NEW YORK, NY – This Weekend Rugby Wrap-Up needed to be broken into a few sections, otherwise it would have been longer than your arm… That said, let’s look at the action European here.
Aviva Premiership: There was some quality on display as a few players starved for game-time put their hands up. Lowly Sale got by Exeter, Gloucester got by Northampton with ease, while Bath cruised by Worcester. Leicester were too much for the London Welsh, while Saracens seemed to be missing too many 1st teamers against the London Irish. Wasps managed to beat ‘Quins by the smallest of margins. Here are the results:
Sale 21 – 16 Exeter
Northampton 11 – 27 Gloucester
Bath 32 – 9 Worcester
Leicester 28 – 12 London Welsh
London Irish 29 – 16 Saracens
Harlequins 16 – 17 Wasps
Top 14: Considering the large number of foreign players (read mercenaries) at clubs in France you would expect the Top 14 to not be bothered by the 6N and 6N “B” going on but that was not the case. This weekend witnessed a sweep by all the home teams in the match-ups. Racing Metro got by leaders Clermont and in a major shock Bordeaux absolutely crushed Toulon. Bayonne snuck by Perpignan, while Mont de Marsan eased past Grenoble. Stade Francias had no answer to Castres, nor did Toulouse for Agen and Montpellier continued their fine form by seeing off Biarritz. Here are the results:
Racing Metro Paris 12 – 6 Clermont Auvergne
Bordeaux-Begles 41 – 0 Toulon
Bayonne 13 – 10 Perpignan
Mont de Marsan 32 – 14 Grenoble
Castres 44 – 13 Stade Francais
Agen 22 – 9 Toulouse
Montpellier 33 – 10 Biarritz
RaboDirect Pro 12: All the matches in this weekend’s Pro 12 went as scripted except for one. That one was the unlikely upset of Ulster by the Ospreys, who continue to be a thorn in the side of Irish Provinces. The Dragons were not troubled by Treviso, nor were the Scarlets by Connacht. The good weekend for Welsh side could not continues as Leinster defeated the Cardiff Blues. Munster dispatched Edinburgh with ease and Glasgow eventually put away a feisty Zebre side. Here are the results:
Ulster 12 – 16 Ospreys
Newport Gwent Dragons 23 – 14 Benetton Treviso
Scarlets 25 – 15 Connacht
Cardiff Blues 11 – 26 Leinster
Munster 30 – 3 Edinburgh
Zebre 20 – 36 Glasgow
Ryan Bevington: The talk of the Ulster-Ospreys match was the wonderful solo try of the game by prop Ryan Bevington. The grainy footage is below. There was huge debate and tension in the RWU office upon hearing a prop ran 40 meters for a score.
This does not count Bevington running nearly 40 meters in support before the catch. RWU staff members and card-caring members of the Front Row Society, Declan Yeats and myself were not amused. Bevington has committed an action un-befitting of a prop. The debate raged as such
Blaber: This is not his first offense, he did it against the Dragons a year ago. This must be brought to the Society’s attention.
Yeats: He has brought the position into disrepute. We scrum, we lift, we ruck and we only carry it 5 meters out. He must go!! I more than volunteer to be the prosecutor.
Pyk: “I, how you say, only pay attention to Top 14 not this Rosbiff rugby stuff.”
Fegan: “The credit really should go to the winger and the scrum-half for the break, the prop had it easy, as usual.”
JWB: “I am in Vegas, you guys sort it out.”
Lloyd: “Seems like good support play to me, that’s good coaching.”
Unconfirmed reports had RWU followers Pat Moroney stating “The boy was just trying to help and you can’t really blame him for that. At least he scored.” While Grant Cole was overheard saying “I like the kid and I believe he will learn from this, no need to be so harsh.” Stay tuned for the findings of the Society in this matter.
Feel free to comment below, look for and “Like” our Facebook Rugby Wrap Up Page and follow us on Twitter @RugbyWrapUp, @JunoirBlaber, @Declan Yeats, @Mathew Drew Turner and @Ebstide52, respectively. And until the next time… stay low and keep pumping those legs.
