Zinzan supports the code-breakers

In his latest BBC Sport Online column, All Blacks legend Zinzan Brooke says rugby league's stars have much to offer the union code.

Congratulations to fellow Kiwi Henry Paul on his selection for the England rugby union team.

It is a fantastic day for Henry Paul and a great day for English rugby, but a sad loss to rugby league.

Being a fellow countryman, maybe it was a sad day for New Zealand rugby!

There are people out there who will be saying that rugby league is a far better game, as it produces players like Iestyn Harris, Jason Robinson and Henry Paul.

But if you look down the years, rugby union has produced some great league players like Jonathan Davies, Inga Tuigamala, Matthew Ridge, Craig Innes and John Schuster.

Paul - a loss to New Zealand

Let's not get bitter and twisted over which code is better than the other.

Let's look at the fact that these three talented players are going to make a huge impact on the code of rugby union.

Talented as they are, they would probably do well at any sport they set their mind to.

What a great weekend of European rugby we have just enjpyed.

It was a mixed bag of results, but the front-runners at the moment are Bath, Leicester, Cardiff, Munster, Leinster, Ulster, Montferrand and Stade Francais.

You can't really go past defending champions Leicester as they managed to scrape a narrow win against Perpignan with the absence of Martin Johnson.

I think his injury had a bearing on the England-Ireland game as well.

Bath have shown poor form in the Zurich Premiership, but I doubt that will last, and as for their European form, this is a very encouraging three from three.

But they are a very young side and I don't see them as a major threat for the title.

My dark horse for the finals are Cardiff. although they need to qualify first.

Ireland are now running hot, gaining momentum for their clash with the All Blacks

Zinzan Brooke

As for my old team Harlequins, they're finding the step up from the European Shield difficult.

As it is clear they can no longer qualify, it might be an appropriate time to give key players a rest and focus on climbing the Premiership ladder.

They could aim to qualify for Europe next year, because I think the battle at the bottom of the Premiership is going to be tough.

Teams like Bath and Wasps are only going to improve and I don't see any team that clearly sticks out as the one to be relegated.

Celtic praise

Finally, congratulations to England for winning the 2001 Six Nations, but thank-you Ireland for giving us something to look forward to at the 2002 championship.

Up until now, there seemed to be a void between England and the rest, and Ireland are now running hot, gaining momentum for their clash with the All Blacks.

As most of the Irish tell me, this is going to be the year.

We will wait and see.

Zinny.