It is tempting to raise the imponderable issue of differing salary caps in Europe being the deciding factor in key matches – everything else is up for grabs in rugby so why not this? It has been a real issue for a decade now and this past weekend will keep that particular pot on the boil.

I prefer to focus on some stunning interventions which changed the course of a number of key contests in Round 1. La Rochelle turned the screw with their forward dominance at the Recreation Ground with 15 power packed minutes and 3 tries and revealed some ongoing weakness in the Bath front five. The margins are thin but evident.

Is Bielle-Biarry from Bordeaux the best wing in Europe? He got levelled in a brutal Leicester tackle, rucked like a forward and then indulged in a sprint fest to break Tiger’s hearts twice in a nine-minute period of rugby nirvana in terms of stunning counterattack and three tries resulted. The visitors played really strongly especially Freddie Steward and Van Poortvliet and were so brave to achieve the losing bonus point but in the end the boys from Bordeaux are irresistible when on a roll.

Bristol threw the kitchen sink at the Irish national proxy, Leinster, who showed all viewers (nb England) as well as the Bears what a true blitz defence looks like. The Bears were not allowed to breathe and when four of Europe’s best players came off the Leinster bench, including Jordie Barrett for goodness sake, with the match in the balance, there was no doubt over the outcome. 10 minutes following these substitutions and three tries later Bristol had to yield. Interestingly I had a good chance to measure up the South African/Bristol centre Van Rensburg who has been excelling this season and is touted as a candidate for the England midfield. He was well wrapped up by the international Leinster midfield and in his enthusiasm to make a mark was rather too hopeful in his play and I am not sure about his passing on that showing. He has a nice hard edge however which could be useful.

The other form team in URC, Glasgow, will take some stopping and with all the backing they receive from the Scottish Rugby Union it was unlikely that Sale could stand in their way with half the funding. Toulouse routinely splatted Ulster which can happen when Dupont is in the mood, it will take some team to stop a squad whose commercial returns dwarf that of the Six Nations.

It was heroic to imagine that English clubs would do much better than they did, and the French conversely were too strong across the board if you exclude the perennial non travellers Castres.

I don’t pay too much attention to the Bulls’ reverse in London, they have plenty in reserve and I fancy the Sharks to go deep in the competition with their multi-talented squad.

Next weekend will focus the minds because in this format you can afford one slip up but not two. My old club, Bath, travels to Benetton and this will not be straightforward… nothing is in Europe, this is International rugby in club jerseys as we remind ourselves every year.

Hallers