The Big Weekend Preview
Preeti Virdee from Twickenham

Mid May and one of the biggest weekends of rugby in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres is upon us. Here at RFTG - Men in Shorts we bring you a round up of what you can look forward to...

First up is the Super 14 Final, the first ever all South African final in the history of the tournament.

This is the biggest celebration of rugby in the country since the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, when the Springboks took the title. The excitement has become fever pitch; all conversations on world affairs, politics, wars, cricket etc. have been swept away and we hear that the only question on everyone's lips in Durban is either "Have you got a ticket?" or "Do you know how I can get a ticket?" - and that's just the ladies. With two South African teams in the Final, it appears that South African rugby is going through an amazing rennaisance.

It's not as if SA doesn't have its own share of political turmoil within the national ranks; the Government is putting an enormous amount of pressure on the selection committee for the Springboks to ensure the team being put together to face England in preparation for the World Cup is representative of the country. Of course positive discrimination has its place in a post-aparthied nation, but is not the whole point of a national sport that you present your best, most capable, most efficient team to face the world when the sole aim is to beat the opposition? But my argument becomes dented as the RFU are sending a second-string team to South Africa on Summer Tour since England Coach, Brian Ashton announced that any England player taking part in this weekend's Euopean finals is not eligible for a place on tour - that in itself wipes out the entire back row as well as the majority of the Senior Elite Player Squad for this season. South Africa have every right to feel insulted by this decision.

But I digress from the match in question. Both the Sharks and the Bulls are at full strength; the Sharks lead the league table by three points and have won 10 of their 13 matches, whereas the Vodacom Bulls have won 9; the Bulls have one three of the last four times they have faced the Sharks, but more importantly the Sharks won this year, and convincingly at that 17 - 3. The Sharks have the home advantage in front of a sell-out 54,000 capacity crowd. Predicting the outcome is an impossible endeavour - the press and the pundits are split 50:50 - both teams have passion, strength, skill and the will to win. RFTG will have a full report from Durban once the outcome has been decided...

Sharks vs Bulls
ABSA Stadium, Durban

Saturday 19th May

KO 2pm [UK] 3pm [SA]

from 1.30pm

Next we have the European Challenge Cup Final at the Twickenham Stoop.

ASM Clermont Auvergne are the only team in European Challenge Cup history to appear in three finals. 1999 was their year, beating Bourgoin 35 - 16 to secure the title, but 2004 saw them lose in a close fought battle against NEC Harlequins who won by a single point 27 - 26; ironically it will be at the home of Quins that they will be battling it out against Bath Rugby to win their second title - and Quins is one of the two teams to have won the title twice in ECC history. Furthermore, Clermont are third in their national league, only three point adrift of leaders Stade Français with one round still remaining.

Bath Rugby, on the other hand have finished eighth in the Guinness Premiership, and need this win to save their season. This is the West Country team's second foray into the final; they lost 48 - 30 to London Wasps in 2003. Bath may not have had the best season so far, but now is no time to start discounting them. Bath have a territorial advantage with 10,000 supporters travelling to South West London to over-power the 2,500 Clermont voices, along with the moral backing of the nation at large. And they also have a secret weapon in winger David Bory, who is playing his last game for Bath tomorrow before moving to Brive; Bory played at Montferrand - now ASM Clermont Auvergne, for 13 seasons before moving to Bath for two years via a season at Castres Olympique. There is no harm in a little insider information from the Frenchman with 18 caps for his country.

The two sides have faced each other twice before in the semi finals home and away legs of the 2003/4 EEC; both teams won their respective home games but Montferrand [as it was then called] qualified for the final on a +2 points difference. Both teams have come through this year's tournament unbeaten. On paper, the result is difficult to call, but with the home advantage, Bath could just have the upper hand.

ASM Clermont Auvergne vs Bath Rugby
Twickenham Stoop

Saturday 19th May

KO 5.30pm [UK] 6.30pm [France]

from 5.15pmfrom 6.30pm

Lastly, we have the Heineken Cup Final at Twickenham.

Leicester Tigers have won the coveted title of Heineken Cup champions twice before, back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. They are hell bent on winning the treble this year, having already won the EDF Energy Cup 41 - 35 against the Neath Swansea Ospreys in April, and the Guinness Premiership Championship last week 44 - 16 against Gloucester, in this coach Pat Howard's final year with the Tigers. But the London Wasps are not a side to be taken lightly; they are the only club to have completed the Euro Double, winning the European Challenge Cup in 2003 followed by the Heineken Cup in 2004. Leicester may have beaten the Wasps so far this year in the Premiership, but the Londoners have played five finals at Twickenham - and won every one.

Leicester may be the favourites to win the title for a third time, but the Wasps are aptly named to have that sting in their tail...just when the opposition think they are home and dry, the Wasps make a come back and snatch glory from the arms of defeat. It is being labelled the "'biggest match in club rugby...ever"; I am sure it will live up to expections, but I'm not stupid enough to make a prediction [though I quietly hope that London Wasps manage to put pay to the Tigers hopes of the treble and keep the trophy at home in London!]. Be prepared to see the best domestic rugby in England this year, as I fear the spectacle on the international stage will not be so exciting for us.

Leicester Tigers vs London Wasps
Twickenham Stadium

Sunday 20th May

KO 2.30pm [UK] 3.30pm [France]

from 2pmfrom 3.30pm

But lest you think I am doing international rugby some injustice by ignoring the Barclays Churchill Cup which is being played in England for the first time, the tournament kicks off this evening with the England Saxons taking on USA Rugby at Edgeley Park [KO 7.45pm], and continues tomorrow with Ireland A facing Canada at Sandy Park in Exeter [KO 8pm]. The other two teams competing over the next two weeks are Scotland A and the New Zealand Maori. And the tournament culminates on 2nd June at Twickenham. For the full schedule and TV coverage of this tournament, and the rest of the rugby over the coming year, click here.

So enjoy the most exhilarating weekend of rugby this season, and we will return on Monday with full reports and all the action from England and South Africa.

Photography: © Action Images