Stuart Barnes’ talking points: La Rochelle, fly-halves and Saracens

Stuart Barnes talks La Rochelle, fly-halves, sensational Saracens and a shock in Siberia.

1. La Rochelle, where have you been all my life? Not being a great lover of the Crustacean delicacies to be found in the restaurants of LR, I have sought to avoid the former Huguenot stronghold. What rugby I have missed? Still, better late than never. Who couldn’t be seduced by their free spirited running game that galvanised the Stoop Saturday evening?

The influence of Xavier Garbajosa was all pervasive. The former Toulouse and France winger isn’t into the macho posturing that turned the two Philippes, Saint-André and Bernat-Salles, into conservative coaches. Xavier was a free spirit. This team plays in his image. I know they beat Harlequins but why did the home fans leave before the final whistle? It wasn’t perfect rugby but as an expression of liberation it was great.

2. Marcus Smith is eighteen years of age. I write this to remind myself of the fact. Now, I made my debut also as an 18-year-old but that was a Boxing Day fixture for Newport against Watsonians, from Edinburgh.

Smith is leading points scorer in the Premiership and he acquitted himself well against one of the best teams in France in his European debut. "He gets it (attack)" said Nick Evans ahead of kick off. So he does.

The feet are fast, the brain sees what is directly in front of it and he has the skill to perform on the gain line. Maybe he doesn’t have the peripheral vision George Ford had as an 18-year-old but the kid can certainly play.

3. Remember that other prodigy, Danny Cipriani….those innocent days before celebrity and tabloid headlines? I bring up the subject of Danny because there’s a saying in sport, `you never realise how good a player is until he isn’t playing’. Wasps might be coming to grips with this fact.

The subtle timing of his passing, the balanced probing of the boot. Yes, Wasps are missing Kurtley Beale, who wouldn’t, but there’s a hole in their midfield where Cipriani ought to be. Even given a miserable five day turnaround between playing Saracens and Ulster, theirs was a lacklustre effort.

A lack of punch up front and variety behind. Elliot Daly looked leaden footed. That sort of sums up Wasps at the moment. Their pool game against the Harlequins is one they have to win, to keep them alive in Europe and boost the morale of a team with one losing bonus point to its name in their last five games. Nothing else.

4. As for Ulster, they did what they had to do. Four points to nil. A good start but behind the strong winning start there are problems simmering below the surface. Minus Rory Best, the scrum is shocking. Connacht caused them no end of problems and Wasps dominated them at the set piece.

La Rochelle are next up and whilst they might not be the best scrum in the Top 14 they have sufficient size (they are giant in the tight five) to destabilise Ulster. You don’t want to be playing the hungry fishermen on the back foot. I fancy La Rochelle to make it two from two in the Champions Cup.

5. Ulster’s opposition, Wasps had the five day turnaround problem. This week the burden falls upon the Scarlets. Those five days would have flown by had they sneaked a win in Toulon. Overwhelmed for twenty minutes, they were impressive thereafter, thinking their way out of their breakdown problems (outnumbered) ahead of the half time talk. Players thinking for themselves. No wonder they are developing into such a fine side.

A point isn’t the end of the world – or European rugby’s borders – but it means they must beat Bath Friday night. My old club have a win against Benetton to their credit but few viewers were impressed. It might be that Benetton are better than most think. Or maybe Bath are not as good as their freak win against Saracens suggests.

6. The underdogs were ‘plucky’ in Bath, they were gloriously victorious in Siberia where the Challenge Cup holders, Stade Français Paris, were beaten 34-29. Five points for the Russian team who sound like Siberian Sloanes, ‘Krasny Yar…’ Okay, the Parisians were not at full strength but a quick glimpse at their team threw up enough well-known names to bring out the vodka to toast the Yahoos.

7. Next week I head to whisky world. Yes, another Friday night in glorious Glasgow. I love the city. But the pressure is on the Warriors Saturday afternoon, having failed to hang onto a bonus point in Exeter. It was a tight game, a tough one. Tough to take nothing with them north of the border. Leinster grabbed a slightly fortuitous five points against Montpellier.

Empty handed Glasgow need to deprive Leinster of any points and set after five themselves. One away win and bonus points could be the game breaker in Pool 3. Montpellier, with a point in Dublin, are still interested. They will be daunting opposition in France for Exeter. It could easily be one win for all four teams after round two.

8. As for Saracens, they were simply sensational. I watched their performance in a state somewhere close to religious awe…..what else can be said about the three time European champions?

9. Here’s hoping we have a few more fly halves back in action for the weekend. No Johnny Sexton, Aaron Cruden, Rhys Priestland or either of their first and second choice Benetton equivalents….no Danny on Friday, no Brock James on Saturday…but into the void returned Ryan Lamb. Lovely to see Gloucester’s finest playing with a smile on his face.

10. So many marginal penalties for high tackles. Over the years we have become accustomed to higher and higher tackles. Stopping the man and dislodging the ball.

There was a time when a tackle started at the waist and slid down. So we were taught in our Welsh schools. Now we start high and go higher. Or we did until recently. Such tackles are no longer tolerated for safety reasons.

Defences are going to have to get used to more offensive off-loading – which leads us to the man of the first European weekend, Leone Nakarawa. What a performance for Racing 92 against Leicester!

It was right up there with his one man demolition job against Munster for Glasgow in the 2015 Pro 12 final. Genius flirts with this fellow. Enjoy your week.

(c) Sky News 2017: Stuart Barnes’ talking points: La Rochelle, fly-halves and Saracens