Super 12 vs Heineken Cup - A Comparison

Winning Captain!
By Claire J
May 24 2004

Poitrenaud and Blair – two full backs who will not have fond memories of their respective finals and will probably be wishing they had done things oh so differently. When Alan Solomons suggested we should compare the Super 12 and Heineken Cup finals, I decided that I would.

So what did I get – 170 minutes of the four best club teams in the world scoring a hatful of tries, producing running rugby and competitive forward play…


Well, the hatful of tries were scored in Canberra, in what has to be one of the most woeful starts ever made to a final (and I was at the Saints vs London Irish 2002 PowerGen Cup Final so I feel qualified to comment!). Within 20 minutes of the start, we had seen school-boy errors, a defence that had the solidity of a limp lettuce leaf and a large Fijian waving the ball in the air with one hand. Surely, somebody will deal with that in England next year?!

In London, the first play lasted nearly 1 minute and 40 seconds with both teams, hitting each other very hard. Despite the best efforts of the Aussie commentators, I know where the really big hits were going in and it was at Twickenham – so sorry lads, you can yell ‘whoa’ all you like, it was all happening in London not where you were! And short line-outs to the front aren’t that radical!

Anyway, back to the comparison – best fly-half on show – Stephen Larkham – precise decision making (may the Toulouse fly-half hang his head in shame), superb kicking from hand and lovely passing. He’s the threat this summer no doubt. Yet I think the best back play was still in London – both Wasps and Toulouse produced flowing rugby – Van Guisbergen’s try will live long in the memory as the inter-passing between him and King was delightful. And it was scored with huge pressure from Toulouse – too often tries were scored in Canberra when the first line of defence was broken or in the case of Ben Blair – fell over.

Now for the comparison in the forwards – ha ha – scrummaging didn’t really decide anything in either match – Toulouse were dominant in London but even so Wasps stole one against the head, even stevens in Canberra. In the lose, going forward the ACT Brumbies were very impressive, I confess I didn’t regard the comeback in the second half as real – the Brumbies had the game won. In London, the Toulouse forwards were sublime going forward and hard-hitting in defence. Wasps meanwhile, were the street-fighters playing it hard and not always fair but boy was it effective. For the first time, this season Worsley gave his club the performance they deserved – I’d love to know his tackle count and metres gained.

Ok, now for the tricky comparison Alain Rolland vs Andre Watson – Rolland easily because nobody in Canberra had the faintest idea what Andre was on about! If it’s time to go ‘walkies’ Andre, you only have to reach in your pocket! Too often lectures were given and no action taken. In London, Rolland did and sent off Lawrence Dallaglio for… well, a list of offences!!

So which was the better game – no surprises here – the Heineken Cup – decided in the last minute by the tenacity of a Welshman and the stupidity of a Frenchman. A game where two packs showed grunt, aggression and skill, the backlines had pace and guile and a match that was over in the last minute rather than the first! But that game in Canberra had the best playmaker in Larkham.

Roll on the Summer tours!