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Well, Saracens, Glasgow and Ospreys currently lead the field in the European Rugby Champions Cup after the first round of games.
Each of the teams achieved the maximum points in their opening matches and they currently lead their respective pools with five points apiece.
Saracens are at the top of Pool 1 after beating Clermont 30-23. It was by no means a comprehensive victory for the English side, though, as Clermont hounded them throughout the game. Clermont also gained a point in their loss as they kept within seven points of the victor.
In the other Pool 1 game, Munster just managed to overcome Sale Sharks, winning 27-26. Munster took a while to get into the game, trailing by 23-7 at the break, but they managed to reclaim some of their old spirit and claw back a victory. It was a great win for Munster, achieved away from home.
Pool 1 has lived up to its promise of being a ‘pool of death’. It is the only pool in which all four teams have come away with points after the first round of matches. Saracens will now face Munster in a game which may decide the outcome of the group.
Munster will have the home advantage, and have the better record, having won four out of five games against Saracens. Each of those games has been close though. Whoever wins will be lucky to deny the loser a bonus point.
In Pool 2, Leinster take the lead due to their higher points difference. The province matched their Irish counterparts by coming back from a 20-8 deficit by Wasps, to eventually win the game 25-20. Wasps stayed in the match until the end though, and Leinster may be regretting allowing them get a losing bonus point.
Harlequins also have four points after their first game, beating Castres 25-9, in the other match of Pool 2. It wasn’t quite as easy as the scoreline suggests, with most of their points coming from the boot of Nick Evans. Harlequins will next face Wasps, which will be an infinitely tougher test. Wasps will be looking to avenge their earlier Premiership defeat by ‘Quins.
Last-year’s Heineken Cup champions, Toulon, have a very slender lead in Pool 3. They top the pool on the slightest of margins. They were lucky to beat Scarlets 28-18, therefore denying them a losing bonus point. The Scarlets were quite threatening throughout the game and in the end it proved to be a lacklustre performance by the reigning champions on their home ground.
Leicester had a very close win against Ulster, 25-18. The Irish province managed a strong comeback late into the second-half, but it wasn’t enough for them to win. Leicester dominated most of the game and will not be happy that they allowed Ulster to get within seven points of them.
Pool 3 is proving to be another group where the winner is far from certain. Both Ulster and Scarlets, who lost their games, came very close to turning the tables and have a great chance to put more points on the board. Neither Toulon nor Leicester can afford to rest on their laurels.
In Pool 4, Glasgow put in one of the most dominant performances of the weekend, beating former English club giants Bath, 37-10. It was a great performance by Glasgow, who are finally coming into their own in Europe. The victory was even more impressive considering they were without two of their key players, Josh Strauss and Alex Dunbar.
Toulouse managed to overcome Montpellier after a very tough game. The match finished 30-23, so Montpellier came away with a losing bonus point. The French derby was a very evenly fought match, with Montpellier in the game right until the end. It was a great win for Toulouse, who are actually trailing four places behind Montpellier in the Top14 table.
Ospreys lead Pool 5 after trouncing Treviso 42-7. It was a great performance by the Welsh side, who are the only team in Europe to have retained their 100 per cent record. Treviso, on the other hand, have yet to win a match, and have only got one solitary point from the seven matches they’ve played so far, both in the ERCC and the Guinness Pro12.
Racing Metro denied Northampton a losing bonus point, winning their game 20-11. It was a scrappy affair, marred by poor officiating. Still, it was a lacklustre performance by the Saints, who have dominated the Premiership this season.
Northampton have another tough game ahead of them, when they face Ospreys at home this weekend. They could see their chances of European glory slipping if they fail to win that game.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.