Who's hot…and who's not!
It's time for our weekly wrap up of who has their name in lights… and who is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
It's time for our weekly wrap up of who has their name in lights… and who is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
They're smooooookin!
Ronan O'Gara: Old ROG isn't always the most popular of characters outside of Ireland – and the southeast of the Emerald Isle in particular – mainly because he has the incredibly irritating habit of snatching victory away from the opposition in the dying minutes, nay, seconds of close clashes. After breaking Italian hearts back in February, first Northampton and then Castres were given the 'drop-goal-at-the-death' treatment on successive weekends. He's no spring chicken, but you can't put a price on nerves of steel. Indeed, ROG has BMT.
Leinster: After a stuttering start to their Heineken Cup campaign the defending champs hit their straps against Glasgow on Sunday. The result was settled within half-an-hour and the bonus point was in the bag by half-time. Beware the men from Dublin!
Scarlets, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Leicester, Toulouse and Harlequins: Two games, two wins in Europe for these guys, leaving them top of their respective groups. Toulouse visit the Stoop on Friday, December 12 to decide who will take control on Pool 6. Mark it down in your dairy, it's going to be a cracker.
The Biarritz scrum: When the going gets tough…call in the heavies. It's been a season to forget so far for Biarritz and things were looking dire ahead of a visit from the champions of England. But the Basques upset the odds and got the better of Saracens – their first victory at home this season – thanks in no small part to the efforts of their dominant set-piece. At 36 years of age, Sylvain Marconnet showed he can still cause damage when it's time to 'engage'. And he made sure the Sarries' front row heard all about it….
Put the kettle on…it's getting chilly!
Amlin Challenge Cup mismatches: 49-3… 59-6… 68-0…: Those are just some of the scorelines from the past weekend as hidings continue to be dished out on a regular basis in Europe's second-tier club tournament. On the surface, the idea behind the Amlin Challenge Cup makes sense. But the current format makes for far too many one-sided affairs where no one really wins, even then there is a cricket score (no kidding, Brive put 166 past El Salvador last season) on the scoreboard. A grand total of 300 people showed up at the Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma to watch Crociati get thumped by a second-string side from Worcester, for whom a weekend in Italy is not exactly cheap. We all agree that the smaller countries and clubs around Europe can benefit from an international competition but when you have giants like Stade FranĆĀ§ais competing against Bucharest Wolves almost all interest is lost. Perhaps a three-tier structure is the way forward?
Jacques Delmas: Dumped by Biarritz in 2008, then shown the door at Stade FranĆĀ§ais after just six months in 2010, Delmas became the first Top 14 coach of the season to get the chop – this time from Perpignan after only four months at the Catalan club. Since winning back-to-back French titles with Biarritz in 2005 and 2006, not much has gone right for the former hooker. I hear England are looking for a new coach…
Newlands Stadium: Sarries and Biarritz were really looking forward to some fun in the sun down south until the latest episode in the protracted bunfight between the Western Province Rugby Union and the City of Cape Town resulted in the former putting its foot down and insisting that there would be no rugby played at the beautiful, ultramodern, clean, sunny, brand-new, multi-billion Rand Cape Town stadium… but instead moved the scheduled Heineken Cup clash to the old, damp, decrepit parking-less 'home of rugby' on the other side of the mountain. Not surprisingly, Sarries said 'thanks, but no thanks.'
Australia's new Sevens kit: “Ok Bob, for 100 points: What colour do Australia play Seven rugby in?” – “Er…easy… gold” – “Wrong!” Hot on the heals of South Africa's 'Superman-nappies' effort, Australia have gone for a lumo Green Lantern-esque strip. Strewth, mate….
Compiled by Ross Hastie