Who's hot …and who's not!
It's time for our weekly wrap up of who has been setting the benchmarks and who needs to be dropped to bench!
It's time for our weekly wrap up of who has been setting the benchmarks and who needs to be dropped to bench!
They're so hot right now…
The Heineken Cup: Good luck predicting who will rule in Europe this year. Judging by Round One we're in for a fantastically exciting tournament. Big guns like Clermont, Northampton and Racing Metro are already under pressure. The rising status of the smaller Pro12 teams, including the Italians, means that there are no longer any easy games in Europe. Even the bookies are hedging their bets…Sarries at 10/1? Why not!
Harlequins: Eleven games into the season and Quins are still unbeaten! Eight wins in the Premiership, two in the LV=Cup and Friday's Heineken Cup triumph over Connacht at the Stoop have left Conor O'Shea's men with a perfect record so far this term. After the turmoil of Bloodgate two years ago, Quins are back in Europe's top competition and making the headlines for all the right reasons this time!
Montpellier: What a turn around in fortunes for one of France's most promising teams. After a disastrous start to the season that left Fabien Galthié's side rooted to the bottom of the Top 14 table, the return of their World Cup players has turned the boat around to such an extent that les Heraultais came within minutes of causing one of the biggest upsets in Heineken Cup history on their debut. Phew was the collective sentiment for Leinster as Jonny Sexton's late penalty split the uprights to save a draw. Spurred on by renewed self-believe, Montpol could yet upset the apple cart in Pool 6.
Stephen Ferris: The Ulster flank was unlucky not to make our team of the week but after a barnstorming performance against Clermont, he deserves a mention as he continues the strong form shown at the World Cup.
Glasgow leading the Scottish revival: Scottish rugby fans have seen some real highs and lows this year but Glasgow are trying their damndest to make sure the year ends on a positive note. On a fateful weekend at the end of September Glasgow lost – at home – to Treviso; the next day Edinburgh lost to Aironi and then the national side rounded off a horrid weekend by going down to Argentina. But things are looking up north of Hadrian's Wall as Warriors extended their winning run to five games (in all competitions) when they sent Bath home to think again on Sunday…the day after Edinburgh won at Madejski Stadium in Reading!
Someone turn the heater up…it's getting cold in here!
Zac Guildford: Crashing your scooter = not cool. Getting so drunk that you don't realise that your member is waving in the wind = not necessary. Stumbling into a watering hole with the aforementioned member out for all to see = not kosher. Dishing out a backhand to a 60-year-old on his birthday = not very nice. Disturbing a young lady with lewd comments while she's out on her run = not gentlemanly. Mate, you promised us, and yourself, at the World Cup that you'd get a grip. Make it happen.
Mike Tindall and the RFU: As if getting an earful from the Mrs and the Queen wasn't enough (you know it must have happened), add getting booted out of the EPS and being slapped with a £25,000 fine. 25k? Holy polony! You can throw a lot of dwarfs for 25 grand! As mentioned elsewhere on this site, if his actions where that bad, why did it take so long for disciplinary action to see the light of day? All in all, it's a sad way for a former England captain to end a 75-cap international career.
The Rugby Championship: The best rugby competition in the world now officially has the worst name. How long did it take to come up with that gem? If it was more than four minutes, then something is wrong. “Hey Bob, who won the Rugby Championship this year?” – “Er, which one?” Hmmm…We've long suspected that SANZAR was suffering from chronic Lack of Creativity Syndrome and the new tournament logo is proof thereof. It's as boring as the new name!
The Blitzbokke's new shorts: Oh dear. Someone forgot to tell the 'designer' of the Springbok Sevens team's new kit that only Superman gets to wear his undies on the outside. Either that or nappies are set to be all the rage in Hong Kong this year.
Biarritz: The Basques can't buy a win these days and to make matters worse some key players are falling foul of injury. Already stone-last in the Top 14, Saturday's loss to Ospreys has left BO with just one victory in ten starts in all competitions. With playmaker Dimitri Yachvili ruled out of next weekend's clash with English champs Saracens due to a recurring thigh injury and prop Eduard Coetzee forced to retire, the French giants are in all kinds of trouble. It's surely a matter of time before club president Serge Blanco blows a fuse and starts swinging his axe.
Compiled by Ross Hastie