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 after the weekend.

THEY’RE ON FIRE!

Kyle Sinckler: A more honest, emotional and heartfelt interview you won’t see after the tighthead prop inspired Bristol Bears to a dominant victory over West Country rivals Bath. Sinckler was surprisingly omitted from the Lions squad to tour South Africa but channelled all that anger and frustration in the right way. He was superb, earning the man of the match award as the Bears secured their place in the play-offs, and then poured his heart out in the post-match interview. The front-rower has his critics, but this was both passionate and inspiring, and showed the true character of the man.

Louis Rees-Zammit and Sam Simmonds: Two players that did receive a Lions call up were Rees-Zammit and Simmonds, and they displayed why, scoring a brace each to help Gloucester and Exeter Chiefs to impressive wins respectively. The Cherry and Whites have had a difficult season but the West Country outfit showed what they could be capable of in 2021/22, particularly when they have individuals of Rees-Zammit’s ability. The Welsh flyer was superb, showing searing pace to twice finish impressively and help his side to a 31-7 success over play-off challengers Northampton Saints. Speed and athleticism is also what marks Simmonds out from other players and he added to his outstanding try tally by going over against Worcester Warriors in the 41-10 victory.

Reds and Crusaders claim silverware: After impressing during the round robin phase of Super Rugby AU – where they won seven out of eight matches played – the Brisbane-based outfit finished their campaign on a high when they claimed a 19-16 victory over the Brumbies in Saturday’s final at Suncorp Stadium. The result was sweet revenge for head coach Brad Thorn and his troops after coming up short against the men from Canberra in last year’s final. The Reds’ triumph is also significant as it is the first time they have got their hands on silverware since they beat the Crusaders in the 2011 Super Rugby final at the same venue. Speaking of the Crusaders, in New Zealand, they showed just what a champion team they are under head coach Scott Robertson as they saw off the Chiefs to be crowned Aotearoa winners once again. Bravo.

Marcus Smith and Dan Robson: It was an absolute epic in the Premiership on Sunday as Harlequins and Wasps threw off the shackles as many expected they would at The Stoop. Quins fly-half Smith scored 28 points on the day, which included two tries, while Robson also stood out with a try and several moments of magic. Both these half-backs put in their sparkling performances in front of watching England head coach Eddie Jones and if he hasn’t been impressed enough to give them a start during the summer Tests then quite frankly we despair.

James O’Connor: While it has been an incredible season for the Reds as a whole, a lot of credit has to especially go to their fly-half, who has led them brilliantly all year. O’Connor was named the Super Rugby AU’s best player last week and then took that outstanding form into the final. He scored all of his side’s 19 points but it was the 85th minute try which was the most important as the Queenslanders snatched the win in dramatic circumstances in front of their home fans. The playmaker will surely be the Wallabies’ 10 for the forthcoming international campaign after a superb 2021 for the Brisbane-based outfit.

BROKEN THERMOSTAT

Tony Brown leaving the Highlanders: Brown’s departure from the Highlanders for the duration of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign seemed to catch some of the team’s supporters by surprise and they were understandably unhappy about his temporary exit to help Japan, where he is an assistant coach. However, there shouldn’t have been much consternation from the Dunedin-based outfit’s faithful as the club’s management knew what they got when they appointed Brown as their head coach at the end of 2020. The former All Blacks fly-half made it clear at the time that he would continue with his Brave Blossoms role through to the end of the 2023 World Cup in France and he will now turn his attentions to that team who are set to face the Lions at Murrayfield on June 26. The awkward situation with the Highlanders was further complicated when it was revealed that Brown will still organise the Highlanders’ game plans and review matches while he is with Japan with Clarke Dermody taking over the coaching reins. Hopefully things work out on both fronts.

COLD AS ICE!

Mike Brown: The Harlequins veteran was shown a straight red card in their Premiership game against Wasps on Sunday. He can have no complaints as the full-back stamped on the face of Wasps’ Tommy Taylor in the second half as he looked to free himself from the grounded hooker. The replays don’t do Brown many favours and if he is to receive a lengthy suspension then that could be his last act in a Harlequins shirt as he leaves for Newcastle Falcons at the end of the season. What a shame a stellar club career at Twickenham Stoop may end like this.

Lions omissions: Head coach Warren Gatland’s announcement of his 37-man squad came with plenty of surprises but there were also some shock omissions with players like Johnny Sexton, Sinckler, Jonathan Davies, James Ryan and Jonny May amongst those players who can count themselves unlucky not to be on the plane to South Africa. With injuries part and parcel of the game, don’t be surprised if any of the aforementioned players do get called up to the squad during the tour. Sexton, Sinckler and Davies were of course part of previous Lions tours while Ryan and May are yet to represent the famous touring team. At the age of 24, the second-row still has plenty of time to play for the Lions although time is running out for Gloucester’s May, who turned 31 in April.

James Davies’ rotten luck: What a shame it was to read that Scarlets and Wales flanker Davies’ continuous battle with concussion has resulted in him being sidelined for the rest of the season. The 30-year-old, who has represented his country on 11 occasions, has not been in action since playing for Wales during their Autumn Nations Cup win against Georgia last November. On his day he is an absolutely outstanding rugby player in both forms of the game and we hope he returns fully healthy, but crucially when medically ready. We wish you well, James.

Will Addison’s awful tackle: It was an occasion to forget for Addison on his first start for Ulster in 16 months. Playing for the province in their PRO14 Rainbow Cup clash with Munster, the Ireland international was red carded less than a minute before half-time on Friday for a shocking hit on opposing wing Shane Daly. Yes, Daly was falling into the contact but Addison made no attempt to wrap his arms and could have no complaints about being given his marching orders by referee Craig Evans. Not the best way to mark your return to the line-up.