Europe as it stands

[fivepointer]

Pool 1 - Straight fight between Toulouse (17 pts ) and Leinster (15). The 2 English teams, Bath and Wasps, have failed to win a single game and are out of contention.
Pool 2 - Munster (12) look to be favourites but this group could still produce a few surprises. Exe and Glos both on 8 pts with a win each. Win their last 2 and they might progress but results elsewhere will need to be kind.
Pool 3 - Saracens (18) out in front and will almost certainly get a home QF. Glasgow (14) in the mix for a runner up spot.
Pool 4 - Racing (19) dominating and likely to get a home QF. Ulster (14) with a good chance of getting a runner up spot. Tigers on 6 pts with one win wont be going any further.
Pool 5 - Edinburgh (15) and Montpelier (11) lead the way. Falcons in with a distant shout if they win their last 2 games and other results are favourable.

So after 4 rounds we have Saracens leading the English charge. They should get a home QF.
3 others - Exeter, Glos and Newcastle - are still in it, though their chances are slim.
3 others - Bath, Tigers and Wasps - are already out and have managed only 1 win between them.

What we were expecting, or should our clubs be doing a bit better than this?

[Stom]

I'd expect better of Exe, but Leicester, Bath and Wasps are pretty bad off, the last two from injuries, the former just shunt.

[Bloggs]

It's not really good enough from most the teams in the league. There are always a myriad of excuses but it doesn't feel English sides have performed well enough in this for a number of years now.

Looks like we'll have to change the rules of the competition again...

[Digby]

Most of our clubs have looked at Europe and done the decent thing, brexit means Brexit, but there's always Sarries to ignore the will of the people

[Tigersman]

The prem is competitive but the standard this season is shockingly poor.

The fact that 3rd and 2nd are separated by pretty much the same points 3rd and 12th are sums it up.

Most of our clubs have looked at Europe and done the decent thing, brexit means Brexit, but there's always Sarries to ignore the will of the people

Damn London

[Stom]

I really do think that there is a huge injury crisis in English club rugby right now.

You look at the lists of absentees and they're extremely long...

As I said, Exe have underperformed, but Newcastle are almost out because they've had 2 and a half fit props for their last 2 games - that they've then lost - Bath have been missing almost an entire team for most of the season and Wasps the same.

And it's not just them. Quins are shorn of a huge number of players, too, while I'm sure the others can list similarly long lists of absentees.

What's going on?

[Digby]

It's a long season, it's a short off season

[p/d]

Injuries or not some of the decision making and skill levels have been shockingly under par. The amount of times the ball was lost in contact, fumbled or good attacking positions nullified by poor passes and faltering line outs.

Then there had been the kicking game. Again poor in comparison to the opposition, as have been the first up tackles

[Scrumhead]

I’m just glad that this isn’t a Brexit thread

[fivepointer]

I think our teams have mostly been under par and disappointing.
Its a reflection on the quality in the Premiership, which is some way down on what you would expect and reasonably hope for.
Its no disgrace losing to tough European opponents but some of the losses have been embarrassing.
There is a massive gap between Saracens, Exeter and the rest. That needs to be reduced.
our big clubs really need to get themselves in order, though its up to every club to lift the standards.

[Peat]

What we were expecting, or should our clubs be doing a bit better than this?

We should be doing better, but I'm not surprised that things are back to how they were five or so years ago where the French were richer and the Irish better rested and as a result, at best we had a couple of clubs that looked like doing ought a season.

[Digby]

Bar Exeter and Sarries we've simply got too many teams in a transition phase, okay Glaws have been in transition for a few decades, but whilst not everybody is going to come to the party every season we'd reasonably expect more than just two sides to look like they could challenge