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Anglo-French fixture is what hesitant Toby Flood tips Newcastle to host in Champions Cup final

Falcons out-half Toby Flood believes Newcastle will play host to an Anglo-French Champions Cup final on May 11 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Newcastle play-maker Toby Flood is not entirely certain which clubs he expects to welcome to the north-east of England for the Champions Cup final on May 11.

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Having built up a bid surrounding the use of football’s famed St James’ Park, the English city won the right to host the 2019 showpiece.

Flood can’t wait for that glamour fixture to now unfold as it will put Newcastle firmly on the rugby map in becoming only the ninth different city to host the European decider in the tournament’s 24-year existence.

However, so evenly matched does he feel both semi-finals are this weekend, he only eventually gives a hesitant vote to Saracens and his former club Toulouse to set up an Anglo-French final at the expense of the two remaining Irish provinces, Munster and Leinster.

“Sorry, I can’t pick them,” said the 33-year-old to RugbyPass when quizzed on which teams he expects to be doing battle on the banks of the Tyne in three weeks’ time.

(Continue reading below…)

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“But if I was going to say, I would say Toulouse might sneak it against Leinster and then I think Saracens will just have enough with home advantage to sneak it with Munster.”

Flood is a long-serving Champions Cup veteran, featuring in 46 matches during 10 different campaigns for Newcastle (one season), Toulouse (three seasons) and Leicester (six seasons).

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He appeared in quarter-finals with the Tigers in 2014, 2013 and 2011, but his most agonising season came in 2009 when an achilles injury in the English club’s semi-final win over Cardiff ruled him out of the final at Murrayfield versus Leinster, the province he now expects to be ambushed in Dublin by the visiting Toulouse.

“I have still got a soft spot for Toulouse,” he explained. “I was back there a couple of days ago. You have got friends there who you have a relationship with that you would like to do well.

“It’s going to be an incredibly tough for them to play Leinster in Dublin. I find it bizarre Leinster are allowed to play there. I don’t know the rules on that, but Saracens have had to move to Coventry (for their home semi-final) while Leinster stay in Dublin. I don’t know how they get to play there because they get to play there quite a bit.

“It’s not as neutral as it could be, but there is going to take a huge travelling support and the French are incredibly vocal supporters. My head says Leinster, just because of Leinster’s pedigree, but my heart would like to say Toulouse.

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Clément Poitrenaud, celebrating with the European trophy in 2010, is now back at Toulouse as a coach under Ugo Mola  (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

“If anyone has the opportunity to win those games it is probably Toulouse in the sense of how they have been playing away, the willingness and the heart they have to throw the ball around.

“Leinster are incredibly creative around set-piece stuff and they have got some big ball carriers, but they are much more pragmatic. Toulouse are going to throw it around and we’ll see how they get on. That’s going to be quite good fun. It’s a meeting of two good teams, a meeting of two very differing perspectives of how to play the game.

“I don’t know if it [Toulouse’s revival] is so much about him (coach Ugo Mola). He has got a very good, young group coming through. (Romain) Ntamack is a very good young player, Thomas Ramos a great player, and they have got guys up front who are starting to mature, the likes of Cyril Baille.

“They have been astute in the market buying Cheslin Kolbe for what they want to do. He has been very impressive. But above all of that, and this is a real credit to themselves, they have brought Clement Poitrenaud back into the system.

“He’s making a huge impact in terms of their skill base, in terms of playing the off-loading game. He has put a huge amount of emphasis on the skills for producing in tough moments when it’s really difficult.

“The key to it is the structure. When I look at it, X, Y and Z haven’t really changed but what has happened is that skill execution has and bringing Clement back into the system has been very impressive and very important.”

Newcastle is set to become only the ninth different city in the European Cup’s 24-season existence to host the showpiece final (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Leinster hosting Toulouse is the second semi-final on a bumper Champions Cup weekend that kicks off with Saturday’s collision between Saracens and Munster in Coventry.

“You have actually got two very similar teams, both very set-piece orientated with very good nines who like to box-kick well. I have a feeling it’s one of those ones where I can’t really pick (a winner) and that is what makes it so good because Munster have definitely got the ability to disrupt Saracens’ game.

“They are willing to sit there and play very calm, very patient rugby and not get involved in too stressed plays which is what Saracens want you to do. They want you to throw it around to then make the mistakes for them to put the pressure on you.

“Munster have that structure where they can just sit there and play. Saracens won’t struggle to dominate in terms of set-piece battle, but they will find it hard, as they sometimes do in the Premiership, to get a foothold in the game.”

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J
Jfp123 17 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

It will be great if Jalibert improves in defence, but unless and until he improves substantially, I think he should be out of the running for the national team. If you look at the French A side, attack is not usually so much of a problem - they scored 200 points in the last 6 nations without MJ on the pitch. Defence however can be an issue, Penaud isn’t the greatest in that area for a start. So a 10 who is solid in defence is badly needed. And given his poor defence record, MJ would be bound to be targeted by shrewd coaches like Rassi and Razor, so he needs to be able to withstand that.

Also, given sufficient improvement in defence, there are still factors which tell against MJ. I think the 7/1 bench has been a very successful experiment, and for that you need flexible backs who can play in more than one position in case of injury. Then there’s how well the 10 plays with France’s best 9, Dupont. And even if you think MJ is better when there’s no Dupont or 7/1 split, stability in a test team is important, so it’s better not to go chopping and changing the 10 needlessly. There’s also the question of temperament - MJ doesn’t shine at his brightest when it really matters, eg WC quarters and Top14 finals, and look at his test record over the past 2 years.

I see Ntamack as by far the best option at 10. Rugby is a team game, and apart from his excellent defence, there’s his partnership with Dupont, his versatility, and all the other skills that go to making a great team player and a great 10. He’s excellent under the high ball, an area where France tend to have a weakness, and has fine strategic and team management skills, great handling skills and so on.

While having star quality is important, it’s not the be all and end all, as illustrated by UBB this season. Imo, though undoubtedly very good, they underperformed. With best wings, best 9, as Dupont barely played in the Top14, with Jalibert and leading centres and 15, plus a strengthened forward pack, they couldn’t match ST in points scored, despite the latter’s huge injury list which left some positions seriously weakened, at least on paper.

For next season, I hope ST are back to their scintillating best with injuries healed, that LBB is back to rude health for UBB, that the exciting promise of La Rochelle’s and Toulon’s new recruits bears fruit, Bayonne continue to defy their budget and we have a cracking, highly competitive Top14 and Les Bleus triumphant in the autumn internationals and six nations!

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LONG READ Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France