Who’s hot and who’s not!

Editor

It’s time for our Monday wrap of who has their name in lights and who is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

THEY'RE ON FIRE!!

Scarlets: The shock of the weekend but there was nothing lucky about Friday's win at the RDS. The Welsh region were comfortably the better side in Dublin and the fact that they rode out the majority of the match with 14 men after Steff Evans' red card speaks volumes about the character of the side. Aaron Shingler scored a deserved try and Scott Williams again was outstanding as the Scarlets carved Leinster up in that first half.

Exeter Chiefs and Wasps: The Premiership served up two classic semi-finals. The nerve of Henry Slade to land that brilliant touchfinder was astonishing, creating the platform for the match-winning try against European champions Saracens. Then it took Josh Bassett's 78th-minute score for Wasps to see off brave Leicester Tigers, who much of the final quarter looked destined to cause an upset. It wasn't to be, with Wasps making the first Premiership final since 2008, and Exeter making their second in a row. Two quality, gripping play-off matches.

Racing 92: Completely adrift around Christmas, the defending champions have raised more than a few eyebrows with the way they have steadied the ship, doing enough to get into the top six and now into the Top 14 semi-finals after defeating third-placed Montpellier. Joe Rokocoko, the ageless wing, grabbed the winning score to set up a semi-final tie with Clermont.

Crusaders: Twelve in a row now for the Crusaders who seem destined now to win an eight Super Rugby title after overcoming the Chiefs in Suva. Pressure from their pack told again but Richie Mo'unga was superb, notably off the kicking tee with his late penalties proving to be the difference.

Super Rugby in Fiji: Everything about Friday's game in the Fijian capital felt special, from the action on the field to the brilliant support in the stands from the 20,000 or so packed into ANZ Stadium. You don't need us to tell you about how passionate Fijian fans are about rugby, but getting to see an elite match like Friday's game played out on Fijian soil was special, and the more of that to come the better.

Ruan Combrinck: Out injured all season but the Springbok, a late call-up for the injured Sylvain Mahuza, came back into the side and looked like he had never been away with two tries in the Lions' hammering of the Bulls. Good to see him fit again and Allister Coetzee will hope to have Combrinck available for the June Tests.

Scotland Sevens: The perfect farewell for coach Callum McRae and senior player Mark Robertson as Scotland got the better of England – with Craig Joubert on the whistle… – to make it back-to-back Sevens titles at Twickenham. George Horne in particular was brilliant as Scotland came out on top in a physical final. A first-ever win over New Zealand as well, from 21-0 down at half-time, made the weekend even more special.

Vince Aso: It has been a dream season for Aso and with a few games still to go he has already broken the Hurricanes' single season try-scoring record, set by Tana Umaga with 12. The centre now has 13 this year and showed his pace and power once again in the rout of the Cheetahs.

Sergio Parisse: Is he human? This intercept and then cross-field kick from Parisse was something else as Stade booked their place in the Champions Cup play-off final.

COLD AS ICE

Bulls: News appears to be imminent regarding the future of the Bulls coaching staff and it is hardly a surprise after the Lions so easily put them away at Ellis Park. Soft in defence and seemingly lacking identity, this was a rough afternoon's work from the three-time champions who look in need of a shake-up. 

Force: Expected to trouble the Highlanders with the visitors coming off their trip to South Africa, and instead the Force bizarrely rolled over. That's not the fighting spirit we're used to seeing and perhaps injuries to a number of key players, including Dane Haylett-Petty and Matt Hodgson, is starting to have an effect. Losing 50-6 and failing to score a try did their survival hopes no good at all.

Ospreys: Never really in the contest against Munster as the gap between the two sides looked wider than the 23-3 scoreline come the final whistle at Thomond Park. The Welsh region looked like the team to beat midway through the PRO12 season but have tailed off dramatically, and this was another disappointment to add to the list.

Shaun Treeby decision: How is it possible for TMO Shaun Veldsman to rule that Treeby's hit on Francis was just a penalty, only for the citing commissioner to rule from the exact same footage that the incident was a red card offence before banning Treeby for three weeks? Who knows what might have been had Treeby received the correct punishment.

Kurtley Beale's injury: Wasps will have everything crossed this week that Beale is fit to feature in the Premiership final against Wasps, after the Wallaby limped off with a hamstring issue against Leicester. If he fails to make it, then Beale has played his last match in black and gold.

Uncategorized