The five French sides – La Rochelle, Toulouse, Racing 92, Bordeaux Begles, and ASM Clermont Auvergne – made up the biggest contingent followed by the Premiership with Sale and Exeter and just one, Leinster, from the PRO14.
Although we have had a strange season this year, teams have been playing more or less regular fixtures and so should be considered well prepared for this elite competition, particularly as all the clubs that qualified for the quarter-finals are currently at or near the top of their respective leagues.
However, the failure of the Premiership to get none through to the semi-finals is an alarm bell that should be ringing loudly at the RFU.
With just two teams making the quarters and, for only the second time in the history of the Cup, the Premiership failing to have a team in the semi-finals, coupled with England’s performance in the Six Nations, it would seem to indicate that the standard of the Premiership is beginning to decline.
Many of the games in the Premiership this season have been high-scoring, ‘crowd pleasing’ results that seem to show an improvement in the strength of the competition – but it now appears that may be wrong.
The dominance of the French clubs is matched by the improvement in their national side as French coach Galthie has been provided with a wealth of players to build an impressive squad.
England’s failure in the Six Nations was in part blamed on Eddie Jones picking players from Saracens who had not been playing and may therefore have not been match fit.
Denne historien er fra April 18, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra April 18, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
