The weekend rugby

The absence of any Premiership and Champuonship games gave premiership rugby à platform which it maximised with derby matches. The first between Sale Sharks and rebranded 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 Mans looked distinctly uncomfortable. For once Marcus Smith was superior to Owen Farrell and showed some sparkling footwork. With 90 caps Argentine Guido Petit recruited from Bordeaux Quins have more heft in the boiler room of the second row whilst the back division of Kerringham, Evans and Cunningham South dowsed their threat of Jack willis and Ben Earl even without Alex Dombrandt. Yet it was always close till 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