Another Champions Cup weekend, another stark reminder that the Premiership lags behind its Top 14 rivals with Harlequins falling victim to a turbo-charged Toulon. Quins have claimed some famous scalps on French soil in recent years but, just as Northampton found out 24 hours earlier, cross the Channel without the sort of physicality that is ubiquitous in the Top 14 – “a lot of powerful animals” as the head coach, Danny Wilson, put it – and you will get badly exposed.
As David Ribbans, the former England second row, who swapped Northampton for Toulon after the 2023 World Cup, explained after his side’s comfortable victory on Sunday, the biggest difference between the two leagues is physical prowessity. Wilson did not disagree and though his side can still reach the knockout stages by beating Glasgow Warriors next week, he conceded they will always come to France in hope rather than expectation.
