[tps_header]Setanta Sports announced on Monday that ESPN and BT Sport are set to become part of the Setanta package. That means you will be able to watch live coverage of the Top 14 and the Aviva Premiership on your screens next season, featuring top analysis from the likes of Lawrence Dallaglio and Austin Healy. We know its early, but here are 5 reasons why you should be excited about what English and French rugby has to offer next season.[/tps_header]
1. Johnny Sexton and Racing Métro
Sexton will a fascinating test case as the first front-line Irish international to move to France while playing at the peak of his powers in the professional era. While it has been said that he may have been better off joining one the more stable French aristocrats like Clermont, Racing look well set up for for a dual assault on the Heineken and Top 14. As well as Sexton, the Paris club look to have spent their ample budget wisely with a number of notable signings including Jamie Roberts, Dan Lydiate, former Northampton monster prop Soane Tonga'uiha, Blue Bulls second-row Juandré Kruger and French international wing Marc Andreu.
Significantly they have also brought in the coaching duo who oversaw Castes remarkable French Championship victory last season. Laurent Labit and Laurent Travers, no doubt ably assisted by kicking guru Ronan O'Gara, will look to blend the new men with an already talented squad who finished 6th in last year's Top Quatorze (Copyright Gerry T). Their backline in particular looks brimming with potential, starting with the halfback pairing of Sexton and French international Maxime Machenaud. Outside them you have the massively powerful centre duo of Roberts and Fabrice Estebanez aided by the home-grown Henry Chavancy. Racing's depth in the back three is ridiculous with Andreu, Argentinean potential superstar Juan Imhoff, Juan Martin Hernandez, French-Fijian tearaway Virimi Vakataw and Benjamin Fall.
2. How Will Clermont Blow It In Vern Cotter's Final Year In Charge?
One Top 14 title and a European Challenge Cup is all Clermont have to show for their outstanding consistency since Vern Cotter joined the club in 2006. They went down with a bit of a whimper in last year's French Championship semi-final, losing 25-9 at home to Castres a week after their heartbreaking Heineken Cup final defeat to Toulon. Now with Cotter off to Scotland in 2014, Clemont will surely be in the running to send the New Zealander on his way with another Top 14 title. Despite no major new additions, Clermont still boast one of the best squads in Europe although their pack is getting up there in age. Watch out for young French flyer Jean-Marcellin Buttin, the always entertaining Napolioni Nalaga and of course, this guy.
3. The Exciting And Admirable Montpellier
Montpellier have consistently outperformed their resources playing one of the most attractive brands of rugby in the Top 14 under former France legend Fabien Galthié. They finished fifth last year but look a serious contender for to possibly go one better than their 2011 final defeat to Toulouse. They look to have made some shrewd off-season moves including the signings of Wallaby Sitaleki Timani, Jim Hamilton, Springbok centre Wynand Olivier and long-serving Perpingnan prop Nicolas Mas. Added to that, last week's confirmation Rene Ranger will indeed join next season is a huge coup for Montpellier and the Top 14 in general.
The All-Black is one of the most exciting players in world rugby and hopefully we will see plenty of this and this next season. The additions bolster a squad that already features mercurial France out-half Francois Trinh-Duc, outstanding open-side Fulgence Ouedraogo and yes, 'Gorgozilla'.
4. How Will The Irish Brigade Fare In The Guinness Premiership?
With Brendan Venter officially no longer part of the club after becoming the Director of Rugby at the Natal Sharks, there are no remaining doubts that Mark McCaul is in full control at Saracens. This is a huge opportunity for McCaul whose reputation in Ireland is still tainted by by how badly his time at Ulster ended. It will be interesting to see if he allows Saracens break out of their tactical straitjacket after two consecutive comfortable beatings by French opposition in the Heineken knockout stages. Anyone who watched Owen Farrell play at England U-20 level as a genuine second five-eighth will know that there is potentially a lot more to his game than kicking and aggressive defence.
Conor O'Shea should continue to keep Harlequins in the Premiership hunt and will hope for big seasons from young flanker Luke Wallace and England eejit prop Joe Marler. We will be particularly interested however, in the progress of Niall Morris (above). The Leicester winger was an incredible schools player with Blackrock and given his size,speed and skill, it was surprising he didn't make the grade in his home province. The 24-year-old has now established himself in the team at the Tigers and started for Emerging Ireland in the Tbilisi Cup, scoring two tries in their final match against Uruguay. Morris is highly rated by Ronan O'Gara who wrote recently in the Examiner, 'he could be special. He has constantly delivered for Leicester all season in all conditions and occasions.' We would hope Joe Schmidt is more open-minded than his predecessors about selecting overseas players and Morris will be considered despite signing a new contract with the Premiership champions.
5. The Gloucester Bright Young Things
Nigel Davies has brought the expansive style his Llanelli side employed to Gloucester with the knowledge that he has the backs at his disposal to make it work. Freddie Burns and Jonny May in particular should make a serious push to join Billy '36' Twelvetrees in the full England squad next season. Burns is the kind of attacking ten that is rarely produced or trusted by the nation that still holds Johnny Wilkinson very much dear to its heart but he is good enough to give Stuart Lancaster a viable alternative to Farrell.
Promising open-side Matt Kvesic arrives from Worcester and he gives the Cherry and Whites a strong-looking back row alongside Akapusi Qera and Ben Morgan. Despite a possibly lightweight front five that could let them down in the harsh English winter, they look to have enough about them to improve at least one place from last season and the make the top four in the Premiership and excite the masses while they're at it.
(Photo Via Zimbio)
