6 things we learned from the weekend’s rugby

1. Good luck Welsh wingers

As if the summer tour to New Zealand wasn’t scary enough for the Welsh squad, the re-emergence of Waisake Naholo since breaking his leg will be striking the fear of God into the Welsh back line.

Another double for the Highlanders flyer at the weekend – in his first game back since a second leg break in the space of a year – demonstrated his rapier pace and powerful finishing. If it wasn’t for a last ditch tackle in the final minute, he would have grabbed a hat-trick, but that won’t be bothering Steve Hansen as he was licking his lips with the potential of Naholo in an All Black Jersey again.

Things don’t get any easier for Wales on the other side as Julian Savea returns to form following his kick up the backside after being dropped for being unfit. The red dragons may have been thinking that the Kiwis may have been a little easier on them after a few high profile retirements, but those thoughts need to be banished very quickly.

2. Irish provinces peaking at the right time

The Irish season, both domestically and internationally, has been topsy-turvy to say the least, but three of the four provinces have still managed to set up camp in the play-off positions of the Pro12 this season and they seem to be coming into form at just the right time.

Leinster snuck in the back door to top the table thanks to an eight try demolition of Treviso, whilst Connacht finally won a tumultuous arm wrestle with Glasgow to finish second, on the same points as the Dubliners.

Ulster, who had humbled Leinster the week before, travelled to Swansea and did the same to the Ospreys, putting them in fourth place. With all three provinces winning and Glasgow having to travel back to Connacht to progress to the Murrayfield final, it is difficult to look any further than an all-Ireland affair.

3. Dangerous tackles reach tipping point

It seems that since Anthony Watson stumbled and wiped out Alex Goode in the air last month to become one of the talking points of the season, we have seen a similar tackle every week somewhere in the world.

This weekend didn’t let us down. Charlie Ngatai of the Chiefs upended Elliot Dixon as they both went for a bouncing ball and the latter ended flat on his back after he was flipped over the formers shoulder.

Penalty? Yes. Red Card? No. Finally we found a ref, in the form of Angus Gardner, that took time to take the game situation into account and how fast a professional rugby player moves.

In slow motion the tackle looks horrific and callous at best but in reality Dixon jumped into the contact and Ngatai could do nothing about it. Dixon landed flat on his back and was exemplary in his reaction. He jumped straight to his feet probably in the knowledge that these things happen and didn’t seek any retribution.

The Chiefs centre was yellow carded and the game continued. Mr. Gardner should be applauded for how he handled a volatile situation in such a big game.

4. O’Shea deserved better

In his worst nightmare Conor O’Shea could not have envisaged a performance as bad as this by his Harlequins team to send him off from the Stoop. A shambolic performance saw them ship ten tries, five of which came out wide to wingers as they could not keep pace with Exeter’s dynamic attack.

Chris Robshaw and his fellow players did apologise after the game saying it was good enough but that is an understatement to say the least. O’Shea has will be missed by players and fans alike and he will leave the Stoop with many good memories but this certainly will not be one of them.

There is a way that the players can make it up to him on Friday night by winning the Challenge Cup, but Montpellier will prove a stern test and they will have to raise their game by several notches if they are to make amends.

5. Sarries should spy a Racing soft spot

Saracens will have been keeping one eye on the results and performances of their opponents in the Champions Cup final and after the weekend they will have been encouraged by what they saw.

Admittedly Racing were slightly understrength but it was still a shock result as Brive outclassed their Parisian opponents. Racing outscored their opponents four tries to three, but more noticeable was the indiscipline that their frustration at being starved of possession caused. There were five yellow cards in the game and two came from Racing 92 indiscipline.

Mark McCall should be viewing this as a potential weakness and if there are two things that Saracens are good at it is starving the opposition of possession and winding them up.

6. Slade can be the missing link for Jones

Although England have a Grand Slam under their belt there is still much debate on who should play in certain positions and none more so in the midfield axis.

George Ford is nowhere near last season’s form and if Owen Farrell moves in a position as expected then Slade looks certain to go head to head with Manu Tuilagi for the twelve jersey.

Slade has been imperious since his return from injury and his distribution has come in for high praise indeed. His patience and timing of pass is opening up defences at will and Jack Nowell and James Short will have thanked him for the five tries that they shared at the weekend.

Slade can also carry the ball into contact with great affect and make holes for other players, so he may be viewed as the perfect blend of subtle guile and deceptive strength. He will certainly be on the plane to Australia and depending on the style of rugby Eddie Jones wants to play, he may play a big part in the test series.

By Andy Daniel
(@scrum5ive)

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images