When French rugby giants Bayonne travelled to Wales and came up short, it raised eyebrows – but were they really trying their best? 🤔 The Investec Champions Cup is back, and with it comes the usual tale of uneven travel schedules and teams picking and choosing their battles. In the first two rounds, we saw Sharks and La Rochelle make significant changes to their lineups, and transcontinental journeys took their toll. But here's where it gets controversial... can we really blame them for prioritising their domestic league aspirations over a tough European away game?
Take Bayonne, for example. They've lost big to Leicester Tigers in the past, and their recent form doesn't inspire confidence. But it's not just about Bayonne – other teams are guilty of this too. Remember Agen's infamous 59-10 loss to Ebbw Vale in 2002? They were accused of tanking, deliberately losing to secure a better domestic position. And it worked, sort of... they made it to the championship final but were fined and banned from Europe for a season.
The thing is, in a competition where the bottom team in each pool doesn't qualify for the knockouts, is it worth it to go full throttle? Leicester and Bayonne are in a tough spot, and they have to weigh up their options. Do they push for a Champions Cup knockout spot, or take a more relaxed approach and focus on their domestic league?
And this is the part most people miss... it's not just about the teams. The competition format itself encourages this behaviour. With so many teams competing, it's hard to balance the need for competitive games with the need to give teams a chance to rest and regroup. So, what do you think? Is tanking a problem in European rugby, or is it just smart strategy? 🤷♀️
