Nothing in sport lasts for ever. Dynasties come and go and even the best fade to grey eventually. That, at least, is the theory. The stark truth in European club rugby is that France’s dominance grows stronger by the year. It is now six years since another nation won the Champions Cup and Bordeaux- Bègles’ second successive title did not feel like the last of its vibrant type.
Consider the evidence. Not only is the Top 14 spawning a golden generation of domestic players, it also has the major financial clout to attract premium foreign talent. Thus it is that Tom Willis, the most penetrative forward in England, is heading to Bordeaux next season while Tommaso Menoncello, the brilliant Italian centre, is joining Toulouse.
