Far from the Crowd- A Rugby madness
The long awaited quarter and semi finals of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup did not disappoint - an International tournament in club jerseys was in evidence in Ireland, France and England. Amid all the turmoil in our game and beyond, the 25th anniversary of this great tournament has been honoured on the field.
Yet.... if the Aviva had been bursting at the seams with Leinster one score behind the Saracens, what a last 20 minutes it would have been instead of the defending champions being left to draw on their unquenchable and unchallenged spirit of defiance against the odds. 22,000 Clermont supporters would surely have tested the mettle of Racing 92 as they stormed ahead away from home. At Sandy Park last Saturday, the heart bled for the empty stadium which greeted Exeter's biggest achievement since promotion to the Premiership. In the Challenge Cup, Bristol downed the powerful Bordeaux in some style, urged on by 20 very vocal squad members. Now they face Toulon in Aix en Provence. Both sides will draw deep on their culture in unfamiliar territory,
At least in France some limited support is allowed, but the blanket, undifferentiated ban on crowds in England and refusal to let the amateur game recommence has brought our great game to the brink.
On the field, Henry Slade has confirmed his position as the number one centre in England, what superlative skill he has, a more muscular version of Jerry Guscott at times. Joe Simmonds now deserves a start for England ahead of Farrell and Ford. I would also love to see Slade play in a fantasy team with Finn Russell and Virimi Vakatawa of Racing who undid Saracens in Paris with a moment of pure genius.
Toulouse are young and will come again but need the sort of athleticism showed by the Chiefs in the back five, where Jonny Hill was wonderful. They were relentless and not to be denied even when the four times champions threatened to overwhelm them in the first twenty.
Much has been written and said about defending champions Saracens. For years in Europe they have told a stunning and successful tale of brotherhood and spirit, two undeniable planks in rugby's values. They will be back.
In these virus-hit times, Ashton Gate's unlikely place as host venue for the Exeter/Racing 92 Final will feature two sides for the ages and conclusively the most compelling to watch in Europe, tragically from a distance and far from the crowds they deserve.