The top try scorers in the European Cup

5. Two current Irish Internationals share 5th spot at the moment with Tommy Bowe and Gordon D’arcy level on 26 tries each. Tommy Bowe would have scored the bulk of his tries for Ulster while also scoring some for Ospreys during his four year stay at the Liberty Stadium. With Leinster still in this years competition D’arcy still has the opportunity to go ahead of Bowe in what could be his final season for Leinster.

4. 4th spot is also shared between two players with former Irish and Leinster player Shane Horgan and current Saracens winger Chris Ashton level on 27 tries. Shane Horgan scored all of his tries playing for Leinster while Chris Ashton has scored tries in Europe playing for Northampton Saints and his current club Saracens. With Ashton only 28 it is only a matter of time before he jumps ahead of Horgan and he could do that this weekend when Saracens take on Racing Metro.

3. Former Welsh international Dafydd James currently sits in third spot after scoring 29 tries in Europe’s elite competition. James played for seven different clubs throughout his career and it was the Scarlets where he scored a majority of his tries in Europe. With Chris Ashton only two tries behind him you feel that he will not be able to hold onto third spot for much longer with Ashton’s try scoring record in Europe quite impressive in the last two seasons.

2. The great Brian O’Driscoll can only settle for second spot  with the former Irish and Leinster centre scoring 33 tries in the European Cup. Keep in mind that 5th spot and 4th are currently tied between two players each, but as of now O’Driscoll is the 4th Irish player in the top five top try scorers in Europe. He may not be in top spot but he won’t mind too much with three European Cup winners medals in his trophy cabinet.

1. With 36 tries to his name, current Toulouse winger Vincent Clerc is the top try scorer in the European Cup. Clerc has scored all of 36 tries playing for Toulouse and as he turns 34 in May he will look to add a few more tries before he is forced to retire. During his prime Clerc was one of the most dangerous wingers in Europe and was instrumental in Toulouse winning three European Cups with Clerc finishing at the competitions top try scorer in the 2002/03 season with seven tries which included a try in the final against Perpignan.

Ciaran Fallon