Whether it’s decorating the tree or sending a list to the big fella in the red suit, festive traditions will once again coincide with the start of the new European rugby season.
In its now customary slot of early December, the Champions Cup is back and Glasgow Warriors will look to get things rolling when they host Sale Sharks at Scotstoun tomorrow evening.
Supporters have grown accustomed to the European campaign starting around this time of year but, of course, it wasn’t always this way.
In its previous guise of the Heineken Cup, the competition would start in October, teeing up the Autumn Tests.
The squeeze on the global rugby calendar meant that the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup were shifted back and shoehorned into little more than a six-week window across December and January.
The format also used to be far more streamlined and simplified, whereas now it’s a bit of a mind-mangle to get your head around the various pools, fixtures and permutations.
Antoine Dupont holds aloft the Champions Cup trophy after Toulouse’s win over Leinster
Scotland star Blair Kinghorn celebrates aboard a model zebra as the celebrations get surreal
That’s all by the by. Any notion of traditions being upheld in the Champions Cup went out the window as soon as they allowed South African teams entry into the competition.
But now, perhaps more than ever, it does feel pertinent to ask what the future of European rugby might look like.
With all the talk of rebel breakaway leagues over these past few weeks, it would seem that the Champions Cup would be most at risk if those plans ever come to fruition.
We’ve seen it in other sports. When the idea of a UEFA Super League was mooted in football, the Champions League adapted its format.
Likewise in golf. When the LIV Tour started tempting players to join with huge sums of cash, the various tours had to find a way of co-existing, which they now do.
In Formula One, the model on which the new rebel league is apparently trying to promote itself, formats were changed and new sprint races introduced.
The details around the new proposals in rugby remain sketchy. The only thing we know is that players would be offered massive sums of money.
And that’s the nub of it right there. Perhaps more than any other mainstream sport, rugby is vulnerable to players being lured away for huge money.
Finn Russell is one of the game’s superstars who will undoubtedly be a target for the breakaway
Rugby has a problem in that players are overworked and underpaid. Look at star names like Finn Russell, earning close to £1million per year at Bath.
That’s still viewed as top dollar in the rugby world. Yet, in the landscape of elite professional sport, it’s actually peanuts.
Average footballers at the likes of Bournemouth and Brighton earn more than that.
Rugby, then, is a prime market for a new mega-bucks breakaway competition. The players who sign up will no doubt be outcasted initially and accused of just chasing the money.
But that’s nonsense. In a sport where medical evidence tells us there is a very real danger of players suffering brain traumas in later life, nobody should ever be vilified for securing their future.
Like in golf with the LIV Tour, a rebel league will soon find a way to co-exist with the more established competitions.
So while it’s natural to be sniffy at the prospect of a new competition, and easy to predict it will fail, it would be foolish to simply disregard it completely. This isn’t going away.
Glasgow Warriors celebrate their URC triumph in the summer and will be a tough nut to crack
The Champions Cup will celebrate 30 years of existence this season. It’s a nice landmark, but you do wonder if the competition will see another 30 years.
The rugby calendar is over-congested. If any competitions are open to be tweaked and evolve, it will almost certainly be the European ones.
For Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith, the competition still retains its sparkle despite the ever-changing landscape in world rugby.
‘Yes, it’s definitely a special competition,’ said the South African. ‘I’ve been involved with it as a player when I played for Benetton back in the years 2001, 2002 and 2003.
‘It was a very good competition back in the day, the old Heineken Cup. And then being part of it as a coach since I’ve coached Benetton in 2007, I know and understand the quality of the challenge.
‘It’s definitely different because we play the French and we play the English Premiership sides that we don’t see that often in the URC.
‘And then obviously the quality of the players, there’s nobody getting really rested and the turnover is different. You see all the internationals out there because of the importance.
Franco Smith has many happy memories of playing and coaching in Europe’s elite tournament
‘So, yes, a massive competition and I think they can be really proud that it’s been well managed over the years.’
Glasgow have been tipped by some as dark horses in this year’s competition. Given that they travel to Toulon next weekend, a fast start against Sale tonight would seem imperative.
Warriors then face back-to-back derbies against Edinburgh over Christmas and New Year, before they finish their Champions Cup pool stage with games against Racing 92 and Harlequins.
It promises to be a huge month for a Glasgow side who were beaten by Quins in the last 16 of the Champions Cup last season.
Going deep in Europe’s top competition is the next step for Smith and their players, building on the URC title they won last season and reaching the Challenge Cup final the year before that. Asked about Glasgow being tipped for a good run, the head coach said: ‘Well, I don’t want the expectation to influence what we try to do here.
‘Yes, the squad needs to kick on in every game that we’ve played. We want to continue to grow and evolve as a team.
Glasgow try machine Johnny Matthews will be one Scotstoun star to keep an eye on
‘The Champions Cup obviously is a massive competition to play in, as well as the URC, but there’s something special about playing the French and the Premiership sides as well.
‘We fell last year against the Harlequins in the 78th minute. We were still leading in the round of 16 and there was a little bit more in us to get across the line.
‘So, yes, obviously I think that hurt and I think that inspired us actually in the URC to complete that season properly.’
Smith has selected a strong team for the visit of a Sale side who currently sit mid-table in the English Premiership.
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu will continue his partnership with Huw Jones in midfield, with Tom Jordan taking over at fly-half in the absence of the injured Adam Hastings. Smith added: ‘Sale are a good team and we expect a tough challenge.
‘But we have played a few English sides over the past couple of years. It’s something we enjoy and look forward to.’
