The Champions Cup returns
The 2016-17 Champions Cup kicks off this coming weekend and as early as the opening round, there are some fantastic match-ups to take in.
The action begins at Scotstoun on Friday night when Glasgow Warriors welcome Leicester Tigers north of the border.
The Scottish side have promised a lot but under-delivered on the European stage over the last few seasons, generally struggling to replicate their excellent Guinness Pro12 form against the big boys of English and French rugby.
With the Tigers looking out of sorts to start the Aviva Premiership season and Glasgow far from their imperious best in the Pro12, it’s a hard game to call. With Racing 92 also in the pool, it’s certainly a game, however, that both teams will think they need to win if they are to progress to the quarter-finals.
The French side will host Munster on Sunday and though the signs of growth and development under Rassie Erasmus are promising for Munster, it will be a mountainous-sized challenge for the province to take anything away from Stade Yves-du-Manoir.
In Pool 2, Wasps’ great start to the season should only gather pace as they host Zebre and a cricket score is likely, especially as they lick their wounds after their loss to Saracens. The other fixture in the pool, where Connacht host Toulouse, should offer a more compelling contest.
Connacht struggled early in the Pro12 but have home advantage and their international players back, which is probably enough to make them favourites over a Toulouse side which has not travelled well in recent years. Regardless, the four-times European champions have looked solid in the Top 14 thus far and have a squad capable of winning at the Sportsground if Connacht play too loosely.
Perhaps the pick of the opening round matches takes place at the Stade Mayol, where RC Toulon welcome reigning champions Saracens to the south of France, in a contest that boasts the last four winners of the competition.
Saracens will back themselves to turnover an underperforming Toulon side, whilst Mourad Boudjellal’s Galacticos will be keen to show that their European candle hasn’t burned out just yet. Elsewhere in Pool 3, Scarlets host Sale Sharks in a clash of two teams yet to hit top gear this season.
On to Pool 4 – perhaps the most open group on paper – where Castres Olympique travel to Dublin to take on Leinster. The province’s European performances have been poor over the last couple of seasons but a home clash against Castres gives them a good opportunity to get off to a winning start and use that as a springboard to a better 2016-17 season.
Northampton Saints vs Montpellier at Franklin’s Gardens completes the Pool 4 slate in what should prove a brutally physical meeting of two of the most powerful packs in Europe. It doesn’t promise a lot of free-flowing rugby but it could sneakily be one of the best games of the opening weekend.
Finally, Pool 5 sees Bordeaux-Begles welcome Ulster to Stade Chaban-Delmas and gives Exeter Chiefs the opportunity to relive their impressive campaign from a year ago, as Clermont Auvergne make the trip to Sandy Park for the second time in 10 months.
With Clermont and Ulster running the tables in the Top 14 and Pro12 respectively, Pool 5 is coming in under the radar as the group to watch this season.
Things to watch in Round 1
Wasps vs Zebre
It doesn’t offer much chance of being a competitive match but if you’re after tries, especially the ones that come at the end of flowing back line moves, then tune in to Wasps vs Zebre. Wasps have scored more points and more tries than anyone else in the Premiership, whilst Zebre are the second most porous defence in the same categories in the Pro12.
It all adds up to tries. Lots of them.
Connacht’s style
Connacht looked like one of the favourites for the Challenge Cup at the midway point last season but came unstuck against Grenoble in the quarter-finals. They didn’t adapt to the situation and their eagerness to ‘play’ ended up costing them.
They seemed to learn from that and it helped them in their successful bid for the Pro12 title but Toulouse will punish them if they play with a similar irresponsibility this weekend. Toulouse have had their travails on the road but are certainly capable of winning if Connacht’s finger hovers over the self-destruct button in Europe once again.
A fresh Louis Picamoles
Northampton made the decision to semi-rest Picamoles last weekend, using him from the bench against Harlequins, possibly with an eye on their upcoming fixture with Montpellier. Montpellier will go into the game as favourites and Northampton will need their new French talisman to be at his very best.
The former Toulouse man seemed relieved to be out of the Top 14 this summer and you would expect him to go all out against a Montpellier side which exemplifies the frustrations many French players have with their domestic competition.
Glasgow’s opportunity to arrive on European stage
As mentioned earlier, Glasgow have always promised a lot but then failed to back it up at European level. If they can beat Leicester at Scotstoun, it will go a long way to giving them the confidence they need to perform at a level above that of the Pro12.
The Tigers head north in good spirits after their win over Worcester but their defence has left plenty to be desired so far this season. Former defence coach Scott Hansen has left the club as a result and if there were ever a time for Leicester to be exposed in the Champions Cup, it’s on Friday night.
Clermont are back
Clermont’s European flower had seemed to be wilting of late but if they can show the same form in the Champions Cup that they have in the Top 14, they can make the perfect start to their bid for the one trophy that continues to elude them.
The side from the Massif Central lead the Top 14 in both points and tries scored and come up against an Exeter team this weekend that has yet to hit top gear this season. The Chiefs have conceded the second most tries in the Premiership - with only 12th placed Bristol proving more of a revolving door - and haven’t been able to rely on their lineout and driving maul foundation of last season. The French side could turn the tables at Sandy Park.
