The truth that competition drives performance was evident across all of the provinces’ matches in the opening round of the Champions Cup.
At the top of the list was Richie Murphy selecting an understrength Ulster team to step into the cauldron that is Stade Ernest Wallon in Toulouse. If a coach does not select a competitive team then, by definition, the team will not be competitive.
In his first full season as a head coach in the professional ranks, it was a harsh lesson for Murphy as his team was demolished by a Toulouse side that produced magnificent rugby.
As the Champions Cup draw forced Ulster to play the two leading Top 14 teams on consecutive weekends, Murphy rolled the dice making the decision to surrender the away game against Toulouse by selecting a weakened team, and then placing all of the club’s resources into winning at home against Bordeaux at Ravenhill on Saturday.
Regrettably the practice of coaches not selecting their best teams and “tanking”, or accepting defeat by not selecting their best players, has become commonplace in Champions Cup matches. This is disastrous for the competition’s prestige.
Tanking has been caused by the deeply flawed decision to introduce the Round of 16, which has greatly decreased the requirement for teams to consistently perform across the pool matches.
The Round of 16 has created a pathetic pathway for weaker clubs to win as few as two matches across the pool games, and yet still qualify for a shot at the quarter-finals.
The structure of the competition now empowers lesser clubs to disrespect the integrity of the competition by not selecting their best players in certain pool matches. This practice of tanking is usually reserved for games against the stronger clubs like Toulouse and Leinster.
The title ‘Champions Cup’ is a sham when the competition structure allows clubs to not select their best players yet still progress deeper into the competition.
However, for those clubs that do run up the white flag before kick off, there are consequences.
Ulster’s selection insulted the pride of Toulouse. That lack of respect produced a merciless reaction from one of the world’s greatest club teams. Toulouse ripped Ulster’s defensive system apart with extraordinary skill, pace and precision.
While ‘Les Rouge et Noir’ produced some exceptional attacking rugby, the individual tackling by some Ulster players was at an unacceptably low standard of physical commitment. The body language of the Ulster players was screaming “get me on the plane back to Belfast”.
What mental and spiritual damage the 61-21 trouncing has done to the psychology of the Ulster players remains unknown. We will find out after the match against Bordeaux.
The performances of Leinster and Munster were the mirror opposite of Ulster.
As the Munster players ran out on to Thomond their body language yelled that they were sick and tired of the mountain of off-field dramas that have bewitched the club and were ready to smash anyone who got in their way.
Craig Casey’s game has come on multiple levels over the November period with the speed of his service becoming noticeably quicker. That speed benefited Jack Crowley, who once again displayed that his running, passing and tackling game is of the highest standard.
While Munster’s faded jerseys looked like a laundry malfunction had washed all the red out, Peter O’Mahony’s physical performance showed he is not yet washed up. Powered by the realisation that his place in the national team is being questioned, the old warrior once again proved he is a mighty competitor.
His reaction to the outrageous and cowardly foul play inflicted on Casey was exactly what a leader should do. The purists may disagree with O’Mahony taking the law into his own hands, but when a comrade is unjustly threatened a leader must react by putting their body on the line to defend their team-mate. The unwritten laws are non-negotiable.
As O’Mahony’s blood trickled across his cheek, he lived out the ancient words of Tacitus who wrote 2000 years ago, “Great Empires are not held by timidity”.
In Bristol Sam Prendergast did some old school stuff himself. In these times of copy-and-paste coaching, the support lines for outhalves are rarely spoken about.
The position for an outhalf to accept an inside return pass by supporting an attacking player is an art form. Much of today’s thinking on support play focuses on the scrumhalf. Antoine Dupont and Aaron Smith are supreme in their ability to position themselves to accept a pass back on the inside from an attacker.
Enter Jordie Barrett as a playmaker at inside centre for Leinster. In attack, Prendergast wisely sat on Barrett’s inside shoulder and benefited by scoring two tries as a support player. He also displayed a surprisingly rapid top speed that outran the Bristol back three.
Last weekend we witnessed that the competition between Crowley and Prendergast is pushing both of these talented young players to greater heights as they continue to learn their craft.
A competition that is spurring on excellence in the individuals, and Irish rugby.
♦ Last week Ireland lost one of its greatest unsung heroes with the passing of the long-time Leinster strength and conditioning coach Dave Fagan.
From Ireland’s greatest player, Brian O’Driscoll, to the rawest of academy recruits, Fagan has helped multiple generations of Irish players grow, develop and learn on their journey to becoming professionals.
Dave was a groundbreaking pioneer teaching how to develop power and speed. I was privileged to witness his extraordinary coaching skills as a colleague at Leinster.
A giant of a man with a spirit to match, his gregarious character and infectious sense of humour made him a much loved and admired friend to us all. His enormous contribution to the foundations of Irish rugby cannot be overstated.
He is greatly missed by all who knew him across his decades in Irish rugby.
Rest easy Big Fella.
