On the weekend of 1-2 March you could take your pick from competitions around the globe. Here are five, carefully arranged in alphabetical order:
Celtic Challenge, Round Nine
Elite 1, Round 14
PWR, semi-finals
Super Aupiki, Round One
Super W, Round One
Results
Celtic Challenge: Gwalia (Wales, 3rd) 17 Wolfhounds (Ireland, 1st) 48; Edinburgh (Scotland, 4th) 18 Clovers 60, 2nd (Ireland); Glasgow (Scotland, 6th) 17 Brython (Wales, 5th) 33
The two Irish sides confirmed their pre-eminence with clear victories. In the basement clash Brython won important away points at Scotstoun. Glasgow remain in the doldrums.
Elite 1: Stade Rennais 5 Lyon OU 14; Stade Villeneuvois Lille Metropole 7 Montpellier 33; Bobigny 16 Blagnac 27; Romagnat 12 Grenoble 10; Stade Toulousain 22 Stade Bordelais 26
Despite the narrowness of their victory in Toulouse, SB remain the runaway leaders in France, unbeaten all season. If I worry about uneven competition in England, then France takes this to a much greater degree. Bordeaux has acquired the services of so many Bleues that even Gloucester-Hartpury might feel envious.
PWR, semi-finals: Saracens 32 Harlequins 17; Gloucester-Hartpury 36 Bristol Bears 20
On Saturday neither side was faultless, but Quins were guilty of more unforced errors, and Sarries pulled away to secure a fifth final spot. On Sunday Glos-Pury came within one victory of an unprecedented triple trophy title. 6,000 in attendance. Most obsevers considered the second match far superior.
Super Aupiki: Chiefs Manawa 25 Matatū 31; Hurricanes Poua 10 Blues 50
The side that manages to beat Blues will have cause for celebration; it’s odds-on them retaining their crown. Matatū came from behind to down Chiefs Manawa in Hamilton. The tournament remains limited to these four teams. Are they really enough?
Super W: NSW Waratahs 17 Fijiana Drua 23; Western Force 29 Brumbies 29
Fijiana shocked the Tahs in Sydney closing out a tight match by a single score. Even more drama in Perth, where it needed a 68th minute penalty by Faitala Moleka to bring the visitors level.
Both these southern hemisphere tournaments have only just got underway; far too early for profound judgements (except about Blues!).
Conclusion
The closer we draw to the World Cup, the sharper will be the head coaches’ eyes in discerning players who merit advancement.
All the eight nations involved, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales, are a distance from revealing a final squad – in the north, for the Six Nations (less than three weeks away); in the south for the Pacific Four (a start in May, but excluding Fijiana).
It would have been nice to include the Latin Cup (Italy and Spain) in this survey, but sadly the whole tournament was over in the twinkling of an eye in early February. We can only hope for an enlarged structure in the future. Four franchises are hardly enough.
