European Rugby Cup : Parma out to clip Falcons' wings

Paul Emerick

Parma out to clip Falcons' wings

2 December 2008, 9:40 am

Paul Emerick and his Overmach Rugby Parma team-mates are already just one win away from making 2008/09 their most successful European campaign - but they are setting their sights even higher and aiming for a slice of Euro history.

Because, while English teams have dominated the opening two Rounds of the European Challenge Cup, Overmach Rugby Parma have also notched up back-to-back wins to sit proudly at the top of Pool 4 and fly the flag high for Italian rugby.

The Italian club have beaten 1997 Heineken Cup champions Brive and Spanish champions Cetransa El Salvador to join London Irish and Saracens – Heineken Cup semi-finalists last season – 2000 Heineken Cup winners Northampton Saints and Worcester Warriors as Pool leaders.

And, when the tournament resumes with the Round 3 matches this weekend, Overmach Parma have got Newcastle
Falcons firmly fixed in their sights as the English Premiership side travel to Stadio “XXV Aprile” for the opening salvo of their back-to-back showdowns.

“We are a pretty regular sort of team – no big names, just a bunch of boys who work hard for each other,” said the 32-times capped USA Eagle and former Newport Gwent Dragons centre who saw his side climb to second spot in the Super 10 with a weekend win over Roma.

“My two seasons with the Dragons were great, particularly the high level of competition playing in the Heineken Cup, but I am happy back here in Parma and, when we fire on all cylinders, we are a side to be reckoned with.

“When we beat Brive in Round 1 of the European Challenge Cup earlier this season that was a fantastic scalp for the club and then winning on the road at El Salvador kept the momentum going.

“Since then we have had a great 27-9 win at Benetton Treviso in the Super 10 – they are not beaten that often at home – and we edged it 22-20 over Roma last Saturday.

“These are enormously exciting times for us and it would be great to make history by sneaking into knock-out stages of the European Challenge Cup and being the first Italian team to reach the last eight of either of the European tournaments.

“However, we know that Newcastle will be a different challenge with the back-to-back matches and, hopefully, maybe we can sneak a win at home and then give them a good run for their money at their place.

“They have got a number of internationals in their squad but we must remember they have only got two arms and legs just like the rest of us.

“As to our style of play, I guess we haven’t got a real set pattern but an open style certainly suits us and when we get on the front foot we are at our best so when teams try and slow us down that is frustrating.”

Emerick, who says: “I have my sights on playing international rugby through to the 2011 World Cup”, is adamant that having Italian clubs playing in Europe is great for Italian rugby in general.

“The standard of rugby in Italy is getting better and better,” said the 28-year-old. “Previously there used to be only four or five clubs who were well organised and playing well but now it is anyone’s ball game – the league is pretty even and standards are better across the board.”