Best XV from European Rugby Champions Cup for Weekend of October 17-19
European rugby is back and back with a bang. Last–minute winners, jaw–dropping tries, bone–crunching tackles and some fine individual displays helped the Champions Cup get underway in style.
On the evidence of the first weekend, trimming the competition from 24 to 20 teams has helped ratchet up the intensity from the start. Only the Ospreys were granted a truly one–sided romp against Treviso.
Everywhere else you looked, games were being scrapped over tooth and nail for the right to get a foothold in some horribly–tough pool sections.
Saracens, Munster and Clermont Auvergne are all in the same section, three of last season’s semi–finalists.
Wasps showed Leinster there will be no easy ride in their pool, and the Scarlets made Toulon work down the stretch to ensure a winning start to their title defence.
Round 1 has teed up next weekend perfectly. Let’s look at the best performers.
15. Dan Evans, Ospreys
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It was not a particularly taxing day for anyone in an Ospreys jersey as they walked through Treviso in a 42-7 romp.
But Dan Evans stood out with an excellent display of his greatest qualities, with two tries to boot.
WalesOnline’s Andy Howell wrote: "Evans might be short, but he is stocky and deceptively strong. He showed his power for the first of his two tries, wriggling his way over the try line."
14. Christian Wade, Wasps
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Wasps' young firecracker Christian Wade scored the individual try of the round with a dazzling piece of footwork against Leinster to leave his pursuers clutching at thin air as he scorched past them on the outside.
Robert Kitson of the Guardian wrote: "There is sharp and then there is Christian Wade. The three Leinster defenders he left sprawling in his wake will definitely not be the last people this season to be left for dead by the Wasps wing whose finishing ability will surely see him restored to the England squad this week."
13. Mark Bennett, Warriors
3 of 15
Glasgow Warrior’s outside centre Mark Bennett was Man of the Match in an inspired Glasgow display that threw another banana skin under the progress of Mike Ford’s Bath.
Bennett grabbed two tries in the 37-10 thumping of the West Country outfit and drew high praise from The Scotsman’s Iain Morrison: "Mark Bennett was a revelation. A force of nature in attack, picking lines like a latter day Alan Tait and running just as hard. He scored Glasgow’s first try, he grabbed their last and pretty much everything he did in between times was spot on."
Sale’s Johnny Leota deserves a mention for a thunderous first half against Munster.
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12. Gael Fickou, Toulouse
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Gael Fickou was a key man for Toulouse as they conquered Montpellier at home to get their campaign under way.
The France international centre ran powerfully and made plenty of tackles as the four-time champions of Europe overpowered the men from the South of France.
11. David Strettle, Saracens
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A brace from David Strettle furthered his claims for a return to the England squad and also helped Saracens off to a great start in this teak–tough pool.
His mate Chris Ashton also bagged a pair but showed some defensive lapses that have curtailed his Red Rose involvement for the time being.
10. Charlie Hodgson, Saracens
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Saracen’s second choice fly–half has made Owen Farrell’s recent injury stint almost negligible with his performances.
He was the architect of a fine win for last season’s runners–up at home to Clermont Auvergne, per ESPNScrum.com: "Charlie Hodgson was superb for Saracens, finishing with 10 points and pulling the strings superbly until his 76th replacement by Owen Farrell."
An honourable mention to Danny Cipriani, who scored more points (16) that Hodgson, but failed to keep hold of the reins for the full 80 minutes.
Instead of throttling Munster when 23-7 up, Sale let them back in, and were knifed through the heart at the death.
9. Rhys Webb, Ospreys
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Another try for Rhys Webb in a commanding performance from the No. 9.
He was afforded an armchair ride behind a dominant Ospreys pack as they eviscerated lowly Treviso, but the scrum-half still showed why he is being hotly tipped to take the Welsh No. 9 shirt from Mike Phillips this autumn.
8. Jamie Heaslip, Leinster
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Leinster were staring at a fourth defeat of this young season at half time against Wasps.
But their captain Jamie Heaslip brought all his inspirational qualities to bear on a second 40 minutes that turned the tide and got the three-time European champions off to a winning start.
Heaslip piled through work in defense and carried with purpose to drag his team back from the brink.
7. Steffon Armitage, Toulon
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With his hopes for a move back to England dashed, Europe’s reigning player of the year seemed to put that upset behind him with a fine display for Toulon against a battling Scarlets side.
The former London Irish man scored a try and was Man of the Match, playing No. 8 as he regularly does for the French double winners.
We move him into the No. 7 shirt for this team thanks to Jamie Heaslip’s performance at No. 8 for Leinster.
6. Magnus Lund, Sale
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Sale’s blindside Magnus Lund looks every inch the Norse warlord with his golden facial hair and biker–length locks.
On Saturday, he was doing a decent impression of Thor’s hammer as he racked up 22 tackles for his team.
His last England involvement is a distant memory, but should England need an abrasive No. 6 with a lorry–load of heart, desire and experience, Lund would not be a bad option.
5. Paul O’Connell, Munster
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When you’re 23-7 down away from home, there are few men you would choose to have in the trenches with you before Paul O’Connell.
The Munster legend galvanised his forwards and was at the heart of their revival that was ultimately capped by Ian Keatley’s winning drop goal.
4. Graham Kitchener, Leicester Tigers
12 of 15
“Graham Kitchener, your country needs you,” rang the cry from The Independent’s Chris Hewett following Leicester lock’s performance against Ulster.
Quoting Tigers boss Richard Cockerill after the 25-18 win, Hewett wrote: "You could put Graham in a Test match right now and he wouldn’t let you down. The way he’s playing, he must have a chance of making the squad for the autumn internationals, mustn’t he?"
In an appraisal of Kitchener’s qualities that could not beat the drum louder in Stuart Lancaster’s direction if he turned up outside his house with a full drum kit and Dave Grohl in charge of the sticks, Hewett lauded the job Kitchener did in destroying Ulster’s line-out and continued:
"He was in eye-catching mood around the field. He carried strongly, made tackles in far-flung parts of the paddock that second-rowers of yesteryear would have deemed a foreign country, and put the visitors under pressure in seeking to charge down clearance kicks every couple of minutes. He also bagged himself a poacher’s try on receipt of an inside pass from Ben Youngs...
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3. Euan Murray, Warriors
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Bath have been battering teams up front of late, but were overpowered by Glasgow, with former Lion Euan Murray in fine form on the tight-head side of the scrum.
Glasgow have lost once all season to Ulster, and that was partly due to some rotten injury luck on the day. There is depth in this squad and a serious amount of brain power in the coaches' box.
With the experience of the likes of Murray to throw into the mix, this could be a landmark season for the Warriors.
2. Leonardo Ghiraldini, Leicester Tigers
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Italy international Leonardo Ghiraldini spearheaded Leicester’s forward effort as they battled their way to a much-needed home win over Ulster.
The Italian international was described by The Observer’s Michael Aylwin as "accurate and hard in everything he did," and should have topped his display with a try, but for Ben Youngs’ foot to have strayed into touch in the build-up.
An honourable mention here for Corey Flynn of Toulouse who was a constant menace in the loose against Montpellier.
1. Marcos Ayerza, Leicester Tigers
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Leicester have missed Argentine scrummager Marcos Ayerza, and he showed why on Saturday with a rock solid performance against Ulster, per Paul Bolton in The Telegraph:
"The return of loosehead prop Marcos Ayerza, a cornerstone of their pack, from international duty with Argentina was a further boost and made for an uncomfortable evening for the Ulster front row.
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