big names will once again dominate and the usual suspects – Leicester, Leinster et al – will start making up for lost time. But keep a close eye on your team over the next few weeks as well as events in New Zealand It will give you a good idea of the direction you are heading in.
____________________________________________________________________
While vaguely on the subject of future and sustainability, Deloitte released a report this week about rugby club finances, which made for interesting reading.
While unfortunately not including the Irish and Scottish teams' cash figures, the report showed that French clubs still have the most financial clout, with 11 of the top 15 teams in terms of straight revenue hailing from across the channel.
England's East Midlands appears to be the national hotbed, with Leicester and Northampton leading the way in terms of both revenue and average attendance. Gloucester were third in England on both counts.
Toulouse is still Europe's biggest club, with Clermont not far behind. Munster and Leinster both figured highly in average attendance.
However, there was a reminder from a Deloitte partner that revenue is only half the picture.
Dan Jones, Partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, commented: “The dominance of the French clubs in generating revenue is largely due to greater commercial income, primarily as a result of more lucrative sponsorship deals as opposed to bigger match attendance figures. Increasing revenue generation is critical for top clubs in a fiercely competitive pan-European, and indeed global, market for playing talent.
“The ongoing challenge for all clubs is managing their cost base relative to revenue…the growth of clubs' costs throughout the professional era has matched or outstripped the impressive revenue growth and, whilst there is a welcome degree of regulatory control on the largest cost item (player salaries) through the salary caps in England and France, the vast majority of clubs are delivering operating losses year-on-year.”
Top 15 Clubs (Revenue) Irish and Scottish club figures not released
1. Toulouse
2. Clermont Auvergne
3. Leicester Tigers
4. Stade Francais
5. Racing Metro 92
6. Toulon
7. Brive
8. Montpellier
9. Biarritz Olympique
10. Perpignan
11. Northampton Saints
12. Bayonne
13. Castres Olympique
14. Harlequins
15. Gloucester
Top 15 Clubs (match attendance average)
1. Leicester Tigers
2. Toulouse
3. Clermont Auvergne
4. Munster
5. Bayonne
6. Leinster
7. Toulon
8. Northampton Saints
9. Perpignan
10. Gloucester
11. Harlequins
12. Montpellier
13. La Rochelle
14. Bath
15. Stade Francais
____________________________________________________________________
So finally it's upon us! I woke up this morning and realised there's no more weekends until the action starts! Goodness only knows how I'll feel on Friday.
The Rugby World Cup is a culmination of several years of work on the part of the hosts, while the work in earnest for the IRB and all the national unions began the day after South Africa hoisted 'Bill' four years ago.
In seven weeks time we'll know who managed that work the best. But in the meantime, here are what we think the key questions are ahead of the tournament. And possibly after…
1. With everything on their side, can New Zealand really do it?
2. How nuts will Peter de Villiers be?
3. After all the attempts down the past four years to get the game more open and increase the try count, will running rugby actually rule? Has the game actually opened up?
4. Following the tournament, what will be the next raft of law changes (NB, we're willing to bet a decrease in drop goal value will be one)?
5. Just how far ahead of the north is the southern hemisphere?
6. Will all the attempts to homogenise refereeing standards be a success?
Whatever the answers to the above, bottom line is: IT'S GOING TO BE SO GOOD!
Loose Pass compiled by Richard Anderson