Midway through the pool stages of the tournament, clubs of the Gallagher Premiership continue to demonstrate the ability to outpoint their opponents at a favorable rate. One of the finalists from 2023 is at the top of its group while t’other is one, “la loss,” from elimination. The weekend, By the Numbers: Pool 1 Clubs (league pos.) w l d +/- table points Bordeaux (7) 2 0 0 55 10 Lyon (12) 1 1 0 -1 7 Bulls (3) 1 1 0 10 5 Saracens (4) 1 1 0 8 5 Bristol (8) 1 1 0 -17 5 Connacht (8) 0 2 0 -55 1 4 the measure of separation midway, 21-17, for Saracens over Connacht, was enlarged considerably after halftime as homeboys touched down a handful in the final forty for a 55 – 36 result at a rockin’ StoneX Stadium; doubles for number 2, Jamie George, and 12, 21 years young Ollie Campbell, who features imposingly, while squad leader, Owen Farrell knocked 15 true the sticks on 3-and-3 shooting; 14 for Bordeaux-Bègles 9, Maxime Lucu, on a 3-1-1 triple and the Chaban-Delmas faithful were rewarded with 36 – 17, 5-point joy after the home side always led and Bristol Bears fell from second to fifth in the group, which would put those travelers out of extra time should they remain in that position; 5 points adrift at the half, 12-17, not a problem for Lyon as that home XV returned for 17 in the second stanza, while Bulls only made 10 and 29 – 27 that record; 13 for traveling 10, Chris Smith, on 2-and-3 from his tee in the loss; Pool 2 Clubs (league pos.) Toulouse (6) Bath (2) Ulster (7) Harlequins (3) Racing 92 (1) Cardiff (12) 4
11
17
w 2 2 1 1 0 0
l 0 0 1 1 2 2
d 0 0 0 0 0 0
+/73 30 -7 -25 -19 -52
table points 10 10 5 5 2 2
first forty lead changes and one instance of drawn scores had Cardiff Blues only just ahead of Bath midway, 25-24, at the Arms Park in a lively affair; a further converted try made for a comfortable, 3224,two-score lead, but visitors got three enroute a 39 – 32, 5-point comeback; 13 for 10, Tinus de Beer, on 3-and-2 off his shoe and a double for the flying Josh Adams in the loss, while replacement 8man, Jaco Coetzee, got a late brace for the win; for Ulster 9, John Cooney, on 4-and-1 from the gun and Ravenhill’s finest jumped out to a 21-5 midpoint advantage past Racing 92 before closing out the 31 – 15, 5-point happy-happy; double for 92’s 2, Jan Tarritt, in defeat; for Toulouse 10, Thomas Ramos, on half dozen conversions and a try as homeys throttled Harlequins at Twickers, 47 – 19; doubles for the homeside’s 13, Pierre Barrassi, and Quins engine, Irné Herbst;
Pool 3 Clubs (league pos.) Northampton (5) Exeter Chiefs (6) Glasgow (2) Bayonne (10) Munster (4) Toulon (2) 1
3
9
w 2 2 1 0 0 0
l 0 0 1 1 1 2
d 0 0 0 1 1 0
+/12 9 -8 -1 -8 -4
table points 9 9 4 2 2 1
the count of the Glasgow disadvantage, 7-8, to Bayonne at the Jean Dauger, surmounted – but only just – as a grounding by Warriors 15, Josh McKay in the 57th had guests up, 12 – 11, making for a hopping last quarter-plus of play but no further counting; lead changes and Northampton had the final for the 22 – 19 win over visiting Toulon at Franklin’s Gardens; a dropped goal in the 70th by traveling 15, Melvyn Jaminet, had the French in front 19-15, but a touch down by 21 years young Saints engine, Tom Lockett, made the difference; double for home 15, George Furbank; Toulon squandered the lead in the last 5 minutes, eating 2 yellow cards at ’76 for the loss; the halftime advantage, 19-10, for traveling Munster at Sandy Park was never going to be enough as a relentless Chiefs return saw 22 counted inside the terminal twenty ticks and Exeter claimed the 32 – 24 bundle of joy; 17 for home 10, Henry Slade, on a 3-2-1 triple, his last points coming from a 77th minute try that sealed it for Los Jefes;
Pool 4 Clubs (league pos.) w l d +/- table points Leinster (1) 2 0 0 17 9 Leicester (7) 2 0 0 12 9 Sale Sharks (1) 1 1 0 13 4 Stormers (10) 1 1 0 -8 4 La Rochelle (9) 0 2 0 -12 2 Stade Français (5) 0 2 0 -26 1 11 for Stormers 10, Manie Libbok, on 3 sticksplitters and the winning conversion at time for a 21 – 20 win that puts the SA boys back in the playoff frame, but makes rough the road for a repeat by title-holder La Rochelle; 10 for La Rochellais 10, Antoine Hastoy, but visitors let victory elude after leading 20-8 early in the second half, with a 76th-minute yellow ticket issued, relief hooker Andre-Hugo Venter grounded and the plus-2 by Libbok made the result; 5 trys for Leinster in the comeback win over Sale at the RDS, 37 – 27; Sharks were up by a deuce at the break, 13-11, but 27 unanswered by the 71st meant the Big Fish final 14 in the last ‘5 went for naught; 10 for 10, Calum Frawley on 2-and-2, while opposite number, Robert du Preez, got 12 on 3-and-2; 4 lead changes and an instance of drawn scores had the heavyweight brawl between Leicester and Stade Français at Stade de France the match of the weekend with travelers breaking a 24-all knot in the 67th on a three-pointer from Tigers 15, Jamie Shillcock, for 27 – 24 happiness;