Gordon D’Arcy: Irish provinces adapting and excelling in chaotic Champions Cup

The current Covid-19-impacted Heineken Champions Cup format needs to return to some normality – or preferably a less-clipped version at the pool stage – if it is to avoid drifting from its place and pre-eminence in the rugby calendar.

The weekly whims of some French and English clubs have been frustrating to watch. The discrepancy between full and under-strength teams from round to round in the pool stages is striking and ultimately eroding the long-term value of the tournament.

In 2018 Saracens won the Champions Cup, a tournament that would be rebranded the following season to restore Heineken as titular sponsors. There followed a turbulent time for the London club, financial issues leading to relegation from the English Premiership.

EPC Rugby said at the time that “the Saracens decision is based on Gallagher Premiership Rugby regulations and does not affect the club’s European record or current status in the Heineken Champions Cup”. That was the official line but there was little or no sympathy amongst their peer group.

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Gordon D’Arcy: Analyse Ireland’s achievements without the World Cup lens

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Gordon D’Arcy: Ireland's win over All Blacks was a victory for the ages in style and substance

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Gordon D’Arcy: Ireland must retain courage and creativity against All Blacks

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One positive side-effect of the pandemic was there for all to witness at the weekend during Munster's captivating victory over Wasps in Coventry

The European Cup has displayed a chameleon-like facility to blend into whatever foreground is required on an annual basis, even if it means expanding to another continent to accommodate the impending introduction of South African franchises or in terms of format, highlighted by the current incarnation of two pools of 12 teams with four rounds of matches to qualify for the knockout phase.

The tournament organisers have battled manfully to produce a workable format despite the changing landscape governed by subjective interests, applied to both the qualification process and in the tournament proper. Getting the competition finished has been a real challenge during the pandemic.

Toulouse were worthy European champions last season but the issues that dogged the pool stages then under the new format are once again apparent in this season’s competition. The English and French clubs have been indulging in a bit of a rugby “hokey cokey”: one foot in, one foot out when it comes to team selections at the pool stage.

Full deck

Covid-19 has obviously had a massive impact but there are still clubs picking and choosing when it comes to playing with a full deck, personnel-wise.

Playing a scratch side one week and then a much stronger team the following weekend compromises the integrity of the pool stage. It’s a process to whittle 24 teams down to 16 against a backdrop of varying levels of interest. It has produced some one-sided affairs.

One positive side-effect of the pandemic was there for all to witness at the weekend during Munster’s captivating victory over Wasps in Coventry; youth was given its head and responded brilliantly to the challenge.

The debutants played without fear, understood how they had to fit into a gameplan, yet retained the courage and confidence to play with their heads up. It made for a cracking spectacle.

Wasps were destabilised by the glut of late withdrawals in the 24 hours building up to the match on top of an extensive injury profile and the red card for their captain, Brad Shields. Both teams were compromised but Munster managed the situation better on the day.

The news that Munster head coach Johann van Graan will vacate the position at the end of the season gave Sunday’s result a little more significance. Ian Costello’s efforts in preparing the squad for the game with the assistance of Andy Kyriacou and Greg Oliver shouldn’t be underestimated.

Prominent role

Whoever Munster chooses to succeed van Graan, Costello’s name may now be in the conversation, if not for head coach then a prominent role. It’s not simply based on the result in Coventry but rather in recognising his development as a coach during his time in England, his work in the Munster academy since returning, and an intimate knowledge of the talent pathway in the province.

There will be a turnover of personnel in terms of the spine of the team over the next couple of seasons given the age profile in several positions, something that will have to be managed carefully.

His knowledge of the root-and-branch structure, the players coming through and what it means to play for Munster are important considerations.

He possesses a fundamental understanding of what it means to play for Munster, and that emotional intelligence has been at the centre of the province’s greatest achievements. The Wasps result offered proof positive that the squad contains several fine young prospects.

There is an argument that a couple should be retained in the matchday 23 for Saturday night’s home game against Castres at Thomond Park. To avoid becoming stale, every squad needs rotation and movement of players. Last weekend offered a reminder and it shouldn’t be ignored. There has to be a reward from time to time for players who excel.

John Hodnett’s performance was a classic case in point. Donncha O’Callaghan referred to the 22-year-old Rosscarbery flanker as a “red diamond”. When you unearth one of those it is important to keep polishing it.

Players like Hodnett impose their personality on a game within a collective structure that the coach outlines. They invariably finish on the right side of a few moments in a match; a decision to attack the ball at a breakdown or just doing your job well becomes a catalyst for the team. Some of his turnovers were sublime and killed Wasps’ attacking momentum stone dead.

Patrick Campbell, a relatively recent addition to the Munster academy, didn’t look out of place amongst his international peers in the backline. He carried the ball just three times in the match but to good effect. As a player that’s what you dream of; as a coach that’s what you want.

Decisive

When the plan is to attack wide, players are faced with two decisions: pass or run. The key is to be decisive whatever is chosen. The easy option is to pass, pushing on the ultimate responsibility to someone else. For his try Campbell backed his gut feeling, made the same choice that he would have done in an AIL match.

Others might have chosen to shovel the ball on to a player of Keith Earls’ calibre but, appreciating that it was exactly what the Wasps’ defence expected, he waited a split second for a chink of daylight to materialise and accelerated through the gap.

That, from a 19-year-old, was great to witness and it’s important that coaches do nothing to stifle that flair. He added a bit of creativity that wasn’t always prevalent under van Graan. Munster will ultimately benefit if they encourage a player’s personality to shine. It wasn’t just the “newbies”; Tadhg Beirne and Peter O’Mahony had huge games up front, Damian de Allende, Andrew Conway and Joey Carbery were then able to pick holes in an overstretched Wasps defence.

Carbery looked for the first time in a long time to be in tune with the tempo of the game, threatening the line, pulling passes and dinking kicks. Even with his last contribution, he had spotted the space.

The elbow injury, which requires surgery, is a cruel blow for a player who has had his fill of misfortune and can ill afford more time on the sidelines. The lack of match minutes this season for Ben Healy and Jack Crowley becomes a bigger issue as Munster look to accommodate Carbery’s absence.

James Hume once again offered a hugely impressive performance in Ulster's superb win against Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel-Michelin. He is the form outside centre in Ireland. His balance, footwork, strength and angles of running would be a great deal less effective without sharp decision-making.

He is given licence to adapt the playbook on the hoof. As a player you crave that opportunity, but with it comes the responsibility not to be self-indulgent. He benefits from the work of his team-mates such as John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey and is then able to bring Michael Lowry and Ethan McIlroy, both excellent, into the game.

There is so much to admire in the way that Connacht are going about their rugby. Stade Français made it a little sticky physically for much of the opening half, but even during that period Connacht, led superbly by Jack Carty, found a way to score tries.

Skillsets

Once again players stood up, took responsibility and backed their skillsets. A silver lining for Irish rugby in the coronavirus climate has been the number of relatively inexperienced players that have come through and impressed in the absence of their front-line team-mates.

Leinster, who face a tricky trip to Montpellier especially in the light of further positive Covid-19 tests, have been a little Jekyll and Hyde in their rugby – even in the same game. There were moments of brilliance, as evidenced in Jamison Gibson-Park's first try, good tempo, second touches and support lines ripping Bath apart.

An increasing lack of accuracy as the game wore on saw them struggle to maximise the opportunities from unstructured play. It can be hard when a team is winning easily to maintain focus, but they still should have been a lot better; it wasn’t a good tune-up for Montpellier.

This isn't the European Cup of old. There's an edge missing, an unfamiliar lull within this round of matches, albeit there is plenty of theatre yet to play out. Leinster and Connacht face tough assignments this weekend while Ulster and Munster will be pretty confident that they can build on a strong foundation.

Qualification is not always within their control but as Joe Schmidt, the newly minted All Blacks selector, used to say: ‘Control the controllables.” So far our provinces have done an incredible job, rolling with the punches in a chaotic and uncertain time; they made lemonade from lemons on the opening weekend.

Time for another round.