The short side: Repeat final, back-row battle, the Top 14

Colin Newboult

The short side returns to Planet Rugby as we study the main talking points ahead of this weekend’s Premiership final and Top 14 barrages.

Premiership final – Saracens v Exeter Chiefs

The game of the weekend sees the two English giants collide after securing comfortable victories in their respective semi-finals. It is a repeat of the encounter from last year, where Saracens were simply too good for the Chiefs and ended up securing a 27-10 triumph.

That was the Londoners’ third domestic title in four years – the other was won by Exeter – and Mark McCall’s men are favourites to take it once again and claim another double. In 2016, they enjoyed the perfect campaign, sealing both the Premiership and Champions Cup, and the Chiefs will have to do something special to prevent Sarries from adding to their trophy cabinet.

There are several mouth-watering individual duels but it is all about what happens on the day. With both close to full strength, logic dictates that the defending champions will be too good but, should McCall’s charges be slightly off their game, the Devonians are more than good enough to pounce.

Top 14 quarter-final 1 – Racing 92 v La Rochelle

France’s top-tier has finally reached the play-off stage and these two sides will battle it out for the right to face Toulouse in the semi-finals. It should be a free-flowing affair as both teams like to move the ball wide, but the Parisians have the greater quality throughout the XV.

More pressure will be on the hosts, however, with them expected to overcome the visitors and claim a place in the last four. Therefore, in many ways, it is a free shot for Jono Gibbes’ charges, who have done well to reach the top-six after the disappointment of the 2017/18 campaign and the upheaval that followed.

Gibbes has only been in charge since November so a victory would be a remarkable achievement. They also have the benefit of not having to play in Racing’s intimidating new home, the Paris La Defense Arena, as singer Mylene Farmer is due to play nine shows there, so bizarrely their most important match of the year will take place at the comparatively rundown Stade Yves-du-Manoir.

Top 14 quarter-final 2 – Lyon v Montpellier

The visitors may well have reached the final in 2018, but they are simply relieved to be in the play-offs this time around. For a large part of the campaign, they appeared set to miss out on the top-six having endured a disappointing season, but eight wins in nine has seen them sneak in.

Ironically, it came as a result of Castres’ defeat – the side that overcame Montpellier last year – which now gives them an opportunity to win the title. It will be a tough ask, however, as they face one of the most proficient breakdown exponents in the Top 14.

Lyon are rarely thrilling to watch and, with the exception of Baptiste Couilloud and Charlie Ngatai, they do not quite have that consistent star quality in the backline, but they are powerful up front and have a superb back five in the pack. Liam Gill and Deon Fourie have been very influential and big performances from those two may well be enough to overturn Montpellier.

Player to watch – Finn Russell (Racing 92)

The Scotland international has been in excellent form for the Parisians but he somewhat faltered in their biggest game of the campaign – their Champions Cup quarter-final loss to Toulouse. Russell struggled to control that encounter, despite seeing the visitors reduced to 14 men in the first half, and he will expect an improvement on Friday. At his best, the pivot is a joy to watch and Racing will hope that he can tear into the La Rochelle rearguard following an impressive campaign in the capital.

One-v-one battle to watch – Maro Itoje (Saracens) v Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)

There are several intriguing duels to look forward to in the Premiership final but a lot will depend on the Exeter back-row’s ability to get over the gain line. They struggled in that regard in the 2018 showpiece event as Sarries’ defence swarmed all over the Devonians.

As a result, the Chiefs failed to have much of an impact in the previous campaign’s encounter and Ewers will need to have a more effective game this weekend. With him and Don Armand at flanker, and Matt Kvesic enjoying a fine season, there is plenty of carrying ability, but they need to be a bit more intelligent than they were last year.

That is where Itoje comes in. The England forward was an absolute nuisance for Leinster in the Champions Cup final and helped slow their ball down very effectively. He will look to do the same to Exeter on Saturday so it is vital Ewers wins that individual battle.

Subplot to watch – Montpellier to follow in Castres’ footsteps?

Last season, Christophe Urios’ men stunned France by claiming the Top 14 title, despite finishing the campaign in sixth position. They produced three outstanding performances to overcome Toulouse, Racing 92 and Montpellier over successive weeks and win the Bouclier de Brennus.

Vern Cotter’s charges have similarly sneaked into the play-offs and they will attempt to repeat that feat, but first of all they have to overcome Lyon. Should they do that then it arguably gets ‘easier’ in the semi-final, with the match taking place at a neutral venue. Montpellier would also take on Clermont Auvergne, which was a team they defeated last week, so do not count them out of the title race.