Saracens apart, English sides are finding success in the Champions and Challenge Cups harder and harder to come by and the reason may lie in the mind
Walking through the riot-scarred streets of Paris on Sunday evening was to be reminded Europe has more pressing issues than the Heineken Champions Cup pool stages. With due respect to Leicester and Racing 92 the shattered cashpoint machines, smashed windows of multi-national companies and gun-toting security forces roaming around Châtelet Les Halles felt slightly more urgent than the Pool 4 qualification scenario.
Amid all the continuing Brexit uncertainty it is equally true Europe has more vital matters to discuss than whether Saracens, for the second year running, will be the only English club left standing in the last eight of the continent’s premier rugby tournament. That said, the halfway pool standings are beginning to look almost depressing from a Premiership perspective. After three rounds Wasps, Bath and Exeter have not yet mustered a win between them and the chances of Leicester qualifying look distinctly slim. Even the early pacesetters Newcastle have had a wobble, with Edinburgh now topping Pool 5.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/dec/11/premiership-clubs-champions-cup-challenge-saracens under the title “Premiership clubs in danger of building mental block about Europe | Robert Kitson”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
