In just a few days another season of the Top 14 kicks off with the likes of Owen Farrell, Siya Kolisi, Josua Tuisova, and Davit Niniashvili making the numbers of the overseas players ready to make the headlines and wrestle for the title.
As the upcoming Top 14 season looms on the horizon, an impressive influx of new talent from various rugby union competitions around the globe will descend on the monied French league.
Leinster earned a home semi-final in the BKT United Rugby Championship with a businesslike 35-5 win over the Cell C Sharks at the Aviva Stadium.
Sharks players ratings live from Aviva Stadium: The South African franchise came to Dublin looking to cause a major URC upset against a Leinster team last beaten at home 11 months ago by the Bulls.
The Sharks are rolling out the heavy hitters for the arrival of Ulster to the Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
Springboks lock Eben Etzebeth is set to play his first club game in South Africa in more than three years when he debuts for the Cell C Sharks this Saturday - they are hosting Glasgow Warriors in the URC in Durban.
The match will see the return to action of Jaco Kriel, who left Premiership side Gloucester at the start of the year to return to SA and the Lions earlier this year.
There are four changes to the Stormers starting line-up to take on the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday while the Lions had made just a single change to their starting side.
Elton Jantjies will lead the Emirates Lions on the field for the first time in their Super Rugby opener against the Jaguares in Argentina this weekend.