Round 1 - Nations' Report

Finally the European season is under way. As always you should never take too much from the first round of matches - teams have differing qualities of opponents etc, but for a bit of fun here is my report.

Wales
Great start to the season, with all four regions manging to win.
Scarlets face a much bigger hurdle next week with their start to the season so reminiscent of last year - securing a home win against a French side, but playing against a big physical English team in Round 2. Saints will look to dominate Scarlets physically in the way Tigers did and will be hoping for a similar result.
Ospreys got the expected win against a poor Biarritz team and with a match against periennial Euro strugglers Treviso will be looking for 2/2.
Dragons secured the 5 points they would have expected in Italy to setthem up nicely for the match against Perpignan.
Star Performers: Cardiff Had the most difficult challenge and rose to it magnificently. It is always dangerous in sport to look too far ahead but already they should be planning for a home 1/4 final.

Score 9/10


Scotland
Another country with a 100% record. In both cases late scores were enough to beat english opponents, Edinburgh away to injuray (and suspension) ravaged Reading London Irish and star performers Glasgow against Bath.

Score 8/10



Ireland
What will Munster do when ROG retires? Fantastic example of grit, pride and ball possesion saw them sneak a match in which for large parts they were second best.
Strong defensive performance from star performers Ulster was enough to just beat Clermont.
Leinster will probably be the happiest having secured the draw in France. 5 points from the home game with glasgow and like Cardiff should be contemplating a home 1/4 final.
Connacht looked limited yet still gave the AP pace setters a real scare.

Score 7/10


England
Wins for Tigers/Sarries and Quins against possibly the 3 weakest teams in the competition is no more than you would expect. Tigers will feel they dropped a point and Quins struggled. Sarries eventually secured the TBP but had to labour.
This was though, in the HC, a case of close but no cigar. London Irish, Bath, Northampton and star performers Gloucester all lost to late scores.
The results of a series of Anglo/French ties in the Amlin cup was won 3/2 by the French. Strong performances by Wasps, Falcons and (in a losing cause) Exeter suggests that there should be good participation of English clubs in teh later stages of this competition.

Score 6/10


France
Late try for Toulouse secured the only win for French teams in the HC. Toulouse will still be favourites to win their group - but would have entered sunday's game hoping to get the full 5 points. Despite losing start performers Clermont will be delighted that they got a LBB while neither Ulster nor Tigers secured TBPs
Decent performance in Amlin

Score 5/10


Italy

Woeful in both competitions, with only star performers Aironi denying opposition TBPs.

Score 1/10