My Champions Cup team of the season so far
As a coach I loved trying to figure out what combination of players might work best. On what would have been quarter-final weekend in the Champions Cup, I thought it would be fun to do so again; go through the pool games and pick out a team from the group stages. It was actually quite a cathartic process and reminded me what a brilliant season we had been enjoying until coronavirus intervened. Just the thought of these players in action again makes the mouth water. My selections are from the teams who reached the quarter-finals. uarter finals.
LEWIS LUDLAM NORTHAMPTON FLANKER NKER
He has had a remarkable nine ine months. Intense and highly competitive itive performances have made him a dominant force in phase play ay and he has benefited from Northampton’s on’s quicker game. He has clearly impressed essed Eddie Jones and become part of England’s back-row group. Again it comes omes back to a high game involvement, nt, reflected in 61 metres off 13 3 carries against Lyon.
JOHN COONEY ULSTER SCRUM-HALF
I very nearly went for Antoine Dupont upont but Cooney has been fantastic for Ulster lster and a major reason they made it through to the final eight. Snappy py pass, good break, eye for a try and consistent goal-kicking. A total of 71 points and five tries so far. I have watched a lot of Ulster this season and Cooney has been excellent.
GARRY RINGROSE LEINSTER INSIDE CENTRE
Ringrose is an outside centre, really, but t can play 12. He has bulked up a bit, and is a cracking finisher with great hands and da a bit of X-factor. Great support runner too. o. While Ireland are still suffering a bit of a post-World Cup hangover, Ringrose has been excellent for Leinster. He and Virimi Vakatawa would be an exciting pairing, for sure.
ALEC HEPBURN EXETER CHIEFS PROP
Again it comes down to combinations. ons. Cian Healy is a bigger name and has s also been in good form. But I like Hepburn rn with Luke Cowan-Dickie. I like Hepburn full stop. He is one of Exeter’s unsung heroes with his high game involvement as they accumulate their phases.
JAMES RYAN YAN LEINSTERR LOCK
An Ireland captain in the making, Ryan is still just 23 but it feels as if he has been n around an awful lot longer. His game has tremendous variety. He is big, strong, athletic, an excellent line-out option, tion, carries hard and is consistently towards the e top of the tackle charts. ts. Most of all, he is a leader. er.
FINN RUSSELL RACING 92 STAND-OFF
Another for whom a change of scene has paid rich dividends. Racing 92 are pretty much the perfect fit for Russell; ; heavy artillery both up front and in the e back division giving him the front-foot ot ball on which he thrives. Russell spots space earlier than others and is skilful l enough to put people into it. He has built respect in a high-quality environment.
VIRIMI VAKATAWA RACING 92 OUTSIDE CENTRE
Immense for Racing 92 in the competition tition so far, performing a similar role to the e one Manu Tuilagi does for England. He gets them across the gain line time and again, helping to secure the front-foot ball from which Finn Russell ell can do so much damage. His performance mance when Racing annihilated Saracens in Paris was extraordinary. Eight carries for 82 metres, with two clean breaks.
LUKE COWAN-DICKIE EXETER CHIEFS HOOKER
Really pushing Jamie George for that starting role for England. Cowan-Dickie is an excellent all-round footballer. His throwing is good and he is hugely dynamic on the ball with his speed, his handling and his high work rate. He is beginning to make a real impact at European level, as Exeter’s game quickens.
MARO ITOJE SARACENS LOCK
That T game against Racing 92 when it was as win or bust for Saracens was as good as s it gets from a lock forward. Itoje is the ultimate competitor. What I like best about him is that he has become shrewder, cutting out the silly penalties. . He is still abrasive, still niggly. But he shows more game intelligence now. A natural leader, and a very clever player.
MARCELL COETZEE ULSTER NO8
Probably the position with which I struggled most with so many No 8s impressing. I settled on Coetzee because e I think Ulster have reached the knockout t stages s by controlling and winning the game-defining g moments – times when his impact, along with John Cooney’s, kept Ulster on track. Coetzee’s stats from m the pool stages are eye-watering – 96 carries, 26 defenders beaten, seven turnovers. Very impressive.
TEDDY T THOMAS RACING 92 WING
Even when a team are going well, , you still need your finishers and Thomas is one of the best around at the moment. Good feet, and great acceleration into space. I thought he was particularly good d in Racing 92’s crucial win at home against Munster when they scored those e three late tries.
DAMIAN PENAUD CLERMONT WING
Good finisher, clever footballer baller and one of the most exciting young French players around. Penaud benefits from the excellent rugby Clermont play; side to side, plenty of offloading. ng. But he is a key part of that. His is excellent form as Clermont nt topped Pool Three won him im a France recall for the most t recent
Six Nations.
TADHG FURLONG LEINSTER PROP
Potentially has not hit the same heights ts for Ireland that he did a couple of years s a ago, but for Leinster – who play slightly y d differently – he is still a force of nature. . T The best tighthead in Europe. Deceptively athletic and technically s superb.
DAVE EWERS EXETER CHIEFS FLANKER
Another Chief, another unsung hero. I would probably have picked
Tom Curry if I was factoring in internationals, but, in terms of the Champions Cup, Ewers has been superb. His consistently strong carrying c game has helped create the more consistent, quicker ball which has s lifted Exeter’s all-round game, and resulted r in a perfect record so far.
STUART HOGG EXETER CHIEFS FULL-BACK
The move to Exeter has worked out brilliantly for Scotland’s captain. For years now we have wondered when Exeter might take that final step up to Europe’s elite. They just lacked a few little edges. They have found one in Hogg.