If the cap fits...

"You haven't got the money to have the depth of the squad. That's not a criticism of anybody - that's the fact of it."

Richard Cockerill was his usual blunt self at the conclusion of the Tigers Heineken campaign, and there can be no doubt that the Midlanders suffered as key personnel went down with a succession of injuries as they attempted to battle their way out of the group stage. Unusually, their European involvement is over in January, and they can but cast envious looks down the M1 towards Watford.
 
But is he right to blame the salary cap ?
Yes, it is undoubtedly true that the French sides have more spending power - particularly Toulouse, who year on year make marquee signings, and invariably progress towards the final stages of the Heineken. But there are plenty of cash rich clubs (Toulon, for instance) who spend, spend, spend, without making an impact. And there are clubs such as Ulster who progress without breaking the bank.
 
On the French side, there can be little doubt that the Top 14 calls the selectorial shots - some teams are clearly prioritising the domestic league above the European competition. In the Land of the Celts, the Heineken is seen as the ultimate test, and the squads are built up to meet that test. In the Premiership, the sponsors are all powerful. Leicester have plenty of cash, but the emphasis on the crash bang wallop in each and every game may allow a player to think he's playing in the best league in the world, but it will leave him with precious little in the tank when the Heineken games come around, and different, more searching questions are asked.