English clubs no longer hold upper hand but Scots must be mindful of imperfections within

Senior Sports Writer

Saturday 13 October 2012

Three Scottish wins out of four contributed to an overall record of 12 wins by Celtic teams in 20 matches against English opposition in last season's Heineken Cup, yet still the old perceptions remain.

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Kevin Ferrie

As Gregor Townsend sat down for his first pre-European match press conference this week the first question he was asked was whether he believed the gap had been narrowed on English clubs during the time since he joined Northampton . . . 18 years ago.

The Press Association's pool-by-pool Heineken Cup preview, distributed across the UK this week, did not even mention Glasgow's participation, even though they were runners-up in their pool last season.It also described the pool containing one of last year's semi-finalists in Edinburgh and two-time champions in Munster, as wide open, before blithely predicting it would be won by Saracens, who have only once reached the knock-out stages, losing in the semi-finals to Munster four years ago.This is all either part of, or brought about by, the relentless propaganda of those promoting England's Aviva Premiership which, it is worth remembering, provided just one of last season's quarter-finalists, at which stage Saracens were duly thrashed at home by Clermont Auvergne.That, in turn, contributes to the sort of corporate arrogance that led to Saracens being represented as "angered" by Edinburgh's refusal to play the return of today's fixture at Murrayfield halfway round the world in Cape Town.The same mindset is what causes Premiership officials to believe they can dictate terms to cowering Celts over the future of the Heineken Cup. The ongoing negotiation over the tournament's structure provides an additional factor to this season's competition and, with the extra investment they have received this season, the Scottish teams really should have nothing to fear.While Michael Bradley, the Edinburgh head coach, was respectful enough, then, when considering what awaits his side today, he rightly suggested that it is the visitors who have much to prove if they are to be genuine tournament contenders, as his men were last season."They will have learned lessons against Clermont last year as they were not competitive," Bradley said, after making the customary observations about the physicality and all-round proficiency of a team who have not scored a try in their last 260 minutes of play. "They may have made some noises about playing more counter-attacking rugby, but haven't really shown that so far and hopefully won't show that against us."They will be struggling to win a Heineken Cup playing just a one-dimensional game, though. They know that and are committed to changing but haven't done so yet and I don't expect them to go to that potential game-plan they will need to in order to win the Heineken Cup."Rather than fear being bullied, though, the concern for the Scottish teams should be over their own form. Recent lapses by Edinburgh in losing away to Newport Gwent Dragons and at home to Treviso were reminders that their high-tempo playing style still leaves them prone to mistakes that can cost them a game, as Bradley acknowledged."We are obviously disappointed and have had some harsh lessons," he admitted. "We have played six games and five of them have been pretty close, though. We have to learn what to do when things are not going right and we are on a bit of a journey there."Our second half against Treviso was a good half of rugby. We have played quite well this season but have not had the reward of championship points. We should not have to go down to the last play of the game to try to win it and have to ask ourselves why that is happening."In terms of results alone, Glasgow ought to be heading south in more confident frame of mind for tomorrow's meeting with a Northampton side thrashed last week by London Irish, the team Edinburgh beat home and away last season as they won their pool.As dangerous as any inferiority complex, though, is the sort of hubris that apparently led to one former team-mate of the club's new head coach to broadcast to the nation that his first home win, against Connacht, meant Townsend's controversial appointment was now justified.Rather more intelligent analysis than that is required, so it should be noted that, while two more wins, over Zebre and Cardiff Blues, have been added, it is one fewer than the sequence Glasgow took into last year's Heineken Cup when their opening-day defeat of Bath was their sixth straight win. This term, they have played six RaboDirect PRO12 matches which have yielded 18 league points. Those same fixtures – Ulster away, Scarlets at home, Ospreys away, Connacht at home, Zebre/Aironi at home and Cardiff away – yielded 21 points last season.The real evidence is not, then, of progress having been made thus far, but a win in England would represent a genuine improvement on last season and, after all the overdue investment, Glasgow should have no excuse for feeling unable to register it.

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English clubs no longer hold upper hand but Scots must be mindful of imperfections within

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