Click here to receive The Rolling Maul via e-mail, delivered free to your inbox every Wednesday

England needs a European giant, the Lions do not

The elite English clubs are now making their final preparations for the Heineken Cup after a ferocious start to the season in two other competitions. But while the Guinness Premiership is as tough as ever, with strength in depth, it is thought that there is no looming giant with real European class emerging from England as yet. We will know more after the weekend.

Here's the good news. The Lions play their first game on May 30 (the GP final was moved from that date by the clubs) and the final game of the home season is the Heineken Cup final on May 23. The fewer Lions in that match, the better for the tour.

Indeed, the best final for Lions-watchers would be all-French, although even a French team versus Munster would be terrific. Munster will probably be a good side this season, but they are unlikely to have a horde of Lions. If Wasps do not make the final, at least Ian McGeechan, Shaun Edwards, Danny Cipriani, Simon Shaw, James Haskell, Tom Rees and Paul Sackey get more time to prepare for South Africa.

But none of this would be good for the English clubs, because for none to make it would insult the history of England's dominance of the event. We will be looking carefully, therefore, for signs of greatness this week. Bath must travel to Toulouse on Sunday and Sale to Clermont Auvergne on Saturday, and an away victory in either would be stunning.

You would expect Gloucester to beat Biarritz at home, although their recent sketchy form and an even more recent surge by the fallible Basque club raise a doubt. Wasps should beat Castres on Sunday, but can they win away in Leinster or Castres to qualify?

Leicester are not firing, and the Ospreys may well fancy the job on Sunday at Welford Road. Harlequins visit Llanelli on Saturday, and would do well to beware the home team's cup fighting record.

Yes, a Heineken Cup final without the English teams would help the Lions. But the priority for the English game at present is to throw up a huge club team to demolish the theory and to threaten to dominate Europe. This weekend, the wait for evidence will be anxious.

Going for a song

There are horrors hidden in everyone's past which creep up as memories and shame us all. But first, here is a question. Is there out there, anywhere in rugby, any team or group which still sings rugby songs?

I don't mean Bread of Heaven or The Wild Rover or Sloop John B or Wonderwall. I mean those ghastly, savage, sexist, cringingly-unsubtle, desperate ditties which blighted the game for so long. If your team still sings them, let us know, and I guarantee you immunity from prosecution.