Tuesday 21 February 2017 10:05, UK
Stuart Barnes reflects on a great Sunday for the Premiership's northern clubs, the third round of the Six Nations, and concerns over the wellbeing of international rugby in the southern hemisphere...
1. In an international week let's begin with a piece of news that has potentially profound implications for the international game.
Toulon's signing of the outstanding young Argentine No 8, Facundo Isa, is a coup for the French side but, make no mistake about this, it is a major blow for both the South Americans and the potential wellbeing of Test match rugby in the vitally important southern hemisphere.
Argentina have stated they will only select Pumas from their Jaguares squad that competes in the Rugby Championship. This enables the union to control their men and ensure they do not suffer burnout from playing in two hemispheres 12 months a year, a problem for Argentina in recent years.
Isa will be available in good time for Tokyo and its build-up but do we want Test match rugby to become a sequence of friendlies that only take centre stage once every four years? Toulon's coup and Bristol's capture of the former All Black (but still only 25-year-old) Stephen Luatua was another signing shot with significance.
Bristol, probable Greene King IPA Championship side next season, made a financial offer the back rower said he could not ignore for the sake of family. No blame or criticism is being attached here. I don't blame the clubs or the players.
It's a fact though, European money remains a potent threat to the southern hemisphere's traditional superiority.
2. As for the threat to the south (well, New Zealand) on the field, England will take another step towards New Zealand's tier one sequence of Test victories against Italy on Sunday.
To say they will be disappointed not to depart from Twickenham with a bonus point might be an understatement. This is a chance for England to find some fluency for more than the final 10 minutes, a chance for Eddie Jones to tinker but not to play men who haven't earned their place in the starting XV. I like the idea of earning your cap.
A new captain is a rumour, a possibility but no more than that with Steve Borthwick reminding the world last week that captaincy duties extend beyond what we see on the playing field. But at some stage Dylan Hartley has to illustrate he is worth his starting place. The team has displayed great decision-making under pressure without him. Conduits between coach and teams only last so long.
I don't want to see the break-up of a brilliant passing game in midfield but I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of Ben Te'o and mighty a man as Mike Brown is, isn't it time he saw what an instinctive attacking full-back might do outside Ford and Farrell?
The result is not in doubt but the game is full of possibilities.
3. So much for Sunday. Before that I am off to Edinburgh for Scotland v Wales. After a superb start to the season with victory against Ireland, the question is whether Scotland's momentum has been lost? They were overpowered at times in the tight against France and probably feel their performance levels fell markedly from the first week.
The injury to their ball-carrying No 8, Josh Strauss, is a blow and then there's the loss of their captain Greig Laidlaw......the fulcrum of these team, as a tactician, as a goal-kicker as an inspiration, the loss looks huge but will either Ali Price or Henry Pyrgos pick up the pace of Scotland's game, in a way that doesn't happen when the scrum half orchestrates?
If they can, Finn Russell might find an extra metre of space.
4. He will need it against the Welsh back row, whichever trio are selected to start. It has been one of the units of the tournament to date with the return to form of Sam Warburton an individual highlight.
Whereas Scotland dropped their performance levels a little in Paris, Wales found another gear against England and can count themselves unlucky not to have ended England's unbeaten run.
Was it the sight of that red rose which inspired Wales or are we on the verge of a Welsh team playing fast and free rather than direct and risk free? I can't wait for a few more clues, maybe answers, in Murrayfield.
5. I reckon Ireland are going to prove too good for France. It is being billed as a heavyweight collision but the French are used to losing in Dublin at all levels and Ireland showed the speed, power and accuracy of their game in Rome.
With Paddy Jackson playing so well we don't have to panic about the Sexton proviso. It'll be great to see him playing again but if I was an Irish fan I wouldn't worry about losing the game from fly-half in his absence.
6. All this to come, what about what has been? Munster march on after one of their most astonishing wins of the season in Swansea.
Outplayed for large chunks by the Ospreys, Munster hung in there and struck when the chance came. Their self-belief is fast gathering the phenomenal levels of old. They look good for a home semi.
Both sides will be buoyed with the return of their likely Lions, the major concern for this fine Ospreys team is the prospect of a Dublin or Limerick semi-final.
I reckon any one of three teams can win the tournament but home advantage could hurt the third-placed team at semi-final stage.
7. Too early to write Glasgow off? No, Ulster's win and their easy run of fixtures combined with the strong form of the Scarlets tells the tale of a team who are not going to make the top four.
Gregor Townsend will be throwing everything he has at the Champions Cup. They will travel to Saracens with a puncher's chance.
8. Denny Solomona might be caught up in a contractual dispute off the field but on it there's no holding the 24-year-old Samoan back. Three tries against Wasps and a fine individual performance.
That's nine tries in seven games and people are starting to discuss his future eligibility for England. I would rather we discussed the impact he could have on the Samoan team.
9. It was quite a Sunday for the north. Sale beat the leaders and Newcastle scored 46 points against Northampton.
The bonus-point win throws the Falcons into the equation for Champions Cup qualification. What a boost that would prove to rugby in the north east. Dean Richards is doing a great job.
10. Are Saracens wobbling or just taking a breather? I am inclined to the latter but the way they overplayed their box-kicking game in the defeat at Gloucester suggests they need to recalibrate.
At 23-23 they had an extra man and the last 10 points in their favour. But rather than up the pace and squeeze Gloucester's defence they reverted to the box kick, counted down the minutes while Gloucester were a man down in the sin bin and lost the impetus.
They missed Owen Farrell's presence as Richard Wigglesworth badly misread the tempo of the moment. But don't put a line through the name 'Saracens' quite yet.
