Monday 5 September 2016 16:51, UK
Warren Gatland coaching the Lions, wonderful Glasgow and rumours of a super signing for Bristol all feature in Stuart Barnes' talking points..
1. We'll start with three Gs this week. The first of them is Warren Gatland. After three years or so of very little conjecture, rugby union's worst kept secret is set for an unveiling on Wednesday in Edinburgh. Yes, the Wales coach will be announced as Lions' head honcho. If he is not I and the vast majority of my colleagues in the press will be wiping egg off our faces for some time. I don't think the mere fact of him leading the Lions to victory against a dire Australian team four years ago is reason enough to have made him the automatic choice he is, but Lions experience, an ability to formulate a game plan that can be mastered in a relatively short space of time and his willingness to make tough decisions, as in the case of Brian O'Driscoll and that controversial axing for the third Test, will do for me.
2. Another G, another happening emanating from Scotland. Glasgow's demolition of the Guinness Pro 12 champions Connacht was a magnificent way for the former champions to kick-start their season. Connacht were not good - that is a given - but Glasgow, especially in the second half, were outstanding.
Bar a problem with their scrum in the first half, the Scottish team were close to flawless with a display that earned high marks for intelligence, accuracy, aggressive line speed and a tremendous triumph at the turnover. Having installed an all-weather pitch this season, their capacity to play the game at pace could be something to behold. Next Saturday will be compelling. The best defence in the league, Leinster, against the most positive attacking side, Glasgow. It's a super live match on offering this coming weekend.
3. The third G and it is G for Gregor....I know that the first G was a surname and the third a first name but the 3 Gs just came into my head so here they are in print! Gregor [Townsend]'s team really do play in the image of the former Scotland and Lions fly-half. Quick-witted, intelligent and unafraid. It used to frustrate me to see him described as a maverick. He was merely a faster mind than most of those around him. Scotland has itself a gem and Glasgow a man determined to steer his club back to the top of the Celtic game. Surely a knock-out place in Europe has to be on his agenda as well. If not for the Scotland tour to Australia and Fiji I would take him to New Zealand as attack coach. It's asking a lot for him to desert Scotland even before he has donned the national tracksuit.
4. On the field there were a few players who stated their case for the Lions to the wider world. I am not for one second suggesting a good performance in Galway on the first Saturday of the season screams for inclusion but Stuart Hogg, Jonny Gray and Tommy Seymour all stood out. For Connacht, Finlay Bealham and Denis Buckley stood out. If they break into the Irish setup, you never know.
5. It wasn't just that Connacht weren't sharp, more the fact they weren't at all different that was a concern. Last season Pat Lam's team played with their waves of attack coming off Ali Muldowney that was different to any side in this hemisphere. The novelty of their game caught others out. After a summer to sit and think, defensive coaches will have formulated a few ideas of their own. It is not a matter of doing the same things as well or better but slightly tweaking the game plan. Mike Ford made the same mistake with Bath last season and they fell from the Premiership final to a lowly ninth place. It is not just a test of Connacht's resolve but Lam's coaching.
6. I see Toulon lost at home to Brive. With two defeats from the opening three games, ninth in the league, it's a while since they have looked so vulnerable. It's early to ask the question but has the Toulon bubble burst? A highly paid and superbly selected squad of individuals enabled them to conquer Europe but with an erratic attitude to training (at best) and other budgets growing, there is reason to think the Empire is starting to crumble down on the Med.
7. And suddenly the stories are about Toulon's superstars leaving the sunshine. Ma'a Nonu, All Black superstar but average French club player is being linked by one newspaper to Bristol. I can't blame him, the beer is better in Bristol and if Ma'a likes his Americana music, it's a pretty good scene - and Steve Lansdown has a few quid. The 'Billionaire owner of Bristol' was quoted as saying: "Of course we'd like to attract someone like Ma'a Nonu". This is not the same as saying Bristol are chasing him. I remember when the same paper linked none other than the late great Jonah Lomu to Bristol. And he never got to appreciate the Bristol music scene. Let's wait and see.
8. The forward pass, why can't we just call a pass forward if the referee thinks it travels forward. Why do referees need any help. If it looks forward blow your whistle lads. We've had the laws of physics invoked and the shape of fingers. Just call it as you see it. Is the game trying to prove it is growing more complex and sophisticated each passing professional year? A forward pass should be adjudged a forward pass. That was not the case at Twickenham. Andy Robinson didn't want to talk about it, a point he made most succinctly.
9. In the week before the Pro 12 league kicked off the word was that the two Italian teams were going to be much more competitive, Zebre especially with their host of internationals. While Treviso lost with some credit against an admittedly weakened Leinster team, Zebre were smashed by the Ospreys. Does this mean the Ospreys are up there with Glasgow as the team to beat or the Italian dawn is a false one?
10. I can't resist it....let's talk relegation. Most people had it down to one of three, Bristol, Newcastle or Worcester, in no particular order. Newcastle's opening day win against Sale means it's a two horse race between Bristol and Worcester. So it goes in Hype World. Worcester were hammered on the opening weekend, but by Saracens, and Bristol almost beat Harlequins but are the Harlequins merely set to continue their slow recent decline? Perhaps Sale can no longer punch beyond their weight. Let's wait a month or so, shall we? Why the hell did I bring the subject up?
