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Weekend round-up: Hail to the Chiefs

Exeter (Photo: Getty Images)

The Aviva Premiership final lived up to its billing – in fact, it was probably the game of the season – while the Top 14 semis provided plenty of thrills and some nasty spills.

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Aviva Premiership: Wasps vs Exeter Chiefs

Full Game | Condensed

It was fitting that the two most entertaining sides in the Premiership should end the season as they started it: locked in combat. In their two previous encounters in the campaign, they could barely be separated as they shared 14 tries and 115 points. This Twickenham encounter, under a hot early-summer sun and at the end of an exhausting season followed the same pattern. Another four tries and 43 additional points for the statmasters is only the bones of a thoroughly enjoyable match in which extra time was needed to break the deadlock.

Super Rugby: Highlanders vs Waratahs

Full Game | Condensed

An Australian side is yet to tip over a New Zealand side in this year’s Super Rugby competition, and the smart money was on the Highlanders to extend that record when the Waratahs came to town on Saturday night. By halftime that didn’t seem like such a sure thing – the visitors led by a point, and the Highlanders looked like their gruelling road trip might have finally caught up with them. But a yellow card to Dean Mumm early in the second half opened the floodgates for the home side to put on an attacking clinic for the home fans, with their All Blacks stars leading the way.

Top 14: La Rochelle vs Toulon

Full Game | Condensed

It was La Rochelle’s first play-off semi-final in 35 years. It was Toulon’s sixth in as many seasons. The Rochelais were rested and just about at full-strength. Their opponents had survived an Earth-shaking encounter against Castres the week before, and had an injury list as long as Brodie Retallick’s fully extended arms, laid end to end. What followed was a bruising nip-tuck battle that was decided only after the hooter, when – amid a pitch littered with near-broken well-known bodies – a new star was born in Marseille.

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Top 14: Clermont vs Racing 92

Full Game | Condensed

At this stage last season, these two sides delivered a five-try thriller, decided at the end of extra time by the odd point in 67. Back then, Clermont were left disappointed when Dan Carter converted Juan Imhoff’s outrageous 98th-minute try. And they set out to make amends at Marseille at the weekend. So began a seven-try 68-point encounter that Clermont looked to have in the bag, even after Flip van der Merwe was sent off for a high-tackle early in the second half. With 10 minutes left, it seemed all over, but the defending champions weren’t about to give up their title without a fight. And one retiring rugby warrior would have the final word.

International: England vs Barbarians

Full Game | Condensed

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What would you expect from the Baa-Baas? As the invitationals’ Twitter feed said: The boys played like they’d been caged without meat for a week. England set their stall to play winning rugby. The Baa-Baas played to make everyone smile. They actually dominated possession – but raw, inexperienced England matched them ambition for ambition when they had the ball, and with Gandalf-standard you-shall-not-pass defence when they didn’t.

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Nickers 18 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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