Well, Folks Women’s Rugby is back at full throttle, and for the next two weekends, not only do we have the Pacific Four and our fabulous Canadian Women to look forward to, but also the Women’s Six Nations. Both tournaments got proceedings underway last weekend, and there was clearly some rust and cobwebs on all the teams that had to be blown off post the last World Cup.
Canada and New Zealand look like the dominant forces in the Pacific Four, as expected, and the same goes for England and France in the Six Nations. However, Ireland and Scotland look in fine form to continue building on their improvements at the World Cup, while Wales looks set to bury the disappointments of the last few years and start afresh, and it would appear that the USA is also looking to do the same in the Pacific Four. Judging by their performance against the Scots, we’d argue the Welsh already have plenty to be cheerful about, while the Americans, as always, remain gritty opponents. Italy look, so far, the only disappointing side in the Six Nations, and much the same can be said about Australia in the Pacific Four. For those of you frustrated by the lack of coverage of the Women’s Six Nations, the Women’s Six Nations Channel on YouTube is streaming all games live and offering on-demand coverage, all free of charge. See the link over on the TV page.
That was quite the weekend of Champions and Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals wasn’t it? There were a couple of games for the ages in there, most notably Bath’s spectacular comeback against Northampton on Friday night and the take-no-prisoners standoff between Glasgow and Toulon on Saturday. On Sunday, the 85-point epic between Exeter and Benetton in the Challenge Cup also had us on the edge of our seats for the full 80 minutes. In short, as much as we all bemoan the rather awkward current format of both competitions, there is no denying that once they get to this stage, it is some of the finest club rugby the world has to offer.
So without any further ado, here’s our quick whip round of last weekend’s action and what stood out for us and certainly kept the pints frothy.
After a rusty start, the Pacific Four competition hits full gear this weekend with a hugely anticipated World Cup rematch between tournament favourites Canada and New Zealand!
If you’re a Canadian rugby fan, then drop whatever plans you may have had or what you intended to do this Friday evening and prepare for a treat as Canada plays New Zealand’s Black Ferns in a hugely anticipated rematch of last year’s World Cup Semi-Final. Canada left New Zealand speechless in that encounter and knocked their rivals out of a spot in the World Cup Final, a slight that the Black Ferns will not take lightly. Judging by New Zealand’s performance against a spirited American side and the remarkable new talent that is really coming of age, Canada will have its work cut out for it on Friday night in Kansas City.
Canada ultimately dispatched a Wallaroos side that failed to fire a shot, admittedly in appalling first-half conditions that really didn’t lend themselves to an ambitious game and made playing with any kind of rhythm or flow almost impossible at times. Nevertheless, to Canada’s credit and despite some cobwebs clearly needing to be blown off in the team’s first outing since the World Cup, they handled the conditions admirably. They made the best of a difficult situation. Keeping the Australians scoreless for the full eighty minutes in a game that at times resembled a water polo match more than a rugby game demonstrated how good Canada is at adapting their game on the fly. The forecast for Kansas tomorrow night promises much of the same and as a result Canada should find themselves well prepared.
Canada were without the services of Alex Tessier last Saturday in Sacramento, but the World Cup Captain returns this weekend for this key fixture. In fact, all of Canada’s big guns will be on hand for this contest, and the starting fifteen looks decidedly ominous and more than capable of coping with a very exciting-looking Black Ferns outfit. Canada retain their number two ranking in the World but New Zealand showed last weekend that they are more than capable of some wheel-to-wheel racing this Friday to knock Canada down a peg or two in the standings if the conditions permit.
New Zealand clearly did not have things all their own way last weekend in their first game since the World Cup. The USA on home soil showed once again why they were such an awkward side for opposition teams to dispatch comfortably last year. They have clearly built on their performances at the World Cup and will provide Australia with the same kind of headaches that saw the two sides engage in a brutal 31-31draw in one of the best Pool games of last year’s World Cup. New Zealand are not the same side that came short against Canada in the Semi-Final, and there is some exciting talent that didn’t really get a chance to shine at last year’s World Cup, most notably their Winger duo of Ayesha Leti-I”iga and Mererangi Paul, both of whom shredded US defences in last weekend’s encounter in the final forty. The Black Ferns will definitely fancy their chances this weekend and of the two sides have the bigger score to settle.
The USA and Australia, meanwhile, will revisit their epic World Cup Pool Clash, making their Friday night encounter well worth the price of admission. Australia will be disappointed with their showing against Canada, and had the conditions been more favourable, the score would likely have been closer. Given the conditions, Australia just couldn’t get a foothold in the game, and their defence and discipline were poor, to say the least. The Americans, on the other hand, made sure New Zealand got a much-needed workout in the first half and, at halftime, were only four points behind the Black Ferns. However, a second-half blitz from New Zealand exposed the gulf in quality between the two sides. Still, that first half performance will give the Americans considerable heart going into a match with the Wallaroos, which sees the sides evenly matched, and dare we say it, on home soil, the USA likely to be the favourites.
Like we say, though, drop whatever you’re doing this Friday night and make sure you’re tuned in to TSN, as, weather permitting, the clash between Canada and New Zealand should be blockbuster entertainment!
Canada vs New Zealand – Friday, April 17th – 6:00 PM (Eastern) – TSN, TSN 2, Stan Sport Australia (live and on demand)
USA vs Australia – Friday, April 17th – 8:52 PM (Eastern) – TSN and Stan Sport Australia (live and on demand)
Can anyone really stop England other than France, but amongst the rest, the competition looks set to be decidedly spicy!
England’s remarkable 34-game winning streak after this weekend’s Six Nations opener with Ireland really is quite the statistic. There is no denying that the Red Roses now have an aura of invincibility surrounding them that will be hard to dent. However, having said that, all credit must be given to Ireland for giving England plenty of food for thought in their 33-12 loss to the White juggernaut at a packed Twickenham this Saturday. Perhaps more than anything, the sight of Twickenham in full voice once more underscored how the popularity of the Women’s game has been reinforced after last year’s record-breaking World Cup. Ireland made sure that England definitely did not have things all their own way. Still, England’s overall set-piece dominance and cohesion, even with some newer faces in the mix, ensured they had a comfortable edge, adding to the impression of a team that looks so obviously well-coached. However, the fact that they were unable to blow their opponents off the park and, at times, seemed almost caught off guard by the ferocity of the Irish challenge, no doubt left the French feeling more than a little optimistic about what should be the Tournament decider in a month’s time in Lyon.
France made relatively short work of Italy in the sunshine in Grenoble on Saturday. Italy were sadly rarely at the races in the French Alps this weekend, despite a fine consolation try at the end. France dominated proceedings from start to finish, with the remarkable Pauline Bourdon Sansus, as always, pulling the strings at breakneck speed at scrum half. Of all the sides in action this weekend, they looked the most polished after the World Cup break, and if they can build on the momentum, they are without doubt the only side genuinely capable of having a genuine tilt at England’s windmill this year. Their new coach, Francois Ratier, has impeccable credentials; ironically, it was Ratier who led Canada to their remarkable 2014 World Cup exploits. In short, things definitely look rather rosy in the French camp, and England will be taking careful notes in the coming weeks.
Scotland arguably produced the biggest performance of the opening weekend in their nail-biting tussle with Wales at the Principality Stadium, which, sadly, was rather more of an echo chamber than Twickenham. While we applaud the commitment to getting Women’s Six Nations games on the biggest stages possible, the sight of only about 10,000 seats filled, albeit very enthusiastically, made the Principality seem rather cavernous. Unfortunately, a packed Cardiff Arms Park would have been a better venue for generating a real fan buzz and atmosphere. While the Women’s game may be able to draw crowds in England, in many other Six Nations countries, it hasn’t quite got the rockstar status it does at Twickenham. Noble ambition, yes, but outside of England, sadly, a bit of a way to go still.
Nevertheless, it was a genuinely exciting game with maximum effort from both sides. The Scots held their nerve despite consistent, spirited challenges from the Welsh and clawed back to win just when it looked like things were about to unravel. There is real composure and a sense of purpose in this Scottish team, allied to some serious ability that will serve them well in this tournament and make for some genuinely exciting contests. England is still likely to be a bridge too far this weekend at Murrayfield, but just like Ireland, imagine Scotland giving it their all and possibly even genuinely ruffling England’s feathers.
Wales look to be the most improved side since the World Cup after last weekend’s proceedings. The match against Scotland hung in the balance for much of the game, and just like in the Men’s game, there is a definite renaissance going on in Welsh rugby, which is very pleasing to see. Wales did not have a good World Cup or Six Nations last year. Still, based on what we saw at the Principality last Saturday, they certainly look more than capable of making life exceptionally difficult for Italy and Ireland.
Ireland, despite only sitting fifth in the log after their 33-12 loss to England at Twickenham, should perhaps feel, along with France, the most optimism as they look at the rest of their Championship. At times, they looked to be building on the progress they made at last year’s World Cup. There is still a long way to go, and aspects of Ireland’s set-piece work and discipline still require significant improvement. Still, they certainly made England uncomfortable at times and exposed them out wide, something France will have taken note of.
Lastly, although Italy didn’t get their campaign off to the kind of start they wanted, we feel that against Ireland this weekend, they are likely to be much improved. As evidenced by their consolation try against France, there are some serious skill sets present in this Italian squad. Still, perhaps more than any other team after the World Cup, they looked decidedly rusty and off the boil this weekend. As a result, for much of the match, Italy remained spectators as France ran rings around them. However, we’d still argue that writing this team off is at your peril. Against Ireland this week, having blown off the cobwebs against France, they should be much more competitive.
Scotland vs England – Saturday, April 18th – 8:30 AM (Eastern) – Women’s Six Nations YouTube Channel, Stan Sport Australia (live and on demand)
Wales vs France – Saturday, April 18th – 10:35 AM (Eastern) – Women’s Six Nations YouTube Channel, Stan Sport Australia (live and on demand)
Ireland vs Italy – Saturday, April 18th – 12:40 PM (Eastern) – Women’s Six Nations YouTube Channel, Stan Sport Australia (live and on demand)
This year’s Champions Cup Quarter-Finals produce some vintage European Club Rugby reminiscent of the Heineken Cup in its heyday
Those were some very high-quality quarter-finals and made us all feel nostalgic for the Heineken Cup in its glory days. Friday’s showdown in Bath was Club rugby at its absolute best. The Men from the West Country’s comeback at the death against Northampton was the stuff of legends and one of Scottish fly-half Finn Russell’s finest efforts. The noise at the Rec was deafening, and in a glorious 11-try spectacle, we were almost as exhausted as the players at the end of it all. It was such fantastic Rugby entertainment that you almost didn’t care who won or lost. Northampton and England’s favourite pantomime villain, as he has been so aptly described by many a pundit, Henry Pollock’s yellow card at the death may have been the defining moment of a match that could have gone either way, but we somehow doubt it. However, that being said, the young lad probably would do well to tone down the theatrics and focus more on his rather extraordinary skill set and all action game.
In front of their borderline delirious fans, it would have been very difficult to deny Bath the 43-41 win even without Pollock’s infringement. The Bath boys clearly just had an extra milligram of good old-fashioned determination to see it through to the end. Scottish supporters might be excused for wondering why Finn Russell can’t instil that same killer instinct in his Scottish colleagues, while England supporters will continue to scratch their heads at the continued exclusion of all-court back rower Alfie Barbeary from the National side.
While it may not have had the thrills and spills of Friday’s action in Bath, Saturday morning’s do-or-die dustup between a rejuvenated Toulon, who have clearly paid no heed to their poor TOP 14 form, and URC table toppers Glasgow Warriors was an equally tense affair. Glasgow were very good, but the X factor was all Toulon’s, especially through winger Gael Draen, ably assisted by arguably one of the best centres in club and Test rugby right now, Italy’s legendary Ignacio Brex. There was very little to split the sides, but this time around, it was the visitors, Toulon, who got the job done, despite ferocious resistance from Glasgow. Toulon simply made slightly better use of the opportunities they had and the space they created. However, you have to take your hat off to Toulon, who, having taken a slender 3-point lead with 20 minutes to go, simply refused to relinquish it despite a determined onslaught by Glasgow at times. As an example of turning the pressure screw ever tighter in a game of margins, Toulon gets an A+ for its efforts on Saturday. Glasgow can take solace from acquitting themselves with honour in the narrowest of defeats. Still, the big question now is, can Toulon do it all over again in Dublin against Leinster, especially given their relatively poor form in the TOP 14 this season, or is there nothing left in the tank?
Speaking of Leinster, while it was arguably the poorest game of the four Quarter-Finals due to a very subpar performance from their opponents, Sale Sharks, Saturday afternoon’s entertainment in Dublin was still heady stuff. Leinster simply denied Sale the opportunity to play, not helped by the Englishmen sticking to the same game plan that clearly wasn’t working from the outset for the full eighty minutes. Leinster were imperious, and perhaps none more so than Hooker Dan Sheehan, who had probably the best game we’ve seen him play since the last World Cup, and fullback Hugo Keenan, who made a truly spectacular return from injury and demonstrated his absolute mastery of the aerial game, which few can match.
Finally, Sunday’s action on France’s West Coast saw two French giants go at it hammer and tongs. Champions Bordeaux hosted the most successful team in the history of European competition, Toulouse, which has six of the cherished Champions’ stars on its jerseys. Both sides were magnificent, but ultimately Bordeaux were in another league altogether. There were some outstanding performances from Toulouse, and once again, the question was raised as to why a place can’t be found for Jack Willis in England’s back row, as he put in another extraordinary performance, even if it was for a losing cause in the end. Questions were also raised about whether Antoine Dupont’s reign as the world’s greatest rugby player is more a matter of legend than of current reality. While he is still an outstanding player and to say anything less would be heresy, the French scrum half just hasn’t quite been at the peak of his exceptionally high standards since his return from injury.
However, there is no denying Bordeaux will take some beating and of the four teams left on the road to Bilbao and the Final on May 23rd, we have trouble seeing anyone other than Leinster, based on no particular bias, coming close to pulling it off. Nevertheless, in a competition that is now seemingly on full throttle roller coaster mode, literally anything is possible. We’re sure, like us, you won’t want to miss a minute of it next month!
Well that’s it for this week everyone, make sure you’re somewhere near a TV screen tomorrow night to cheer on our extraordinary Canadian Women against New Zealand. Take care, enjoy the tentative start of spring, and most of all the rugby this weekend!
The Lineout 