NICK CAIN

THE English Premiership has just been described as a “sleeping giant” of sport by Simon Massie-Taylor, its chief executive. He got the ‘sleeping’ part right, but in its ring-fenced format it is more minnow than giant.
The giant of competitive club rugby is the French Top 14. It is highlighted by a comparison of the final round in both leagues this weekend.
In today’s seven Top 14 fixtures, every match counts in the play-off/title race, with only 11 points separating Montpellier in 1st from Clermont in 9th. Even Toulouse, at home to already relegated Biarritz, have to wi...