The penultimate round of European rugby saw the first few teams secure knock-out places. Here is who stood out for their club at the weekend and gave Warren Gatland a nudge.
GOING UP
Chris Ashton
Ashton’s England days may be over as he prepares to move to the south of France and earn a bumper paycheck with Toulon, but he gave a clear reminder of his talents as he scored two tries in Saracens’ hard fought draw with the Scarlets.
Ashton’s first was set up by a brilliant break by Alex Lozowski (who himself was excellent, his flick pass creating Saracen’s opening try) and then he contrived to be in just the right place at the death – with the clock on 82 minutes, Ashton appeared on Farrell’s shoulder to run in under the posts and deny the Scarlets.
Ashton is not a physical winger in the mould of North, he is not all electric feet and quick steps like Zebo or Watson – what he manages to do more than any other winger is run the right line at the right time and score tries. He may not be particularly popular with most fans for his seeming petulance and showboating, but I bet you that is not stopping Warren Gatland and his team of coaches watching Ashton closely and giving him serious thought as a contender.
Tom Wood
I have to be honest, I have never been part of the Tom Wood fan club. And following England’s dismal World Cup display I though Wood’s international career was probably done. However, Wood clearly does not give a toss what I or anyone else thinks and has quietly and assuredly gone about working himself back into the international set up (although thanks to a few timely injuries), so much so that he now looks likely to start on one of the flanks against France next month. This is in part due to brilliant performances like the one against Castres on Saturday. Alongside his fellow backrower Teimana Harrison (who put in a similarly ferocious shift himself), Wood took the game to Castres and showed real physicality and an enormous engine to literally drag his side over the line with the victory-sealing try. He has got some catching up to do with his rivals for him to make the plane as a Lion, but some more stand-out performances like this in the Six Nations would certainly help his case.
Justin Tipuric
Tipuric has raised his game to another level this season – perhaps spurred on by the frustration of having to play second fiddle to Warburton for Wales, he is playing the best rugby of his career. Against Lyon in the Challenge Cup at the weekend the Ospreys only led 12-7 at half time. However, they went on to score 35 unanswered points and finish 47-7 with one impressive half of rugby. It was built around the leadership of the totem Alun Wyn Jones and the devilish openside work of Tipuric, who capped a typically electric performance with another try – to make him the joint Ospreys top scoring forward (equal with that man Wyn Jones).
Tipuric was also one of Wales’ best players in the Autumn Series and although there still remain a few concerns about his strength over the ball at the breakdown when compared to players like Warburton or David Pocock, he offers so much in the loose (the closest thing to a northern hemisphere Michael Hooper) and has earned a run of games in the Welsh seven shirt. Whether that means Warburton switches to the blindside or indeed misses out with Moriarty in the 6, I don’t know.
GOING DOWN
Stuart Hogg
Two of the form teams in Europe duked it out on Saturday as Glasgow took on Munster. Munster showed why they are considered one of the frontrunners for the title, alongside Saracens and Clermont, as they edged the game 14-12 thanks to Francis Saili’s 71st minute try. Saili’s score came just a minute after Stuart Hogg was sent to the bin after his flailing arm made contact with Andrew Conway and Glasgow tried in vain to defend with 14 men.
Yes, it wasn’t the worst offence. Yes, this is perhaps being a bit harsh from an armchair critic. Yes, Hogg is still front runner for the Lions 15 jersey. However, that yellow was the turning point in the match and it arguably cost Glasgow the game.
The players know what will happen if they go high under the new laws – however, the raft of cards in recent weeks shows they are still taking some getting used to. As it stands Glasgow now face a tougher challenge to qualify as a best runner up and must win away in the quarters. When a stray arm can cost a team this much, coaches will start to take a dim view of offending players.
Sam Warburton
Nothing to do with playing performance (Warburton contributed just fine to the Blues’ narrow victory over Pau), but Warburton’s Lions chances are a little less rosy this week than last. As Alun Wyn Jones was named as Welsh captain for the Six Nations, and given Tipuric’s excellent form, the 2013 tour captain is slipping down the pecking order for the Lions openside. A favourite of Gatland’s, he is still likely to tour (if fit – always the caveat with Warburton), but the argument to take him will be harder to make if he has only had limited international game time and other players such as O’Brien, Haskell or Tipuric are in better form.
Who impressed you at the weekend?
By Henry Ker
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
You cannot be serious about Ashton, Henry. His ability to be in the right place going forward is balanced by a marked tendency to be in the wrong place in defence and a nasty streak which is always likely to get him binned. I for one won’t miss him when he goes to France. If he could persuade Hartley to go with him that would be two blots on the English game gone.
Haha I am indeed serious about Ashton! But I get that he is very much a ‘marmite’ player. On balance, i don’t expect him to make the squad but he had a fine game at the weekend and I am sure Gatland and the others will at least discuss him at some point.
Doing well until the last sentence
Haskell’s form in the last 8 months consists of a slightly over excited 36 seconds during which he managed to make 1 rather inept tackle.
I suppose if you were to extrapolate that tackle rate out over 80 minutes it would be pretty awesome
Haha very true – it was more of a hypothetical assuming he would be back in form during the 6N
Hot:
Owen Farrell – ran the game superbly, held his nerve, clean break to create the equalising try – surely a shoo-in for the test team now, possible option as captain?
Jack Nowell – looked very lively against Ulster, more than matching Piutau opposite him. Good to see him wanting ball in hand and creating spaces and opportunities, rather than just stuck out on his wing.
Elliot Daly – good defensively in a tight game and then grabbed the smallest chance to ghost through Toulouse’s line for a vital score.
Connor Murray – despite being targeted by Glasgow, largely kept his cool and ran a tight game through good decision making.
Not:
Finn Russell – looked overawed and harried by Munster, must shoulder the blame for not being able to set up a drop goal in the dying minutes to rescue Glasgow.
Rory Best – comprehensively outplayed by Exeter’s LCD, bounced off tackles, pinged in the ruck, isolated in the defensive line. Looked like he had been targeted as a weak link, and it worked for Exeter.
The entire Leicester team – they look completely at sea, making basic errors and lacking any sort of confidence. Will be interesting to see if the likes of Youngs and Cole quickly regain their composure in the England camp or if others are prefered.
Good shout on Nowell – he has been excellent recently!
I mostly like Chris Ahston as a rugby player. He does run intelligent lines, has great pace and is arguably the best ball tracker in attack in the NH. Unfortunately he is not a good tackler and does have a tendency to go too high (League style) and get that wrong as well. Oh and he does annoyingly lose his rag too often!!
As an attacking winger he is one of the best, as an all round player, he is a long way behind some of the others.
For me all the wingers below would be above him in the pecking order at the moment:
Watson
Nowell
May
Yarde
Williams
North
Cuthbert (only joking!!)
Zebo
Trimble
Seymour
Maitland
I would even be tempted to stick Wade and Visser in there, but still not sure that either of them are any better defensively than Ashton. But their attitude and disciplinary record are much better.
Dazza
A good list on the whole. I would beg to differ with May’s elevated position on it though. Especially when it is a list presumably equally based on a 50/50 split between offensive and defensive abilities and duties l.
May’s defense is wobbly (why he was dropped before being recalled by EJ recently). I’d have May down below Cuthbert as Johnny’s defense is a bit of a joke too.
Wade i have not seen drop or miss a tackle in a while now (has definitely been working on it) whilst he has one of if not the highest scoring rate in the championship.
May, Rokoguduni and Cuthbert i would all put in the joke defence category.
Jason Robinson for England, if you remember, was equally ropey in defense at the start (especially his ability to kick) but only got better with time and became like Wade still could, the whole package.
I’m definitely a fan of the unfashionably small but zippy winger!
I would have agreed with you on May a couple of years ago, but in the match where Daly got red carded May was unbelievable in attack and defence. Covering both wings and just appearing everywhere else on the pitch to get ball in hand. Not sure we would see the same work rate from Yarde or Roko.
It’s obvious that Eddie has a soft spot for Yarde, so he must see something that I certainly can’t.
Its defo one area of weakness in EJ (rare of me to say it as I normally large him up!!)
He has a tendency to have ‘favourites’ who he sticks by come hell or high water.
Yarde is definitely one picked i would say at the expense of perfectly credible alternatives e.g Wade and Roko (happy to see more of both on a rgulsr basis)
Teimana another i’d have dispensed with an aeon ago. Same with Good.
INDIVIDUALS at the expense of the WHOLE i would say sometimes.
Wade definitely deserves a shot, and I would pick him ahead of Yarde any day.
Never seen Harrison do anything that would want me to give him a chance. Kvesic should have got that call instead.
On Goode I am biased having watched him play at Sarries since his teens. Unfortunately he doesn’t fit with the way that EJ wants to play. At least not while Ford and Farrell are fit and that is the combo he wants. If T’eo was starting and we needed an extra playmaker to step into the line, I would have Goode in without a doubt.
Please tell me your sorting those players in terms of nationality.
It was more a case of my taking umbridge with the lofty ratings of a couple of englishmen on the original list. So no eradication of the other pan-British players intended whatsoever!
Just a verbal surgical strike!
If i interpret the sarcasm of your comment correctly am with you 100%, lock stock and barrel, no problemos!
Haha, yes nationality, not ability!! Seemed like the most sensible way of doing it, and save a lot of arguing.
Couldn’t help it. Permanent case of keepingan eye on the prize (England)
Uber apologies!
Finn Russell’s surely gone down (phrasing) after his haphazard, ego-driven display against Munster. Similarly, I’d say that Stander got put in his place somewhat by Strauss.
That was Stander’s worst game for a long time in a Munster jersey yet he still makes the most metres on the Munster team. He has done enough for Ireland and Munster this season to be entitled to an off day.
I agree with Charlie above about Farrell. He has improved year by year. None of the improvements have been giant leaps, but with each season he has improved as a player and added strings to his bow.
He is improving his attacking lines after playing alongside Ford, plus game management and goal kicking are Wilkinsonesque.
I am happy to see Launchberry back on form. Apart from Wyn-jones, I would not be surprised if most of the Locks are English on the Lions tour. Though Jonny Gray and possibly Toner (if his forms picks up and he has a good 6 nations) are good shouts as well.
I think the one are that is the most competitive areas throughout the home unions is the Front 3. It should be very interesting to see who goes. I think Sinkler and/or Furlong could well be on the plane come the Summer.
I cannot see anyone other than Hogg occupying the no15 position. But maybe the next few months will be telling ;)
At the end of the day no matter which home union, we just want the best squad to go out to NZ and stick it to the Kiwis :)
Furlong probably more than Sinckler, although if he proves his worth during the 6 Nations, who know. With Nel injured again this other Scottish lad could make a late run (Fagerson???)
How on god’s earth did Jack Conan not get a mention? Most Carries,Most tackles,Most defenders beaten on the Leinster team oh and just score a Hat-trick of tries.