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Whose rugby stocks are surging and whose are on shaky ground after last weekend’s games? We go around the world to find out.
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GOOD WEEK
Scotland
The Scottish rugby team is a very different animal these days from the nervous, near-defenceless herbivore that the likes of England, Wales and Ireland used to feast on every Six Nations. Outgoing coach Vern Cotter has given them some serious bite as Ireland found out to their cost in the opening match of this year’s competition, and so did Wales at the weekend. Next up for the Scots, a Triple Crown match against England at Twickenham in a fortnight, where we’re bound to hit peak Braveheart against proud Eddie’s Army…
Italy
Love it or loathe it, Italy’s anti-ruck tactic worked well. It stunted the more powerful and much-vaunted England team as they sought their 17th win in a row. And they silenced – temporarily, at least – voices railing against their continued participation in the Six Nations. Smart tactics like this, dedication from Conor O’Shea and his coaching team, and some serious behind-the-scenes reorganisation of the game could yet save Italian rugby from a fate worse than Romania.
Gavin Henson
Remember him? The perma-tanned golden boy of Welsh rugby, who was heralded as the second coming of Barry John who then apparently disappeared in a cloud of expensively-scented shaving foam. In case you hadn’t noticed he plays for Aviva Premiership basement club Bristol – and, he kicked three penalties and a sumptuous drop goal as they beat Bath at the weekend to move within two points of 11th-placed Worcester … whom they just happen to face next.
Reiko Ioane
Okay, how scarily good was the Blues centre against the Rebels? What’s even scarier is that he’s not even 20 until mid-March. Here’s our advice: it doesn’t matter how much he costs, just pick him in your fantasy rugby side. Do it now. Before you do anything else. Alternatively, you could watch as all your mates who have included him sail away into the fantasy rugby distance…
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BAD WEEK
Racing 92
It’s all going very, very wrong at the reigning Top 14 champions. The Ali Williams cocaine thing was just the latest in a run of bad press that probably has club officials searching darkened rooms and corridors at Racing Towers in search of broken mirrors, stray black cats, secret ladders. They embarrassingly crashed out of the European Champions Cup; they are currently seventh in the French top flight and the abject defence of their title is hanging by a thread so thin it could be cut with a spoon; marquee player Dan Carter faces a drink-drive charge; and Johan Goosen was so unhappy he said he had retired from rugby to escape the remainder of a freshly signed five-year contract and was last seen at a stud farm in his native South Africa. Racing must be wishing that Martin Castrogiovanni partying in Vegas when he was supposed to be injured was still the worst thing they had to worry about.
Australian Super Rugby
Hands up who made it to the end of the stop-start borefest that was Waratahs vs Force? Don’t lie. Australian rugby needs to woo wantaway supporters, and they aren’t going to manage it if they dole out error-strewn paint-dryers like this in their conference derbies.
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Owen Farrell
The England player voted most likely to successfully inherit Jonny Wilkinson’s mantle had a very off day on the occasion of his 50th cap – missing four of his seven shots at goal against Italy, and generally being lacklustre and just a little agitated around the pitch. Of course, Wilkinson had less-than-stellar performances in an England shirt, but they have been forgotten in the haze of history. Farrell’s are fresh in the memory … and, after a run of games in which he looked like he couldn’t miss, this was a poor outing for the Saracens man.
Sunwolves
The Sunwolves pulled one of the best crowds of Round 1 to their match against the Hurricanes in Tokyo. They have the best mascot in the competition and great social media. Everything about the Japanese club is perfect except for the one thing that really matters: the on-field performance. It’s not for any lack of effort from the players, who battled valiantly and were rewarded with a couple of late tries, but they were decimated in their first encounter with a New Zealand conference side. It ended 83-17 but the Hurricanes could have easily cracked a ton if they hadn’t eased off after 60 minutes. The odds of it happening at some stage must be high. The Sunwolves face a much more punishing schedule this year, with trips to New Zealand including – sadistically – a game against the Highlanders in Invercargill. They could have sneaky short-term value, at least: they play the Kings in Singapore this weekend.
