Lancaster disputes D'Arcy's gloomy Euro read

Stuart Lancaster has hardly seen a wet week in Dublin, but the former England head coach has learned enough to disagree with Gordon D’Arcy’s damning assessment of his new employer’s European chances this season.

D’Arcy claimed the job of escaping from the pool stages of the Champions Cup has become 35-40% harder for the provinces since the changeover from the Heineken Cup and he reckoned Irish sides faced an “almost impossible” task.

“I think it’s hard for any team,” said the new Leinster senior coach.