European Champions Cup’s opening results expose tournament’s black hole

Brave new Europe sees ferocity on the field but ruthlessness away from it is putting game in danger, and not just for the Welsh, Scottish or ItaliansIf the loss of a team’s opening two games in Europe is enough to consign their hopes of progress to dust – and it almost always is – then this season’s champions will come from England, France or Ireland. “What’s new?” cynics might ask. “We’ve always known that.” And they would be right. But there is something to be said for hoping, at least, that a Welsh, Scottish or Italian side might make the quarter-finals.There is no such hope this time. When…