Bath stand dejected...

By Andrew Collins
December 19 2011

Following Leinster’s absolute thumping of Bath on the weekend, coach Brad Davies blames the English Premiership’s higher intensity for their loss. But is he right to belittle the Pro 12?

Bath coach Brad Davies told BBC Sport,

“They [Leinster] are able to rest their key men and are able to target these Heineken Cup games. Whereas with the Premiership you're in a week in, week out grind and then you've got to lift yourself for these games, you've got to come back to the Premiership which is attitional. They would have an advantage in terms of freshness.”

Bath currently lies 10^th in the Aviva Premiership, 24 points off pace-setters Harlequins. His argument is that Bath’s league is too competitive and therefore players are unable to rest in the same manner as Leinster are able to do.

Admittedly, he has a point. Leinster did rest several key players a few weeks ago when the Blues themselves travelled to the Royal Dublin Showground, weakened by international call-ups. Meanwhile, the West Country club, coached by the iconic Ian McGeechan, lost 13-16 at home to 5^th placed Sale, who, are currently going very well in the Amlin Challenge.

But Leinster are undoubtedly a lot better than Bath, and whether Sexton, Necewa and Kearney had started against the Blues, I’m left in very little doubt that the 52-27 score-line would’ve been any different.

Really, it’s a very feeble excuse from a side that are looking dangerously unimpressive both domestically and in European competition.

But it’s more the issue of the Pro 12 bashing that sparked this article. A few years ago, the Magners League was the laughing stock of both French and English opposition, who branded the league as unimportant. In fairness, back then at least, they were probably right. Only the Welsh clubs seemed to be taking it seriously, and they were at an all-time low in the Heineken Cup.

However since then, things have undoubtedly changed. The current format works. Or at least works a lot better than previously. The title now means something. If that wasn’t the case, then the sides that make up the numbers in Europe would be winning it more often, yet the past 5 winners have been Munster, Ospreys, Munster, Leinster and Ospreys. A pedigree trio by anyone’s account.

Looking across the board at this year’s European Cup and it’s the Pro 12 sides leading the way;

With the exception of the ever-present Toulouse and the reigning English champions, Saracens, Pro 12 sides currently top the other 4 pools.

• Munster and Scarlets sit above Northampton and Castres in Pool 1.
• Cardiff and Edinburgh are 1^st and 2^nd ahead of London Irish and Racing Metro.
• Leinster and Glasgow over Montpellier and Bath in Pool 3.
• Ulster top the group with Leicester, Clermont and Aroni in 4.
• However, the English Champions Saracens certainly lead the way with Biarritz ahead of Ospreys and Treviso and Pool 5.
• While Toulouse and the impressive Harlequins also buck the trend in Pool 6, where the only Pro 12 representative are Connacht making their Heineken Cup debut in an incredibly tough pool.

However, while the playing side of things certainly seems to be dominated by the Celtic League representatives, they are certainly miles behind in terms of the prestige in which the English and French leagues are held. So far this season, the RaboDirect PRO12 has an average attendance of just 6,913, but their English counterparts are getting 11,371 with the French Top 14 last season averaging 15,119.

It’s an issue which has been around a long time and shows no signs of going away, but can the English sides really continue to use it as an excuse for their own inept performances? Is it time that the Pro 12 got the credit it deserves, or are they right to belittle a league which, attendances suggest, lacks the same level of appeal to fans?