By Ollie Phillips
Amid talk of Louis Rees-Zammit’s move to NFL, the upcoming release of the Netflix documentary and the various Six Nations squad announcements, we must not forget the allure that this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup has.
I wasn’t too certain about the change in pool structure but it must be said that nearly every game has something on the line as we go into the final round of matches.
Only Northampton Saints are guaranteed to be at home for one of the eight round of 16 ties, and even for them there’s something to play for in terms of seeding.
So when you look at the pools and what is on offer for each team, my predictions suggest that nine of the 10 Premiership sides will stay in the fight for a trophy this year – either through the top flight Champions Cup or in the second tier Challenge Cup.
In it to win it
In Pool 1 of the Champions Cup I believe Saracens will bounce back from their humiliating loss at the hands of Bordeaux last week to qualify, and leave Bristol Bears dropping down to the Challenge Cup for finishing fifth in the group while Connacht quit the competition fully.
Pool 2 is interesting and I think it will be Cardiff – who head to Paris to take on Racing 92 – and Ulster – who travel to London to face Harlequins – will miss out on progression through to the knockouts.
In Pool 3, it’ll be French pairing Toulon and Bayonne, while Pool 4 will see Stade Francais and Sale Sharks miss out on the round of 16.
But the point is this: we are in the final round and there’s something on the line in every pool. And that’s what the Champions Cup should be about. It should be the pinnacle, where one bad game can spell the difference between being in and out.
Champions Cup seeding
Last weekend I thought we were seeing one of the early signs of the dismantling of a dynasty when Saracens lost 55-15 to Bordeaux across the Channel, but I back them this weekend.
And with six of their stars included in the England squad there will be extra impetus to perform in a game against Lyon they need to win.
Seeding is vital, though, in this competition – more so than ever before.
With South African sides in the mix, many European teams will want to avoid a trip down to the southern hemisphere at all costs.
Even for the solitary English side in the Challenge Cup, Gloucester, a top-two pool stage finish, rather than top four, is the difference between a potential knockout tie in Durban and not.
It is something that all sides now need to think about as they move forward, with those already through knowing that another five points could make all the difference.
So with just one match left, it is all on the line for nearly every team. And that is exactly what we want.
Stateside LRZ
I am so happy for Louis Rees-Zammit and his decision to ditch rugby for a shot at the NFL. The mood around rugby remains dull despite an uptick in the product and at 22 he has so much ahead of him.
Life at Gloucester Rugby right now must be pretty shit and it’s the NFL, for goodness sake. It is a chance to make a proper name for himself and change his life.
By exploring the United States, especially with his talent, he’ll undoubtedly come across some opportunities that topple those in the UK.
And while it is the loss of one of rugby’s bright stars, it is the chance for the sport to be part of a global story.
He’s got the ambition, he’s got the attributes and he should go for it… even if it flops.
On tour!
I must say that I have mixed emotions about the women’s Lions tour. It is brilliant and it is a truly new age for women’s rugby but I think they have missed an opportunity at being radical.
Why couldn’t we have looked at a Ryder Cup/Solheim Cup style continental competition, or something truly individualistic.
Why must we always look at women’s sports and try to copy the men. It hasn’t always worked for the men so why are we insistent on replication!
It is a great idea and it is superb to see sponsors getting behind it, but are we running before we can walk?
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance, experts in leadership development and behavioural change. Follow Ollie on Twitter and on LinkedIn.
