The rugby season really starts

The start of the heinekein cup is the real start of the northern hemisphere rugby season. It used to be that the start if the rugby season was a gentle introduction after a long summer. The season would not raise in intensity until the autumn internationals rolled around.

The European cup changes the old status quo dramatically. The first weekend of competition has been dramatic and maybe has taken away some of the doubters of the game. The early season has been strange with blood gate overshadowing everything. Also correspondents in news papers have been having the usual moan about the state of the game especially kicking. 

The game of rugby is stronger than that and the almost tribal nature of the encounters of this weekend have shown the strength of the game. Particular attention should be paid to the game between Northampton and Munster. The other great story is the entry of a Spanish rugby team into the European challenge cup. Olympus Madrid may have lost their first game but the spread of the game is a fantastic new story. This combined with the acceptance of rugby union sevens into the Olympics. Show rugby union is game on the march.