Rugby union news: Premiership weekend review, British & Irish Lions watch
The English Premiership returned this week after a hiatus for the Six Nations.
Storming back with the ‘Derby Weekend’, the competition returned with an absolute bang.
From high-scoring contests to demolitions of local rivals, this weekend had it all.
With British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell constantly watching over the action for which players may put their hand up, there are several talking points from this weekend.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s rugby writer Jacob Garrett breaks it down game by game.
Northampton Saints vs Leicester Tigers (0-33)
A real demolition job done by the Tigers in what is possibly the biggest rivalry in top-flight rugby - with a score of 33-0 to the away side.
The current champions were taken apart from both sides of the ball, with Handre Pollard pulling the strings and challenging the Saints' backline with high bombs constantly reigning in.
This high-kicking game was a clear game plan for the Tigers as the rain came belting down at Franklin's Gardens, and who better than to put that plan into action than double World Cup winner Pollard.
It was not just Leicester’s ball-in-hand ability but more their defensive willingness.
During the break, Michael Cheika had a reshuffling of his coaching set-up, with his former defence coach from Argentina coming in for the final section of the Premiership campaign in David Kidwell.
Coming from a Rugby League background, it was clear that Kidwell has provided a new injection into the Tigers’ defensive line - promoting a lot of players staying on their feet with large aggression in the tackle.
Keeping one of the best-attacking teams and current champions to nil is an excellent debut for the coach from New Zealand.
British & Irish Lions watch
Jack van Poortvleit
The English scrum-half was unplayable on Friday. After a long absence due to various injuries, the Tigers' star came back with a point to prove, and he certainly did that.
He picked and went from just inside his own half and set up a scintillating solo try with a chip in behind.
This was just a small part of what was a complete performance from the young scrum-half.
Could he be a bolter for Andy Farrell’s squad come the summer?
Fin Smith
A disappointing performance from the young fly-half this week.
After claiming the English 10 shirt through the Six Nations, the Saint certainly did not live up to the standard he set over the five weeks of the competition.
Being a fly-half, a player who drives the attack, not scoring a single point is definitely a cause for concern for the young star.
With a six-day turnaround after playing away in Cardiff, perhaps this is a reason behind his sub-par performance.
One game does not leave his performances from the Six Nations as null and void, however.
Hopefully, this is a blip for Smith, and he can kick on and come back from this, in turn firmly securing his place on the plane to Australia.
READ MORE: British & Irish Lions news: The top five Lions players of all time
Newcastle Falcons vs Sale Sharks (15-39)
The battle of the Northern English teams saw a big win for Alex Sanderson’s men.
Going up and away to Newcastle is never an easy task, despite the results saying otherwise, but the team from Manchester swatted this team away with great ease.
A classic, hard-fought, physical battle was seen at Kingston Park, but unfortunately, the Sharks had that bit of extra quality to execute their opportunity.
British & Irish Lions watch
Tom Roebuck
A real standout performer from the Sharks winger.
After an excellent performance away in Wales, the former Chester Rugby Union man backed up this performance.
He was never stopped by the first up tackle and imposed his immense ability in the air. Roebuck was unstoppable up in Newcastle.
Topping it off with an excellent try, the winger could be a bolter for the Lions tour - especially with the flat and pacey tracks Down Under, competing with the aerial athletes from the team in Gold - against the likes of Joseph Sua’ali’i.
Saracens vs Harlequins (12-23)
Coined as ‘The Showdown’, the two London-based giants took their talents to one of the best stadiums in the country, The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
After the team in red and black took a first-half lead of 12 to 0, the ‘showdown’ was looking like it was going home to Northwest London.
But the Harlequins had different ideas. With a lot of their premier players away on mandatory player breaks, the Quins team was full of young and up-and-coming players.
They went down fighting, nudging ahead with many thanks to the 22-year-old boot of Jamie Benson, and came through with a very impressive win against a Saracens team full of their normal stars - even if they were a bit leggy due to the onslaught of the Six Nations.
An excellent and very exciting result for all Harlequins fans.
British & Irish Lions watch
Maro Itoje
The England captain and ever-present played yet another full 80 minutes this Saturday.
He was clearly suffering after playing almost every minute in England’s Six Nations campaign and perhaps did not live up to the expectations this weekend.
Allowing a 12-point lead slip after dominating an inexperienced Quins team is not a brilliant look.
Despite this, I feel a lot of this is down to the gruelling minutes he has been through recently - his engine is certainly a big tick in his box to get onto the plane, but hopefully, he can remain injury-free and be ready to get going in Australia this summer.
Bristol Bears vs Exeter Chiefs (52-38)
An absolute try-fest took place at Ashton Gate, with 14 tries being dotted down in the Bristol stadium.
With neither team having an abundance of Six Nations stars, the game felt one of the more complete this weekend - with players fit and firing, the game was more competitive than the scoreline let on.
With points going backwards and forwards between the two, Bristol just had the quality to continue to execute their madness for longer.
British & Irish Lions watch
Dafyd Jenkins
One of the few Welsh players who have been mentioned in the conversation for the plane this summer. He had a classical quiet yet effective game. Despite being only 22, he is a key leader in this young and inexperienced Chiefs side.
His quality in the set piece, mixed with his dark arts, makes him a true glue man for this side, despite not getting over the line.
The Cornish side has an abundance of signings coming in next year, and a man such as Jenkins will be at the centre of this rebuild and could certainly be in with a shout in a position where the Lions may be slightly lighter on.
Bristol
With Ellis Genge missing the game due to the birth of his third child, Bristol did not have a player in the conversation for the Lions tour.
But keep your eye out for outside centre Bernhard Janse van Rensburg, who will be eligible for England before the next Lions tour - and if his form continues may well walk onto the plane come 2029.
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Bath vs Gloucester (42-26)
Another game of brilliant attacking rugby took place on The Rec, with the current leaders showing their abilities and putting their foot firmly in the playoffs come gameweek 18.
Despite losing by 20, Gloucester showed much more than the scoreline suggests, carving through Bath at will during the first half - with soon-to-be Bath player Santiago Carreras showing The Rec what to expect come the 2025/26 season.
Going in at the half with only two points in the Bath bench came up trumps, with the likes of Lions guarantee Will Stuart and Test match quality Sam Underhill amongst some of the changes made in the second half.
This quality in depth is where the game was decided and why, for me, they should be lifting the cup come May.
British & Irish Lions watch
Finn Russell
The Scotland star has been under some questioning post Six Nations, after not affecting the games the way he would have intended, mixed with some poor performance off the tee.
He put these critics to bed, winning player of the match whilst running the game and knocking over every kick off the tee.
Russell also came in with a crash ball short-range tap penalty, showing a bit more of his physicality.
His performances are likely to continue, and for me will definitely wear that red ten jersey come the first test match against the Green and Gold.
Tomas Williams
The Welsh nine looked like a completely different player this Sunday when compared to the player who played throughout the Six Nations.
Having more of a platform than he did at Wales, the man was exceptional - playing with great pace and vision, setting up several tries and scoring one for himself.
With Jamison Gibson-Park looking like the guarantee, the second and third scrum-halves for the Lions tour are up for debate, and Williams is certainly up there in the conversation.
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