The English question

One thing you can predict with safety – more wailing and gnashing of teeth if the Heineken Cup turns sour for the English Premiership once again. Julian Bennetts reports.

SOMETIMES you get the feeling the English can do nothing right. When Clive Woodward, Martin Johnson and friends were sweeping all before them to win the 2003 Rugby World Cup, they were characterised as Neanderthals, the brute force of their club game giving them an unfair advantage over more skilled individuals.

Fast-forward seven years, and last season’s abject Heineken Cup failure has led to more complaints – about the salary cap, the way the game is refereed differently by continental officials and about how the Aviva Premiership is too tough for their representatives to compete in Europe.

What is the truth? Well, as ever, it lies somewhere in the middle of those arguments. Firstly, the facts. Between 2000 and 2004, English clubs won four of the five Heineken Cups.

Not coincidentally, that was the period in which England were the dominant national team. Since then, only Wasps in 2007 have got their hands on the trophy, and last season was the worst that English clubs have endured – with the Red Rose mirroring the disappointments of their club sides.

Only Northampton Saints reached the last eight last season, and although they acquitted themselves well, they never looked as if they believed they were going to beat Munster at Thomond Park.

Mud was slung and there was much soul-searching, but from speaking to representatives of each of the six English clubs involved this time around there seems to be far more positivity about the upcoming campaign. Most Directors of Rugby feel that last season was a blip, but there are one or two dissenting voices who argue that if another season of disappointment follows then there needs to be a sea-change.

Chief among them are Richard Cockerill and Jim Mallinder, in charge of Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints respectively. Both of them are clear in their views that the salary cap is an issue and need to be looked at. Aviva Premiership clubs are limited to wages of £4.2m (just over 4.8m), while Toulon, for example, are thought to spend £7.1m (8.17m) on their playing staff.

What this means is that Toulon can name 47 top-class players in their first-team squad, whereas Leicester, the English champions, list 35 – many of whom are youngsters with little first-team experience.

It must be pointed out that if there were no salary cap then Leicester and Northampton would benefit more than the majority of their English counterparts due to their increased turnover – Leicester is £18.5m (21.3m), two-and-half times bigger than that of London Irish’s – and so those two sides do certainly have a vested interest. From speaking to Cockerill, you have to admit that he puts forward a convincing case for why the salary cap is hindering English clubs. “I think English sides will do better than last season, I think that was a blip,” says Cockerill, whose side lost the 2009 Heineken Cup final to Leinster. “I would like to think that two or three English sides will get into the knockout stages, but if we don’t and we have another poor season, then the powers-that-be have to look at the salary cap. “If we have everyone fit and available then we are definitely good enough to compete in Europe. But where the salary cap disadvantages us is that if we have a few injuries then we don’t have the depth of squad to cope. French sides can afford to carry 45 or 50 players, whereas we do well to have 35.

Although his club are bitter rivals with their neighbours up the M1, Mallinder is singing from the same hymn sheet. “If we do poorly again then the salary cap must be looked at. With the World Cup coming next summer there will be a lot of players heading to New Zealand, and to me that looks to be the perfect time to do so.”

If you were of a cynical nature, you could argue that it would be in Leicester and Northampton’s interests to do poorly this season. Another season of abject failure for English clubs could see the salary cap extended, allowing the bigger financial beasts to reap the rewards, with those two Midlands clubs to the fore.

Unsurprisingly, not many of their Premiership rivals see it the same way.

“There’s always going to be something that’s going on that people blame when things don’t go well,” says Toby Booth, London Irish’s Director of Rugby. “It might be the salary cap, different refereeing standards or centrally contracted players not being available. I think it’s still pretty ambiguous as to why English clubs didn’t do well last season. People talk about there being a power shift towards Ireland and France, but English clubs have won more Heineken Cups than any other country.

“All I know is that as long as they keep their players fit then English clubs will still be hugely competitive this season. There is a lot that we (the clubs) can’t control, so we have to roll our sleeves up and get on with it. Let’s prove ourselves on the pitch.”

But as ever in English rugby, if you want a dissenting voice then Saracen’s Brendan Venter is your man. The South African greets controversy like an old friend, and he is adamant that different interpretations between referees will dictate how successful Premiership sides are this time around.

“It’s nothing to do with the salary cap,” he insists. “All I know is that if only the English referees are strict in terms of interpretation then the English clubs won’t do well. Teams are still chucking numbers at the breakdown, going offside and getting ahead of the kicker to chase the ball. They are playing how we were two years ago. For me, the refereeing is the only difference between French and English sides; you can’t tell me it’s to do with the quality of the teams.”

Yet while Venter’s bravado is laudable, in its way, the signs are that English clubs will once again struggle. Take Venter’s Saracens, for example. Drawn in Pool Three, they will face Clermont Auvergne, Leinster and Racing Metro. The latter would have been considered outsiders when the draw was made, but they have started the season well and are leading the Top 14 after nine games. Leinster have obvious pedigree, while Clermont are the reigning French champions. A serious tilt at Europe would undermine Sarries’ Premiership charge, and although Venter will only say, “we want to win every game we play,” it would be no surprise if he prioritises domestic affairs.

Of the English sides it must be said that Northampton and Leicester are carrying the majority of hopes. Saints have come on leaps and bounds during Mallinder’s three full seasons in charge. Promotion was secured with a flawless record, before consolidation and victory in the European Challenge Cup was followed by last season’s second place finish and progress to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

After being drawn with Cardiff Blues, Castres and Edinburgh they will expect to make the last eight. With the England job potentially up for grabs after next summer’s World Cup, Mallinder is a leading candidate. As far as job applications go, a run to the Heineken Cup final would do nicely.

Leicester have been there and done that. Winners in 2001 and 2002, Cockerill is expecting big things from his team. “I hope our young players step up to the challenge,” he says. “I expect us to do well.”

Treviso and the Scarlets should be beaten, meaning it’s winner-takes-all against Perpignan. Leicester should edge it, but only if their emerging talents, such as Ben Youngs and Dan Cole, are on form.

Unfortunately, the prognosis is not quite as positive when it comes to the other English sides. London Irish reached the Heineken Cup semi-finals in 2008, and have started the season superbly. Indeed, they may well beat Munster tomorrow, depending on which Ryan Lamb turns up. Yet a Pool that also includes the Ospreys and Toulon is a veritable Group of Death. If Irish had been treated a little kinder by the draw they could be ones to watch, but unfortunately they are unlikely to make the last eight.

Bath are also an improving side, but still lack a little nous, as shown by their home defeat to Gloucester last weekend. They could scrape through a pool that is completed by Ulster, Biarritz and Aironi, but would be better off concentrating on the Premiership. Two-time winners Wasps are also back in the competition, but the lack of hype about their chances says it all. This is a team in transition. Reigning champions Toulouse are all but certain to dominate Pool Six.

So, all in all, it makes mixed reading for the six English teams. At best, three could progress –- at worst, we could see a repeat of last season. The mood is surprisingly positive, but the reality may be less so. Expect more wailing and gnashing of teeth as the Heineken Cup turns sour for the Premiership once again.