By Tournament / EDF Energy Cup

The final round of the lop-sided pool fixtures are finished. Phew! At least, now the [English] clubs will take the competition seriously and field their 1st XV's now they're within a sniff of a trophy.

So who's in the final four?

Two from Wales and two from England - hurrah!

That helps?!

Sooooorrrrry. Ospreys, Blues, Saints and Gloucester. Happy now?

All-Welsh final?

I'm going for a Blues v Gloucester showdown. Now that Leicester aren't in it, the boys from the West Country should be OK.

So pack all the weekend into a little rant then?

Well the south-sea islanders grabbed all the try-scoring headlines. All together they're a right tongue-twister. Sailala Mapasua, Saliosi Tagicakibau, Apo Satala, Maama Molitika and Taufa'ao Flisse.

Imagine their food bill?

I hear they've already had to call Tesco Direct twice in Camp Pacific.

Who were your stars of the weekend?

James Hook packed his kicking boots and was simply immaculate. Equally as impressive was Northampton's goal-kicker Stephen Myler, who pulled off a miraculous tackle on the rampaging Scarlets number eight David Lyons, and two-try wing Chris Ashton.

So when and where are these semi-finals?

Geographically it makes no sense, let alone Coventry's Ricoh Arena having as much rugby blood running through it as Frank Lampard, but on March 28 it's Gloucester v Ospreys and Cardiff v Northampton.

Do you ever get the feeling the EDF Energy Cup is strangely placed?

Strange as in, 'any place at all?'

Just after the rip-roaring drama of the Heineken Cup and the pulsating competitiveness of the Guinness Premiership, it's like the ugly sister...

Who no one really cares about...

Gloucester and the Welsh trio will be, now they are 80 minutes from a semi-final.

Are the Ospreys likely to hang onto their trophy?

Gavin Henson's superb solo effort looks like it's going to spark a successive semi-final Millennium Stadium trip. James Hook bombed over 17 points but it was Tommy Bowe's last ditch fourth try that looks to have illuminated the yellow-brick road to Cardiff.

Is it going to be an all-Welsh final?

Well, after watching the Blues run Leicester ragged with a astute tactical display, it's hard not to envisage Wales' premier two outfits dressing down at Twickenham of all places.

Who stood out?

The Robinson's outshone Messrs Hougaard and Flood but it was Jamie Roberts' thunderous midfield presence that caused most bumps and bruises.

So are the Scarlets going to make it a national Welsh holiday?

They've got to go to Northampton and avoid defeat or at least nick a bonus point. They had a plethora of chances to seal the bonus point against Bristol but had to settle for three including one for old Bristolian Rob Higgit who really rubbed it in.

But at least one English side will be in the last four...

It'll have to come from the West Country. Lesley Vainikolo bulldozed over twice while as international season is approaching it wouldn't be right unless Iain Balshaw was being touted as a world beater.

Steady on....

IT'S NOT ME THAT'S SAYING IT!

What a treat, both the Guinness Premiership and EDF Energy Cup on terrestrial TV.

If that's what you call it? The rugby was only slightly better than the weather and marginally worse than Brian Moore's banter.

He loves a moan doesn't he?

Sitting watching both BBC games, it's amazing that Danny Cipriani and Mike Phillips - two high profile absentees – still managed to command the most interest.

That just says it all about the competition.

It wasn’t just team selection, 75% of the grounds were only half full...

So did the golden child make it?

Cipriani felt a little stiffness on Friday morning and decided not to travel – Kelly must've ignored his rub down request on Thursday night. Wasps have now worryingly lost five from six. It's a good job Shaun Edwards hasn't got any hair because they made Lesley ‘can’t kick won’t kick’ Vainikolo look half decent.

Was it as clear-cut as you predicted with the Welsh boys dominating?

Wales' best, the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues, both found life heavy going against the English reserves. Hardly like Arsene Wenger's babies, both Sale and Harlequins brought their Guinness Premiership form to the plate and would've been bitterly disappointed to lose.

Were the glamour boys a big lucky?

Too much fake tan, pumping iron and fine-tuning their TV accents and slick Henson haircuts…

Ouch. Still it was a Welsh 1-2-3-4….

Old boy Richard Mustoe came back to tame the Sharks while David Lyons and Stephen Jones brought a touch of class to the Scarlets but the weekend was pleasingly mostly made up of Academy products and debutants.

Who were your stars?

A couple of England U20 Junior World Cup finalists really stood out. Miles Benjamin dotted down for a delicious double while Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs showed some flashes of his emerging brilliance behind a youthful Tigers pack. Also, watch out for a South African-born Englishman called Matthew Turner at Bristol too. His dazzling double was a crumb of comfort for Bristol, who are still without a win this season.

Six weeks off... Fantastic!

Richard Hill's sentiments exactly... Now for the EDF Cup.

What's that like the Carling Cup?

Yeah it's a poor man's version of the FA Cup... just another excuse to spice up the Anglo-Welsh rivalry albeit England's premier sides send out weakened teams.

So not that exciting then?

It can be but only when it gets to the knock-out stages like Leicester and Wasps showed last season in their semi-final. It was one of the best games of last season.

Is it a bit of a Mickey Mouse trophy until then?

It's the most lucrative prize to win. The Welsh sides are really the only one's that take it seriously... all sending out pretty much the full-strength cavalry.... The reigning champions, the Ospreys, should be given the trophy already looking at the side they're sending out to face a heavily depleted Harlequins.

Are the Wales big boys in then?

Only Chris Robshaw survives from the Londoners win at Sixways with Messrs Byrne, Williams, Henson, Hook, Jones x 4, and Holah all starting for the Ospreys.

How have the other Welsh teams followed suit?

Martyn Williams lines up for Cardiff while Simon Easterby skippers the Scarlets. Even the Dragons have poached one or two from the Principality competition.

And what about Mr. Cipriani?

He's on the bench for Wasps at Gloucester but with heavyweights, Lesley Vainikolo, Serge Betsen and Apo Satala all starting, it should be a belter.

I imagine there will be a lot of high-profile debutants...

League duo Danny Williams (Falcons) and Bath's Shontayne Hape will create a lot of interest but Leicester give a birth to fly-half Derick Hougaard and one Owen Farrell (hopefully he's better than his dad) is set to become the youngest player to appear in the competition, beating Danny Cipriani by 36 days at 17 years and 47 days old, if he appears off the bench.

Who are you most excited about seeing?

Shane Geraghty returns from injury for London Irish at inside centre against a Chris Latham-skippered Worcester. With Jonny Wilkinson's injury and Toby Flood playing at ten, the mercurial blonde will be eager to stake his England claims.

Predictions:

Dragons v Newcastle Falcons: No Jonny, no win...
Bath v Leicester: Token EDF win for hosts
Gloucester v Wasps: Cherry bomb hits Wasps
Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues: Singing the Blues  
Northampton v Bristol: Different competition, same Bristol doom.
Worcester v London Irish: Warriors get back to winning ways
Ospreys v Harlequins: Champions start with a bang
Saracens v Scarlets: Sarries prevent Welsh sweep