This weekend sees the return of European rugby, with the Quarter Finals of the Champions Cup. It really is the business end of the season now, with teams jostling for playoff spots in the Gallagher Premiership, Top 14 and the URC.
There are no matches in those 3 competitions for the next two weeks, add that to the fact that WP have a bye in the Currie Cup this weekend, means my attention will be squarely on the Champions Cup, with perhaps one eye on Paarl Gym v Paul Roos as the weekend’s curtain raiser.
The biggest clash of the weekend will be in England as the top sides in England and the URC clash. Leicester welcome Leinster to Welford Road, in what should be a match of close to test match intensity. Enjoy!
Munster v Toulouse – Aviva Stadium, Dublin
7 May 2022 @ 16:00
Due to a scheduling clash with an Ed Sheeran concert at Thomond Park, Munster have to give up their home ground advantage. They are now playing in Dublin, the hometown of their arch-rivals Leinster. Despite this, coach Johann van Graan still believes their ‘16th man’ will be pivotal. They are bussing them in and it should be some atmosphere!
Munster lost both games on the SA leg of their URC tour but have quality across the park to give their travelling support something to get their teeth into. Peter O’Mahony will be key in their efforts to subdue Toulouse’s fearsome pack. Damian de Allende is a legitimate world star now and he will need to be at his brilliant best to repel Toulouse.
Toulouse have struggled for consistency in the Top 14 this season and still have a lot of work to do to make the semi-finals. But in their last outing on Saturday they put away La Rochelle, in what is becoming a modern rivalry, having played them in the final of both the domestic and European competitions last year.
Like France, Toulouse have very few weaknesses. Their pack is freakishly big and are able to call on both French hookers who won the Grand Slam and meaty props either side of them. The Arnolds guarantee lineout ball, almost without having to jump and with Jelonch marauding at 8 and Flament the underrated flank also impressing, Munster’s pack will have their work cut out just to gain parity up front.
Toulouse’s halfbacks of Dupont and Ntamack speak for themselves, both of whom were crucial in their late win over Ulster in the Round of 16. They have 9 Grand Slam winners in their side and should have too much for Munster, in what should be an epic encounter at the Aviva to start the weekend.
Going through: Toulouse
Leicester v Leinster – Welford Road, Leicester
7 May 2022 @ 18:30
Leicester face Leinster in the game of the round. Both sides top their domestic competitions and are gunning for the double. There are eye-catching head-to-heads all over the place in this game! Even in the coaches’ box, there is a clash between England’s past coach and one who could well be England’s next coach in Lancaster v Borthwick.
It will be an intriguing clash of styles, with Leicester’s aversion to taking risks up against Leinster’s high-tempo, offloading game. Youngs and Ford will look to marshal their pack around the field, while Gibson-Park will be looking to quicken the pace and let Sexton get the backline going. Leinster’s offloading game was on display against Connacht in the last round, but Leicester’s defence will provide a sterner test!
Leicester have been sublime in the Premiership, with many young players coming to the fore. Reffell in the pack and Kelly and Steward in the backline have been outstanding. The battle up front is going to be titanic! I cannot wait for the first (and every) scrum!
Leinster are practically an Irish test side, who will be well rested after they took their reserves to SA for their two matches in the URC in the last fortnight. At their best, they are almost unstoppable, with their all-court game producing scintillating tries this season.
Will Leinster be well-rested or rusty? Will Leicester be battle-hardened or fatigued? Either way, Welford Road will be bouncing. Leicester could also stick Eddie O’Sullivan’s comments about them being given too much credit and the ‘what have they done in Europe?’ jibe to the changeroom walls.
Intriguing match ups:
- Genge v Furlong (Lions)
- Montoya v Kelleher (Jackallers and feisty)
- Reffell v vd Flier (Jackallers)
- Wiese v Conan (physicality and Boks v Lions repeat)
- Ford v Sexton (Experience and old foes)
- Steward v Keenan (New kids on the block for club and country)
Going through: Leinster
La Rochelle v Montpellier – Stade Marcel Deflandre, La Rochelle
7 May 2022 @ 18:30
In this all-French clash, both sides come into the game on the back of disappointing defeats last weekend in the Top 14. La Rochelle went down to a resurgent Toulouse, while Montpellier lost heavily at Lyon. The defeat was made worse by the season-ending injury suffered by their talisman Paul Willemse.
Montpellier have been flying high at the summit of the Top 14 all season, but Willemse’s injury, together with losing Cobus Reinach for the season too, have dented their spine significantly. They excelled in the home leg of the round 16 against Quins, and then held on for a famous victory on aggregate, despite fielding what looked a weakened team, even leaving Mercer on the bench. Handre Pollard will need to use all his experience to steer his team around the park, and with Paolo Garbisi alongside, they have kicking options off both feet to pin back the dangerous back 3 of La Rochelle.
La Rochelle were losing finalists in the Top 14 and the Champions Cup last year, and will be desperate to go one better this season. In Gregory Alldritt, they have one of the best players in the world and a sparkling backline. Home ground advantage, together with the fact that Montpellier are suffering a minor injury crisis may just tilt this one in favour of La Rochelle.
Going through: La Rochelle
Racing 92 v Sale Sharks – La Defence Arena, Paris
8 May 2022 @ 16:00
An England v France clash completes the quarter final line-up, even if the ‘English’ team have 10 Saffas! It could be billed as Sale’s massive pack against Racing’s star-studded backline.
Sale’s forwards decimated Newcastle on the weekend and will again look to their driving maul to be a point of difference. The Du Preez twins have been impressive this season and another standout performance here could put them in the Bok frame for the Welsh tests in July. Sale have been ill-disciplined in the Premiership however, conceding too many penalties and yellow cards. That must be their focus.
It will be interesting to see how Trevor Nyakane goes at tighthead and around the park. He is a brilliant player on his day and the battle at the scrum will be immense! Diallo on the blindside doesn’t take a backward step and his battle with the Du Preez’s will be quality. When Racing get the ball to the backline all bets are off.
Racing have a good record at home, and the fact that Francophobe Andrew Brace is the referee gives Racing the edge in my mind. I don’t think Sale are consistent enough across 80 minutes to beat the Gallic superstars.
Going through: Racing 92
