Monday 16 November 2015 16:50, UK
Will Greenwood was left with a sense of pride as he watched rugby unite after the terror attacks in Paris on Friday.
All of the weekend's Champions and Challenge Cup games in France were postponed but the rugby community came together to pay their respects at the matches that did go ahead.
"I was enormously proud of how rugby came together," said Greenwood on the Rugby Club Wrap-Up.
"I thought the hosts in each particular city and each particular stadium stood shoulder to shoulder with their fellow rugby players and understood the enormity of the atrocities. It was a tough weekend and rugby can be extremely proud in the way it conducted itself.
"The French teams that travelled, whether it be in the Champions Cup or the Challenge Cup, had a minute's silence and crowds stood still across Europe and thought about the horrific set of circumstances that had unfolded.
"All the players that represented those French teams deserve our praise for being able to play under those circumstances. Thierry Dusautoir, who is a real statesman and a real ambassador, said straight after Toulouse were beaten that things were going on, but they were beaten by a better side. He is a wonderful man."
England players bounce back
The games that did go ahead produced some entertaining rugby and Greenwood added that England fans have something to get excited about after some superb individual and team performances.
England fans were left disappointed after England failed to even make the knockout stages in the World Cup, which ultimately cost Stuart Lancaster his job as head coach.
"I think the England players are really enjoying being back in their club jersey," added Greenwood.
"The back pages have all been about sackings and things going wrong - there has not been much on the actual rugby being played. The best source of calm and composure for the players would be their club friends, their club colleagues and their club coaches and their club supporters
"There were some outstanding games over the weekend and some good wins. I suspect the Northampton fans will be up in arms over me discussing good wins and not including them. But I think they would have to have a Northampton eye patch on to say that was a good win. Scarlets had much more fluency to the game and Northampton were saved by their set-piece.
"Exeter had a real chance to get a crucial away win. Rob Baxter does not do telling-offs but I think this will be the closest he came as Ospreys' composure and experience saw them through.
"Then we get to the three great wins. At Leicester Tigers, we saw the impact of Aaron Mauger, who has joined Richard Cockerill's coaching staff. There is a more emphasis on attacking rugby and playing with the ball in hand. They played really well to pick up a bonus point win against Stade Francais.
"The following day, I thought Saracens upped the ante and were 32-0 up just after half-time. It was played under a dark cloud as it was the first big game after Paris and we are not quite sure where Toulouse were mentally."
Wasps flying high
However, it was Wasps' trip to three-times champions Leinster that had Greenwood in grinning with delight.
"The performance of the weekend, for me, was when Leinster were absolutely taken to the cleaners by Wasps; 33-6 in Dublin," he added. "It was sharp, clinical, pacey, niggly, tough - just a super, super win.
"There were a lot of players who stood up and said, 'We don't care if we don't know who the next English coach is. We are going to do well for our club and when the new coach is announced, we will be ready and waiting to picked'.
"I am talking about players like Elliot Daly, Joe Launchbury, Christian Wade, Joe Simpson for Wasps. Then you nip into Saracens and Mako Vunipola pushing Joe Marler all the way, Jamie George wanting that No 2 slot, Brad Barritt enjoying himself and Owen Farrell playing well. It was just a really positive weekend of rugby from an English perspective."
