Gallic Flair In Spades

WHEN it comes to Rugby Union, the French have always marched to a different drum than their Anglo-Saxon/Celtic neighbours at the sharp end of the game. For instance, even when the season in the British Isles was strictly enforced as 1 September until 30 April, across La Manche, the French Championship was never settled until June. Thus it continues today, so those of us who subscribe to Viaplay Sport were able, on Friday and Saturday to see, live, the championship semi-finals.

Friday night's clash between Toulouse and Racing 92 was a terrific game, eventually won 41-14 by Toulouse – who simply blew the Parisiennes away and ensured a low key farewell to Racing for oor ain Gallus 10.

Brilliant though he was, for once Antoine Dupont had to play second fiddle for the winners, to full-back Tomas Ramos, who capped some explosive running with an immaculate goal-kicking display. That said, Dupont's off-load for Toulouse's fourth try was a moment of such wonder, one could only watch open-mouthed.

In Saturday's final, in Paris, Toulouse will face European Champions La Rochelle, who were pushed all the way by UBB in the second semi-final. La Rochelle didn't hit the heights which Toulouse reached in the first semi, but, they were generally in-charge, defending very well when UBB did threaten.

Saturday's final promises to be one Helluva game.

ELITE LEVEL professional Rugby Union in England is in a mess. This season, London Irish, Wasps and Worcester have all gone under; other clubs, realising they have been living beyond their means for years, are shedding top players like confetti, but, the madness shows no signs of abating – Bath are paying Gallus 10 £1 million per year – great for the Finnster, I doubt very much he'll have to re-sharpen his chisels and buy a new mallet when he hangs up his boots. Going back on the tools as a stone-mason seems unlikely to be his post-playing career.

I noticed this week, with the future of the Gallagher Premiership looking less than rosey, that old chestnut – Anglo-Welsh cross-border competition has reared its ugly head again. Sadly, quite a few people in Welsh Rugby lack ambition – they want to be English.

Now, back in the days of amateur rugby, Welsh club sides such as Cardiff, Swansea, Neath, Llanelli and Pontypool were more than capable of taking-on the top English side and winning. Today, well given the Welsh sides are all in the basement of the BKT United Rugby Championship, to quote a favourite song: “These days are past and in the past they must remain.”

The Welsh regions couldn't attract midges to a picnic at Luss, so I would say there is less than no chance of cross-border Anglo-Welsh games. As for letting the English into the URC – My God, they'd be more-annoying than the Saffers, if that is possible.

I honestly believe, an NFL-style European League just might be the salvation of elite-level professional rugby, but I cannot see this happening; too much politic in-fighting, plus, why would the French, who currently run the top European league, want to have any closer ties with Perfidious Albion?

Finally on this topic, while Johnnie Beattie, who is developing into an excellent reporter and colour commentator, did a smashing job on both French semi-finals, the English co-commentators were terrible. For instance, we were told: “Finn Russell is coming back to England next season.” Since Gallus 10 has never played in England, how can he be gong back there?

THE NEWS last week of Doncaster Knights signing Rhys Tait and Harri Morris is yet further proof of how the SRU has in the past, and continues to get it wrong when it comes to young player development.

In an ideal world, they would have by now, more than a quarter of a century into the Open Rugby era, have come up with some workable system which gives 0our brightest youngsters a chance of coming through to eventually play for Scotland.

But, we still trust to luck and natural progression – while other countries, notably France and Ireland, have, lang syne, put in place strategies which work.

For as long as we only have two, full-time professional sides, young Scottish players will be denied the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

TCD and The Junta can continue to plead poverty and tell us we cannot afford to run a third full-time team. The truth is, we can no longer afford NOT TO. As things stand, with only two teams, all we are doing is bringing through promising youngsters for clubs outwith Scotland – and that is not a part of the Scottish Rugby Union's mission statement.