Champions Cup proving that there is still life in the English game.

Another weekend of Champions Cup rugby has been and gone and if anything has been proven by it, it is that the English game is still breathing and very much alive.

Ulster 9 - 27 Saracens
Benetton Treviso 3 - 36 Leicester Tigers
Bath 19 - 16 Leinster
Glasgow Warriors 15 - 26 Northampton Saints
Exeter Chiefs 34 - 19 Bordeaux-Begles
Wasps 32 - 6 Toulon

6 English teams were involved this weekend and as you can see quite clearly, 6 English teams got wins. A feat that is quite remarkable, especially with Leinster and Toulon being 2 of the 6 opponents.

And what does this mean?

It means that the English club game is doing far better than we perhaps thought.

Cooper and Hughes exchanging a friendly greeting on Sunday

I have been very critical of the Premiership's wage structure and believe it is seriously hampering us in comparison to the French's top division, the Top 14. But I will hold my hands up and accept that this weekend it has well and truly given me an almighty smack between the legs and proven me wrong.

I think the highlight has to be that win for Wasps.

Never did I think that Toulon could lose, ever! Their team is every rugby fans' idea of heaven and they have more talent than the Samoans have high tackles.

Cooper, Habana, Manoa, Armitage(s), Stevens, Bastareaud were in their line-up on Sunday to name just a few. But they also have Ma'a Nonu, Leigh Halfpenny, Paul O'Connell, Drew Mitchell, and Matt Giteau. All these players didn't feature but can you imagine a line-up with them all playing?!

The last English winners of Europe's top tournament. And yes, that is Dallaglio.

I have been a massive sceptic of English teams competing in Europe and simply can't see how they can overcome the giants of the French game. Teams like Toulouse, Toulon and Clermont have ridiculously good outfits and they are able to draw in any player from anywhere in the world with there being no concerns over wages. English teams, on the other hand, have to be far more careful about who they bring in and usually rely on bringing academy products through the ranks to fill out the team. A system which on paper looks good but after this year's world cup and there not having been an English team winning Europe's top cup since 2007, doesn't seem to be working.

But now, after just one weekend it seems to me that maybe there is more hope than scepticism.

Maybe, just maybe, we can look forward to an English team lifting the Champions Cup next Summer. And could it even be so adventurous as to say that the national squad will benefit massively from this?

I bloody well hope so.

MJ