Best of the weekend: upsets aplenty set up tantalising final round across Europe

Playoff race goes down to wire as Tigers and Chiefs win against the odds

Well, it’s a good job I’m not a betting man. Or, perhaps more honestly, this weekend showed why in the past I have been a spectacularly unsuccessful betting man – heading into the penultimate round of Premiership matches, you wouldn’t have given Leicester a portly man in the hungry crocodile enclosure’s chance of picking up a win away against Wasps, and you didn’t fancy Exeter’s chances away at Saracens either. But, if this week has taught us anything, it’s never trust opinion polls and the net result is that the race for fourth will go right down to the wire.

Tigers’ win against Wasps hadn’t been predicted by many simply because the clubs seemed to be heading on reverse trajectory’s – Wasps are apparently on their way to becoming the richest club in Europe, had beaten Exeter the week before and have played some eye-catching rugby, whilst Leicester are fading from their usually dizzying heights, thanks largely to the fact that they have been a dangerous in attack as a bag of kittens.

But when the chips are down and the pressure is on, the real Leicester emerges. The men in orange (careful of your eyes) delivered a thunderously physical performance to deliver a 26 – 21 win over their hosts, but they showed no shortage of ambition or accuracy either. Quick hands and quick thinking saw Niall Morris and Niki Goneva dart over in the first half before Seremai Bai saw a red card for a brainless clearout on Nathan Hughes, who remained Wasps’ most influential player. Despite playing with 14 men, the visitors’ defence was resolute and only the boot of Goode hauled Wasps back into the game, before Adam Thomstone picked up a bouncing ball to touch down in the corner and seal the result. Wasps’ misery was compounded by Joe Simpson leaving with a knee injury due to a borderline-late hit from Goneva, but the immediate news is that they are out of the playoff race.

The same can’t be said of Exeter, who have impressed all season but perhaps weren’t expected to win at a ground where the hosts are so notoriously stingy. But the Chiefs weathered some pretty heavy storms, which resulted in a pair of cracking tries for Chrises Ashton and Wyles, to grind themselves back into the contest. The only thing that didn’t raise eyebrows was that it was Thomas Waldrom who bundled over for scores 15 and 16 of his Premiership season, but the tactical control of Gareth Steenson and Henry Slade was enough to see the visitors claim a crucial 24 – 20 win.

Elsewhere, Northampton confirmed that they will finish on top of the pile with the standard five pointer against London Welsh, whilst Bath edged a pulsating game against Harlequins at the stoop as Ugo Monye scored on his last home appearance. Another man to go out with a bang was fellow winger Mark Cueto, who touched down during Sale’s 34 – 28 win over Newcastle, whilst Gloucester claimed a comfortable win over London Irish.

Premiership Star Man: Tom Youngs

Ospreys go top as they swap spots with Glasgow

Things are really starting to tighten up at the very top of the table in the PRO12, and the Ospreys showed that by beating Glasgow at the Liberty Stadium to take the Scottish side’s top spot in the league and place one hand on a home semi-final for the playoffs. The Welsh outfit were not especially fancied for this one seeing as they had failed to win in their last seven attempts against Glasgow, but in a tight game tries from Ben John and Rhys Webb – with Chris Fusaro responding for the visitors – proved crucial to the men from Swansea. Glasgow have already sealed their playoff spot, but the result means that they now have work to do to confirm a home semi-final that their season has probably merited.

In the Welsh derby at Parc Y Scarlets, the hosts overcame the Blues in a tight encounter to put themselves in prime position to secure an automatic European spot, with Rhys Priestland kicking 11 points in his final home appearance, the only try of 16 – 6 win coming from hooker Ken Owens. The Irish derby, though, between Ulster and Munster, was just as tight but infinitely more entertaining as both teams played out a mad final five minutes. With the scores at 16 – 18 with five minutes to play, Keith Earls touched down for a (crucially unconverted) try only for Luke Marshall to cancel it out with the last play of the game, Paddy Jackson’s conversion confirming the draw. In the battle for third and fourth, this means that the status quo is maintained, with the men in red sitting one point above their rivals.

Elsewhere, Connacht picked up a big win over Zebre, whilst Leinster and the Dragons were victors in drab games against Treviso and Edinburgh respectively.

Pro 12 Star Man: Rhys Webb

Business as usual for European finalists

You would be forgiven for thinking that Clermont and Toulon may suffer from a European hangover this weekend, metaphorically in the former’s case and potentially literally in the latter’s, but those doubts were put firmly to bed as they both claimed comfortable wins. Toulon romped to a 37 – 21 win over Castres with Steffon Armitage and Leigh Halfpenny amongst the scorers, whilst Clermont took a 37 – 17 win away from Grenoble. The results keep the European champions on top of the pile and any sort of result next week should confirm that they finish top.

Toulouse continued their recovery from their abysmal start to the season with a 67 – 19 creaming of Brive, as Yoann Huget ran in a hat-trick that helped his side keep in touch with the top two and ensure that the French giants can still be part of the playoffs. The Paris derby also threw up some entertaining rugby as Stade Francais emerged with bragging rights following a 28 – 19 win at Racing Metro, despite having talisman Sergio Parisse red-carded for a clumsy take out in the air.

Elsewhere, Bordeaux Begles pipped Oyannax, Lyon and La Rochelle played out a draw and Montpellier cruised to a 33 – 16 win over Bayonne.

Top 14 Star Man: Yoann Huget

Force and the Lions rock the boat again

Looking at the fixture list, you would expect two of the in-form sides in the shape of the Waratahs and the Highlanders to pick up wins away at the Force and the Lions respectively, but that – of course – turned out to be a disservice to the hosts. The Force have been, well, a force all season and their physicality and grit were key as tries from Matt Hodgson and Ryan Louwrens helped them to an 18 – 11 victory, with Taqele Naiyaravoro responding for the reigning champions, who are locked in a titanic battle with the Brumbies to finish top of the Aussie conference.

As for the Lions, more than one side has been stung by them this year and still teams don’t seem to learn. The visitors were in fact leading at 20 – 3 at half time thanks to scores from Gareth Evans and Malakai Fekitoa, but tries from Courtnall Skosan, Jaco Kriel and Harold Vorster not only sealed a 28 – 23 win but also kept alive hopes of an improbable playoff spot.

In other news, the Rebels and the Crusaders both claimed big wins over the Blues and the Reds respectively, whilst the league-leading Hurricanes and the Stormers battled to gritty wins over the Sharks and the Brumbies.

Super Rugby Star Man: Schalk Burger

Try of the Weekend: Did you ever watch that Simon Shaw run in the Lions tour of 2005 and wonder, “how good would it be if he had scored”? Well, imagine no longer, as Sam Whitelock touched down for one of the great second row tries against the Reds, galloping 60 metres on a ‘Run of Destiny’ that sent the crowd potty.

Video credit: NZTV

Hero of the Weekend: Perhaps this is more based on his displays over the season, but hands up who honestly thought Thomas Waldrom would have the impact he has had this year? Put your hands down, liars. Once again he was the difference at the weekend, cementing his place at the top of the try scoring charts and reminding Leicester that perhaps he wasn’t quite on the career wind-down they thought or hoped he was.

Villain of the Weekend: Once again a bit of reckless, as opposed to deliberate, foul play has caught the headlines, but there can be no doubt that Seremaia Bai deserved to see red after charging in with his head straight into the bonce of Nathan Hughes. It was an illegal and brainless clearout and served as a reminder that a proper rucking technique has to be taught – and enforced.

By Mike Cooper (@RuckedOver)

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images