By Nick Powell
After a quite brilliant year of English Rugby in Europe, we are just 160 minutes away from potentially having two English European Champions in the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup Finals from Lyon this weekend, but they have two absolute giants of French rugby standing in their way.
Harlequins vs Montpellier
Harlequins were utterly shambolic last weekend, it was an embarrassingly bad display from them and it is tough to recover from something as bad as that. Exeter ran in 7 tries in a horrendous half hour for Quins. It is fair to say their first three tries involved bad luck their way from a bit of loose play but the last four tries showed a lack of caring from Quins. It's a shame given it was Conor O Shea's last game but perhaps they had one eye on this encounter. One thing is for sure, they must improve.
If they can take anything from last week, Montpellier play a similar style to Exeter. As a result Quins have learnt exactly how NOT to play against one of those powerful teams. Their defence has been poor this season but that doesn't mean that they are going to ship that many points in this game, they have got the players to defend properly. Their motivation will be huge, it is Conor O Shea's last game, they are fighting for Champions Cup Rugby and above all they will be playing for the memory of their prop Seb Adeniran-Olule who died tragically on Tuesday.
Montpellier are the clear favourites to win this game, 2nd in the Top 14 versus Quins' lower mid-table finish in the Premiership shows they have been vastly better domestically and they have also performed well in the Challenge Cup. After being beaten by Quins with 40 points shipped in Round 1 they saw them off with 40 in the last group game and negotiated Sale away (which Quins couldn't do) before comfortably beating Dragons in the semi-final so they really look good if you put the sides head to head. Whilst they also received a serious beating in their last Top 14 they did rest a lot of players for that game so it is understandable that they will be a lot less shell-shocked than their rivals.
Prediction: Montpellier are the bookies' favourites and on paper I would have to give it to them but I am expecting something special from Quins. They will be inspired and hugely motivated given how important this game is for the club and Conor O Shea I just believe they will be so much more up for the fight than last week. Montpellier have got some excellent players and as a team they play very well, but a fully fit Quins have got the flair and ability to run in tries. For me, their defence will give it everything and will be enough for them to pull off an upset, albeit in an incredibly close game.
Quins by 1 point
Racing 92 vs Saracens
Racing have been the outstanding team in this season's tournament. They were weaker away from home than at home, but in their home country they are likely to have plenty of fans making the trip to Lyon and you really would back them to cause Saracens defence some problem, even though it is so strong. What is extraordinary about them is they have the ability to change up their game plan whatever the opposition, and even more incredibly, they change their game plan to match the other team. For example against Toulon they beat them playing brutal, hard rugby, whereas they beat Leicester playing with flair (albeit poorly executed at times), and these two teams play in those respective ways. Taking on Saracens at a kicking game is bold, but we could very well see that.
And it wouldn't exactly be impossible with Dan Carter at 10 for them, he has been superb at times and his ability to get a backline going, kick for the corners and make the correct decision is still, without doubt, the finest in the world. It is not as if he only does the beautiful as well, he clocked in at 16 tackles against Leicester and is by no means a route to send crash ball runners for Sarries. He is not the only sensational player Racing have in their ranks, Machenaud, Rockocko just some of the backline weapons combined with the huge forward power provided by internationals such as Ben Arous, Charteris and La Roux.
Whilst Saracens have fewer world class, stand out names, they have an incredible link as a team and nail the basics in each and every game. There are very few club teams you'd back to beat Sarries when the London team are on top form. The line-out will be a huge area in this game. If Saracens are able to nick the kind of amounts of ball they manage in the Premiership and use their lineout drive as effectively as they often do, you don't give Racing much chance of winning this one. They need to deal with the ferocious, warrior like pack that Sarries possess with a mixture of different talents, take the deft hands of Mako Vunipola, the ball carrying ability of his brother and of course the line out and breakdown ability of their super second rows, Itoje and Kruis.
Looking at the backs, Farrell has been in terrific at fly half for Saracens this season and has been a points machine for them, the leading points scorer has managed 92 points in the tournament so far. His delivery and ball play have improved immensely too and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top in the battle between him and Carter. Wyles is their top try scorer with 5, and with Ashton on the other wing they have no shortage of pace out wide. Barritt has been solid in the centre while Goode’s experience has been crucial at full back, his own form has been incredibly impressive too, and unless Mike Brown puts in a match-winning performance for Harlequins later then Goode really should start for England this summer. They are a well balanced unit and they are capable of causing Racing lots of problems on Saturday.
Prediction: It's really difficult to call this game. It is going to be so unbelievably close and is going to be a phenomenally tight, edgy affair. Both sides have been in good form in recent weeks and they are both headed for the play-offs in their domestic Leagues. Neither team has ever won the Champions Cup so whoever handles the nerves best will come out on top. Ultimately I do think Carter’s vast experience will be hugely important in a game that will be decided on incredibly fine margins but it is hard to look past Saracens' pack, which is one of the finest in world rugby. International experience will carry Racing home in my opinion, but if they let Sarries get at them in set-piece and breakdown then the English Champions will be in a great position to win it.
After a quite brilliant year of English Rugby in Europe, we are just 160 minutes away from potentially having two English European Champions in the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup Finals from Lyon this weekend, but they have two absolute giants of French rugby standing in their way.
Harlequins were utterly shambolic last weekend, it was an embarrassingly bad display from them and it is tough to recover from something as bad as that. Exeter ran in 7 tries in a horrendous half hour for Quins. It is fair to say their first three tries involved bad luck their way from a bit of loose play but the last four tries showed a lack of caring from Quins. It's a shame given it was Conor O Shea's last game but perhaps they had one eye on this encounter. One thing is for sure, they must improve.
If they can take anything from last week, Montpellier play a similar style to Exeter. As a result Quins have learnt exactly how NOT to play against one of those powerful teams. Their defence has been poor this season but that doesn't mean that they are going to ship that many points in this game, they have got the players to defend properly. Their motivation will be huge, it is Conor O Shea's last game, they are fighting for Champions Cup Rugby and above all they will be playing for the memory of their prop Seb Adeniran-Olule who died tragically on Tuesday.
Montpellier are the clear favourites to win this game, 2nd in the Top 14 versus Quins' lower mid-table finish in the Premiership shows they have been vastly better domestically and they have also performed well in the Challenge Cup. After being beaten by Quins with 40 points shipped in Round 1 they saw them off with 40 in the last group game and negotiated Sale away (which Quins couldn't do) before comfortably beating Dragons in the semi-final so they really look good if you put the sides head to head. Whilst they also received a serious beating in their last Top 14 they did rest a lot of players for that game so it is understandable that they will be a lot less shell-shocked than their rivals.
Prediction: Montpellier are the bookies' favourites and on paper I would have to give it to them but I am expecting something special from Quins. They will be inspired and hugely motivated given how important this game is for the club and Conor O Shea I just believe they will be so much more up for the fight than last week. Montpellier have got some excellent players and as a team they play very well, but a fully fit Quins have got the flair and ability to run in tries. For me, their defence will give it everything and will be enough for them to pull off an upset, albeit in an incredibly close game.
Quins by 1 point
Racing 92 vs Saracens
Racing have been the outstanding team in this season's tournament. They were weaker away from home than at home, but in their home country they are likely to have plenty of fans making the trip to Lyon and you really would back them to cause Saracens defence some problem, even though it is so strong. What is extraordinary about them is they have the ability to change up their game plan whatever the opposition, and even more incredibly, they change their game plan to match the other team. For example against Toulon they beat them playing brutal, hard rugby, whereas they beat Leicester playing with flair (albeit poorly executed at times), and these two teams play in those respective ways. Taking on Saracens at a kicking game is bold, but we could very well see that.
And it wouldn't exactly be impossible with Dan Carter at 10 for them, he has been superb at times and his ability to get a backline going, kick for the corners and make the correct decision is still, without doubt, the finest in the world. It is not as if he only does the beautiful as well, he clocked in at 16 tackles against Leicester and is by no means a route to send crash ball runners for Sarries. He is not the only sensational player Racing have in their ranks, Machenaud, Rockocko just some of the backline weapons combined with the huge forward power provided by internationals such as Ben Arous, Charteris and La Roux.
Whilst Saracens have fewer world class, stand out names, they have an incredible link as a team and nail the basics in each and every game. There are very few club teams you'd back to beat Sarries when the London team are on top form. The line-out will be a huge area in this game. If Saracens are able to nick the kind of amounts of ball they manage in the Premiership and use their lineout drive as effectively as they often do, you don't give Racing much chance of winning this one. They need to deal with the ferocious, warrior like pack that Sarries possess with a mixture of different talents, take the deft hands of Mako Vunipola, the ball carrying ability of his brother and of course the line out and breakdown ability of their super second rows, Itoje and Kruis.
Prediction: It's really difficult to call this game. It is going to be so unbelievably close and is going to be a phenomenally tight, edgy affair. Both sides have been in good form in recent weeks and they are both headed for the play-offs in their domestic Leagues. Neither team has ever won the Champions Cup so whoever handles the nerves best will come out on top. Ultimately I do think Carter’s vast experience will be hugely important in a game that will be decided on incredibly fine margins but it is hard to look past Saracens' pack, which is one of the finest in world rugby. International experience will carry Racing home in my opinion, but if they let Sarries get at them in set-piece and breakdown then the English Champions will be in a great position to win it.
Racing by 1 point
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