Saracens and Clermont Auvergne contest the European Champions Cup Final on Saturday. Gareth Hughes assesses whether the Welsh regions have what it now takes to lift the biggest prize in club and regional rugby.
With the European finals in Edinburgh over the weekend again devoid of Welsh participation, will one of the Welsh regions ever be good enough to win the European Champions’ Cup?
This season the Cardiff Blues and Newport Gwent Dragons performed fitfully, and the Ospreys, despite a record breaking run in the group stage in the Challenge Cup, fell apart in the quarter final. The Scarlets, Wales’ sole representatives in the Champions’ Cup, recorded a notable victory over Toulon; otherwise they performed bravely but were ultimately outgunned rather than outclassed. Not since 2010 has a Welsh side won a European competition.
Each of the Welsh regions is populated by quality players, but are there are sufficient of them to sustain a tough European campaign as well as competing in a lengthy Pro12 season? The epithet ‘You can only control the controllable’ is most apt here, and that means that each regional team must have a strong enough squad to deal with the inevitable injuries, international calls and loss of form.
The ability to recruit and retain a squad of high quality players, brutally, comes down to money. Saracens bestride the European game at the moment and their financial power is amply illustrated by how they were able to replace the injured lock George Kruis with the temporary signing of the giant Australian international Will Skelton – this, in addition to other high profile signings, the retention of highly paid players, and the owner’s apparent willingness to underwrite significant losses for a period of time, has brought great success domestically and now in Europe. This appears to be the ethos and approach needed to win the tournament.
Munster and Leinster have this season regained their European credibility helped by huge crowds, big squads and the largesse of the IRFU.
Clermont stand out in France for their integrity and boisterous loyal supporters. But being able to employ 51 players so far this season has enabled them to battle successfully on two fronts. It has certainly worked and despite a huge injury list they are second in the Top 14 and European Cup finalists on Saturday. None of the Welsh regions compares in terms of player depth, funds, or crowds to these teams.
The regions also suffer from being unable to attract high quality coaches and those currently plying their trade in Wales do not at present have the record to stand up to the scrutiny needed to win a European competition. The exception, perhaps, being the work of Wayne Pivac and his staff at the Scarlets, who, if given time, are building something special in west Wales.
Lastly, the impact of good fortune cannot be underestimated. Drawing an Italian side in the group tends to be a good start, the order of fixtures, injuries, the weather; it all plays a part. The aim in the group stages is to secure a home quarter-final – a critical ambition – since only 35% of the games at that stage of the competition have been won by the away side.
So, for a Welsh region to win the tournament serious questions need to be asked, as there is no quick fix.
The WRU, given the changes afoot for next season in the regional game, need to take the lead and act to make success in Europe a priority.
Money would have to be spent on high quality recruitment and retention, the WRU would need to use its dual contract facility judiciously, and the coaches would need to be supported, with the hope for a slice of good fortune.