Sports Desk

Ryder Cup

Golf’s World Rankings have rarely painted such an optimistic picture of Europe’s chances of Ryder Cup glory. Dominance is not the correct word, but seldom in the modern era have the raw statistics shown the Europeans to have such relative parity with their transatlantic counterparts. Sadly for Colin Montgomerie, it all means virtually nothing and he’ll know that better than most. In both 2004 and 2006, the list of the world’s top players told us the Europeans were inferior to their American counterparts, yet on both occasions he and his teammates inflicted crushing defeats on the U.S..

Events at Valhalla in 2008 emphasised the point as an American team without Tiger Woods and low on household names prevailed over a fancied group of Europeans.

Much has been made of the Europeans enjoying home advantage, but in the Ryder Cup, the benefit of being at home may in fact be quite negligible. The visiting team triumphing on their hosts’ soil isn’t such a rarity. Since the dawn of the Europe versus U.S. format of the competition in 1979, the away team has won five times out of a possible 15, with one tie that suited the Europeans. There is a bias in favour of the home team, but not one as pronounced as regular viewers of football or rugby may expect. And there are valid reasons why.

No amount of vocal support can make up for a dropped shot and there’s no referee to be swayed by the roar of the crowd. Thankfully the biggest distraction most golfers have to put up with these days is a few camera clicks in their backswing, and in the case of the world number one, a few disparaging comments from the more aggressive members of the galleries.

Likewise, whatever course is chosen as the battleground can’t possibly suit all twelve players on a team. Plus, in the case of the European team, very few of them will have competitive experience of the Celtic Manor course. For a course so long and so high on sand traps and water, the 2010 course has played remarkably easy as the venue for the Wales Open. Even for Americans unfamiliar with the track, it won’t hold many nasty surprises and 2/1 looks like value for the visiting Americans to bring home the spoils.

Rugby 2010/11

If you’re not a fan of rugby, look away now. And for the next twelve months or so. A season that ends with the World Cup in New Zealand in October of next year starts to gather momentum with the start of the Northern Hemisphere’s club competitions.
One of the stations along the track towards New Zealand will be the Millennium Stadium for the final of the Heineken Cup. For local interest and a capacity crowd, organisers would undoubtedly love a Welsh side in the decider, but each one of the Ospreys, Cardiff Blues, Scarlets, and Dragons have been dealt a tough hand in the pool stages. The performances of the French sides last season warned the rest of Europe that their domestic game is returning to the high standards of the past.

Still though, the top 14 title remains the priority for most of the French clubs and taking any odds that are subject to the changeable goals of their leadership doesn’t appeal. After the departure of Michael Cheika and several key players, Leinster’s need to rebuild will probably rule out a serious attempt at regaining the title they won in 2009, and while many people have been made to look foolish by writing off Munster, Father Time has several of their players in his sights, if not quite his grips.

One team ticks all the boxes you look for in a Heineken Cup winner. With European pedigree, the mix of talented youth and wise experience, and possibly most important of all, motivation, the Leicester Tigers scream value at 8/1. They have the right to feel a little aggrieved with Lady Luck for how she treated them in last season’s tournament. They were handed a tough draw yet still were on the verge of qualification for the knockout phase. This time around they have a much kinder draw and a home quarter-final is attainable and, more than likely, expected. They’ve been the top dogs in England for the last couple of seasons and Richard Cockerill would surely welcome the adornment to his CV he would get for success in continental competition. Tigers look primed to once again roar on the international stage.