The weekend rugby

The absence of any Premiership and Championship football gave Premiership Rugby a platform which it maximised with derby matches.

The first between Sale Sharks and the re-branded Newcastle Red Bulls was too one-sided to be enjoyable.

Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers were better matched but the game lacked quality.

Bath Rugby, with two of the best fly halves in the world – Sergio Carreras and Finn Russell – were too powerful for neighbours Gloucester. The closest match of all Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs was not broadcast live.

Sunday produced the best game of all with Harlequins winning the London bragging rights over Saracens.

It was hardly a ‘Quinsy ‘ performance, with much use of the high ball under which Max Mallins looked distinctly uncomfortable.

For once Marcus Smith was superior to Owen Farrell and showed some sparkling footwork.

With 90 cap Argentine Guido Petit recruited from Bordeaux, Quins have more heft in the boiler room of the second row whilst the back row of Kerringham, Evans and Cunningham South dowsed the Saracens threat of Jack Willis and Ben Earl, even without Alex Dombrandt (on the bench).

Yet it was always close until the final penalty conversion and I can’t see Quins making the top four.

Although TNT had a cornucopia of matches I did not care for its over hyped coverage.