Who’s hot and who’s not!

David Skippers

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 over the past week.

THEY’RE ON FIRE!

Uncapped All Blacks: There were seven new faces named in New Zealand’s 35-man squad for this year’s Rugby Championship, with Alex Hodgman, Tupou Vaa’i, Quinten Strange, Cullen Grace, Hoskins Sotutu, Caleb Clarke and Will Jordan all included. It was clearly a special and emotional moment for all making their first All Blacks squad and they are deserving of the call-up after strong seasons. Now they will hope to prove to the selectors they are ready to make their debut in quick time.

Bristol and Exeter: The Bears were thrashed by Sale last week but it wasn’t really a true representation of where the Ashton Gate-based outfit were at. They have impressed since the restart, with Semi Radradra unsurprisingly standing out, and the Fijian was once again to the fore as they defeated Worcester on Friday. Radradra has fitted in seamlessly with Bristol’s free-flowing style and helped them continue their play-off push. They do lack depth, however, and that’s where the Chiefs come in. Exeter actually beat the Bears with a second-string side and that team repeated the feat by overcoming another top-four hopeful, Northampton Saints. Rob Baxter’s outfit are clearly the best squad in England right now and it would take a huge effort to overcome the 2017 Premiership winners.

Rebels and Force: Congratulations to the Rebels who have made the play-offs after overcoming the Perth-based outfit, but it proved to be a mighty battle to get there. Despite severe disadvantages in comparison to the rest of the teams in Australia, the Force have impressed in their first season back at the top-tier. Tim Sampson’s men have been resilient throughout Super Rugby AU and have been unfortunate to not claim at least one victory. They were set for a stunning result in Newcastle but were denied by a last-minute score from the Rebels, who ultimately deserve this one after a number of near misses over recent seasons.

Leinster and Ulster: The Dubliners are on course for a remarkable season. They have yet to lose in 2019/20, including in the Champions Cup, and have now made their third successive PRO14 final following a 13-3 triumph over arch-rivals Munster. It takes them to 16 out of 16 in the league, which means that they could complete the perfect campaign. They are also favourites for Europe’s top-tier competition so Leo Cullen’s charges have the chance to etch their names in history and create a unique record. On Saturday they battle it out for PRO14 glory with Ulster, who caused a shock at Murrayfield by beating Edinburgh late on.

North v South: Simply one of the best matches you will ever see. Everything about this clash was off the charts, from the intensity of the encounter to the skill levels of both teams. It was competitive but played in an outstanding spirit as the two islands went head-to-head in a stunning contest in Wellington. It was tight throughout and then finished in remarkable fashion as Will Jordan touched down with the clock in the red to win the game for the South. This encounter was supposed to make it easier for coach Ian Foster to pick his All Blacks squad but, if anything, it had the opposite effect and that is credit to both teams.

COLD AS ICE!

Aaron Mauger: Following three years as Highlanders head coach, the former All Black centre has left after it was decided that his contract would not be renewed. It seems slightly harsh, given that they reached the Super Rugby play-offs in both 2018 and ’19, and had a reasonable Aotearoa season which culminated in an impressive triumph over the Hurricanes. They have also lost some key players over the past couple of years, including Luke Whitelock, Liam Squire, Elliot Dixon, Waisake Naholo and Ben Smith. The South Islanders were not blessed with huge depth anyway, and it’s therefore unsurprising that they’ve struggled in 2020.

Owen Farrell: The Saracens fly-half was given his marching orders over the weekend after his swinging arm left Wasps’ Charlie Atkinson in a heap on the ground. It was a clear red card for the England international, who now faces a nervous wait until Tuesday evening when his online hearing will take place. With Saracens’ hugely anticipated Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster only a couple of weeks away, Farrell is set to be watching that massive game from the stands.

Edinburgh’s decline: What a horrible end to their PRO14 campaign as this Scottish outfit that has impressed throughout had their season ruined by a poor final 20 minutes against Ulster. Edinburgh were 19-7 up and looking set to join Leinster in the final but then came an Ulster resurgence as they moved through the gears to win 22-19 at the death. How Edinburgh’s players must be feeling is hard to know and coach Richard Cockerill spared no punches in his post-match, saying: “We got exactly what we deserved and they got exactly what they deserved.” Some losses are harder to take than others and this one is certainly right up there.

Joe Tekori: Joining Farrell on this week’s naughty step is Toulouse second-row Tekori after he struck Clermont number eight Fritz Lee with an elbow in their Top 14 fixture on Sunday. Much like Farrell, Tekori appears set to miss out on the European quarter-finals, with Toulouse taking on Ulster next weekend. Both Farrell and Tekori should deeply regret their actions over the weekend as they were both avoidable and could end up costing their teams in a serious way.

https://twitter.com/Jamesonrugby/status/1302695481051676675

Bristol