Watch England v the Barbarians, Sun, 3pm, Sky Sports Action
Monday 21 May 2018 17:41, UK
Stuart Barnes looks at whether Leinster can do the double, The Premiership Final and who will replace Paul Gustard for England.
1. Leinster took a heavy-legged step towards the European and domestic double on Saturday when they held off the determined, if far from perfect, performance of their oldest rivals, Munster at the RDS. Those who thought the psychological exertions of the Champions Cup final could take a toll were proved right. The accuracy and intensity of the semi-final effort against next week's opponents, the Scarlets was nowhere to be seen.
There were six changes from the team that played in the final, a few injuries, some rested. Leinster have the sort of squad to ride 40 per cent changes like none other in Europe, but still they looked jaded. In the end it took some real impact off the bench and some inaccurate back play from their rivals to see them home but in knock out rugby, that's all that matters. Leinster are getting used to winning. Not a dream 80 minutes to bid Isa Nacewa farewell to his home ground but the legend of Leinster got the win.
2. The statistics are against Leinster next week. Four Pro 14 and four European Champions Cups but never have they done the double. No PRO14 team has ever achieved such a feat; in fact only five clubs have managed it. Toulouse, Leicester (twice), Wasps, Toulon and Saracens. Four of those six doubles occurred in the first 14 years of the tournament. Only the latterly named two sides have managed it in the last eight years.
3. So much for statistics. Those who know me will be well aware that I am a sceptic when it comes to stats but still, these stats are daunting, as daunting as the fact there have been only two away wins in 22 semi-finals in the PRO14. The Scarlets achieved that feat this year against Glasgow and last year against, you guessed it, Leinster. Let's tip our hats to the men from West Wales and their refusal to worry about the figures. Let's concentrate on the form lines.
Analysis of Leinster's last two games shows them miles from the stellar show put on when they thumped the Scarlets 38-16 at the Aviva, next week's venue, in the Champions Cup semi-final. In contrast the current domestic champions have found a richer vein of form than I have seen from them in some time. They are much better than they were come the semi-final, Leinster look a lot worse. Add these form lines up and you end up with what should be a tight game. Johnny McNichol brings a great deal to the Scarlets out wide and with Rhys Patchell playing and - importantly - kicking so well, there isn't any need to panic were Leigh Halfpenny to remain on the injured list.
4. Across the Irish Sea, Saracens have rebounded in some style from their defeat in Dublin at quarter-final stage. They conceded more points than they would have liked against the glittering Wasps attack but were brutally direct with the ball in hand. Owen Farrell won the man-of-the-match award but it was Maro and Mako who most caught my eye. Apparently Itoje and Vunipola needed resting this summer, exhaustion and all that, you understand. They didn't look tired to me as they tore around the field. It bodes well for South Africa...as well as next week.
5. Exeter ground Newcastle into the Devonian dirt. Ninety-three per cent possession in the first half is a staggering statistic. Possession is their God. The plan to keep the ball until errors, penalties, space opens up. I think they push it close and over the edge of legality at the breakdown but while English referees are allowing attacking teams to go over the top and seal the ball off, good luck to them.
Expect Saracens to send greater numbers into contact in a bid to jolt them at the initial contact. There's no doubt that the outstanding sides in both England and PRO14 land have made their respective finals. Both should be worth watching. Record whoever is playing in that football game Saturday night and watch it later.
6. Form lines prevailed in England and Celtic Land but not France where the away teams shocked their hosts at the weekend. Lyon, only promoted two seasons ago, drew with Toulon in 80 minutes, drew with them after extra time but scored the extra try to knock out a Toulon team capable of so much more.
In the other game I was delighted to see Castres beat their big city neighbours, Toulouse. Castres symbolise old French club virtues, small town, huge civic pride. They cannot compete in Europe because they lack the resources to fight on two fronts but so often they bloody noses in their own country. My team of the weekend!
7. Australian rugby is showing signs of waking up. The Waratahs ended the embarrassing 40-match losing run of Australian teams against their Kiwi counterparts in a game of cards against the Highlanders. The cards fell the NSW based team's way but they had had their own share of bad luck in recent weeks. The win was coming. The Reds could not make it two wins against Kiwi opposition in the one weekend but they put up quite a performance away to the in-form Hurricanes. It could be a tough three-match series between the Wallabies and Ireland, the world's second-rated team.
8. Five straight wins for the Jaguares. They have got the hang of Super Rugby. This week it was a bonus-point win against the Bulls. What's good for the Jaguares will hopefully be good for Argentina. Great news for the game on the global level, not so good for England and France who meet them in the World Cup.
9. On the subject of the World Cup, there's no getting away from the news that Paul Gustard has quit England to become the main man at Harlequins. It is being seen as bad news. Not in this corner.
The management could do with some freshening. Some of you who take the Sunday paper for whom I write will have read my thoughts regarding the left field claims of Ronan O' Gara, who is currently attack coach for the Crusaders having been defence (and a Top-14 winning) coach for Racing 92.
An ambitious coach, an exciting coach with detailed knowledge of New Zealand, French and Irish rugby. If Eddie ignores my alternative suggestion - it's possible he will - Shaun Edwards is a decent call. He too threw his hat into the ring for the Harlequins role. Both he and O'Gara like to express their own opinions. Either would be exciting additions. There is word in some quarters that the likeliest candidate is the Ospreys coach, Brad Davis. He is a nice guy and an Australian, I'll give him that.
10. His team, the Ospreys, failed to make it into the Champions Cup, losing to an average Ulster side in Belfast. As an Osprey coach one has to say his recent CV does not read that well.
