The Champions Cup returns this weekend, and while there's less jeopardy in the format these days, there are some hugely exciting fixtures across the competition.
Connacht and Ulster continue their rebuild in the Challenge Cup, while Leinster and Munster do battle in the top competition.
Munster will travel to Bath to take on some familiar faces. The two clubs' deep-rooted connection to the competition means there's nearly always a narrative.
Johann van Graan has done an excellent job in Bath since moving on from the southern province. The defending champions of England’s Premiership have started strongly again, with just one loss in six outings.
Some of Munster’s international contingent will have nightmares as Thomas du Toit returns to pack down against his former club, fresh off a successful Quilter Nations Series with South Africa. His latest selection in the World Rugby Dream Team shows how good the tighthead prop has been with South Africa.
The setpiece will dictate a lot of what happens in high stake matches like the Champions Cup. Bath can choose from Will Stuart and Du Toit, holding back one of them on the bench. It will be a tall order for Munster to get dominance in that area.
Bath have a strong international contingent. Their English squad members include dogged and hard-working back-row members Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill, as well as the rampaging Ollie Lawrence in midfield to ensure their physical qualities will challenge Munster.
Their half-back pairing is an English-Scottish mix with the mercurial Finn Russell partnered by Ben Spencer.
There are plenty more with international experience, including the lightning quick Henry Arundell, Charlie Ewels, Chris Harries and Joe Cokanasiga, not to mention the Argentinean maestro Santi Carreras. Their depth is frightening.
Munster’s international group will be eager to rectify last week’s defeat to the Stormers. Their own half-back pairing of Craig Casey and Jack Crowley will easily put it up to their opposition, and they have their own member of the World Rugby Dream Team: Tadhg Beirne.
An Alex Nankivell-Tom Farrell centre partnership will make for fireworks in the midfield. Thaakir Abrahams is a match for Bath’s game-breaking talent.
If you forget about the lack of jeopardy within the competition structure for a second, this is a top-tier Champions Cup match-up.
Harlequins will look to rectify last season’s 62-0 thrashing at the hands of Leinster, as they return to Dublin on Saturday evening.
Leinster's disadvantage for carrying so many Irish internationals is their lengthening injury list coming out of the November series. Robbie Henshaw has been struggling with another hamstring strain, while Jamie Osborne and Ryan Baird are on the medium-term injury list with shoulder and leg injuries respectively.
They are still without the likes of Hugo Keenan after his heroics in the Lions series, as well as Will Connors and Joe McCarthy. James Ryan is also serving his suspension for a dangerous ruck action against South Africa.
However, Leinster's depth is the envy of most Champions Cup teams, and they will welcome back a host of hurting Irish internationals.
The list is long – Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Van der Flier, Doris, Conan, Kelleher and McCarthy in the pack alone.
Gibson-Park, Prendergast, Ringrose, Lowe, O’ Brien, as well as their new signing Rieko Ioane in the back line. How can Harlequins expect to turn around last year’s result?
It’s not all rosy in Dublin however after Leinster struggled to break down the Dragons last week in Rodney Parade and it took another difference maker to get them over the line. RG Snyman made an impactful return after helping South Africa through their last couple of weeks in the international window.
Harlequins boast several of their own internationals. Chandler Cunningham-South will be asked to do a lot to quieten the Leinster back row, partnered by Alex Dombrandt across the back-row positions.
Marcus Smith (pictured above) is their game-breaker, but the Leinster defence will test the service he gets and subsequently, his ability to unbalance defenders. Smith will be be hoping that Leinster have little time to find their cohesion this week, while his return last week will help to find the connection needed to unlock the Leinster rush defence.
Harlequins don’t have the same depth that Leinster do, yet they have players that drift under the radar and can cause some trouble. Fin Baxter, Cadan Murley and Tyrone Green have all played pivotal roles in successful Harlequins days and they’ll be hoping to catch Leinster cold.
Both home teams will be favourites to take the spoils. Team selection will go a long way towards how these games play out and the recent restructuring of the competition means that sides don’t always go with a full selection.
There will be a balance to reintegrating returning internationals as well as keeping a firm eye on domestic action. The current Champions Cup format means that teams can decide which games to fully load their squad for, knowing that they can lose some games and still go through.
Bath have a genuine chance of going far in this competition and therefore I’d expect them to put it up to Munster in terms of their selection on paper.
Irish teams generally go as strong as possible for the Champions Cup, relying on their squad to take care of business in the URC. Realistically, Leinster can make a handful of changes and still expect to come out with a dominant win over Harlequins.
There isn’t the same draw to the pre-Christmas Champions Cup action as there was before. However, this is still an exciting competition and there will be a few mouthwatering clashes this weekend.
