Mick Cleary digs out the differences between the Heineken Cup and Super Rugby one last time in The Daily Telegraph.
"Super rugby is sport as entertainment, a high-tempo exhibition of skill played out before a predominantly home-grown audience. Heineken Cup rugby in the knockout stages is a different experience: the seething, raucous backdrop is invariably an element in the drama of the day. Confronting the opposition is the prime task. But taking on the crowd is very much part of the challenge, too.
"Ah, but is the rugby any good? An interesting question, although it should be no surprise that the top three ranked countries in the world, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, produce a better overall quality of rugby. It’s worth pointing out, too, that Super rugby can serve up duds, too. Would Crusaders or the Bulls beat Toulouse or Munster? Tight call, that one, but probably, yes."
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