With 12 victories in 16 games, Paul Rees reflects on a promising start by English clubs in the Champions Cup

It has been a chastening start to the Champions Cup for the Top 14 whose figurehead bragged before the start of the tournament that the French league was some way ahead of the Premiership because it had long been run on a sound financial footing and insulated against the whims of investors.
Five of the eight Top 14 clubs involved failed to record a victory in the opening two rounds, including the holders La Rochelle and the fancied Racing 92. Of the 16 matches played by French sid...