Who’s hot and who’s not!

Colin Newboult

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!

Sale Sharks: They don’t make it easy for themselves but Alex Sanderson’s men secured a club record-equalling six Premiership victories in a row after overcoming Bath 24-20 on Friday. Yet again, the Greater Manchester outfit were plagued by discipline issues, conceding three more yellow cards to take their tally past the 20 mark in 19 matches, but they are remarkably resilient. At one stage, Sale were down to 13 men but did not concede a point during that period. As a result, it allowed them an opportunity to create one more opportunity and they duly took it to move a huge step closer to sealing a play-off spot.

Connacht’s inter-pro dominance: Connacht’s 24-20 success over Munster at Thomond Park on Friday made it a clean sweep of away victories over their three Irish rivals. After beating Leinster and Ulster earlier in the PRO14, the men in green claimed the scalp of Munster too as they bounced back from last weekend’s home loss to Leo Cullen’s men in style. It was only their second win at Thomond Park since 1986 as a former Munster player, Conor Fitzgerald, came back to haunt his home province with 14 points on the night. After leaking 50 points last week, to show such grit on Friday in Limerick must have delighted coach Andy Friend.

Brumbies’ team spirit in defeat: Despite going down to a 31-29 loss to the Crusaders, a moment at full-time really stood out in Christchurch. The Brumbies had come into the game on the back of a Super Rugby AU final negative to the Reds, but that did not negatively affect their performance against the Super Rugby Aotearoa champions. They pushed them all the way and made it a two-point match in the final minute with a try that left Noah Lolesio a conversion attempt from the sideline to seal a draw. He was wide but what followed was a wonderful sight as his team all embraced him like they’d won, showing real spirit in the camp.

Blues turn the screw against Rebels: It wasn’t a clinical first half performance from the Aucklanders but after the break they moved up through the gears as they ran out comfortable 50-3 winners in Melbourne. Number eight Hoskins Sotutu stood out with two tries but there’s a real collective feel about this Blues team these days as they continue to strive to be New Zealand’s number one outfit. Super Rugby Trans-Tasman is the perfect platform to lay down a marker to the likes of the Chiefs and Crusaders and from this showing they are doing just that.

BROKEN THERMOSTAT

Defence optional in Super Rugby TT game: 112 points that saw 17 tries scored but at times we were scratching our heads over the lack of defence on show between the Waratahs and Hurricanes on Friday. Both teams had not been in great form in their respective Super Rugby AU and Aotearoa competitions, so this was their chance to set the record straight in their Trans-Tasman opener. However, players falling off tackles and weak defensive setups were the order of the day in Sydney as both teams punished their opponent throughout. Yes, it was great from an entertaining point, but they cannot continue like this without the ball.

COLD AS ICE!

England exits coinciding with Eddie jobs: The revolving coaching door spins once again at the Rugby Football Union as England say goodbye to Simon Amor and Jason Ryles. In a press release on Friday it was announced that the duo are stepping down from their roles in Eddie Jones’ backroom team. It was “mutually decided” that Amor would part company with the squad, while Australian skills coach Ryles has chosen to step down because of the challenges of the pandemic. On the back of a disappointing Six Nations, things don’t look great from the outside looking in and it isn’t helped by head coach Jones working in Japan with club side Suntory Sungoliath and more recently in Super League with Hull, which irks many supporters as some of the best talent in the Premiership remain overlooked.

Social media abuse of Albert Tuisue: Fresh from the social media blackout that was hoped would send a powerful message to those keyboard trolls and the companies that run these platforms, it seems one person was beyond reaching as a “racially abusive and threatening message” was sent to London Irish forward Tuisue last week. The Premiership outfit have since reported the message, which came after their 52-27 Premiership defeat at Newcastle, to Instagram and the police, but it’s just another reminder of issues that continue to exist on social media. Credit to the Exiles, though, for their firm stance on this matter.

Prospect of no fans being at Lions games: What an absolutely crushing blow for the series as a whole as it looks like no supporters will be allowed to attend the upcoming British and Irish Lions matches in South Africa. This coincides with no tourists from the northern hemisphere travelling to the beautiful country, with both blows taking away so much from this tour. As we have seen so many times in the past, what makes the Lions so special is fans from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales coming together as one in a united goal of beating the hosts. What a huge shame the atmosphere of 1997 and 2009 won’t be repeated.

Australian Super Rugby sides: Judging by the weekend’s action, there will be some success for the Aussie franchises over the coming weeks, but it was still a chastening opening round in the trans-Tasman competition. The Reds, who rested players against the Highlanders and were no doubt basking in their Super Rugby AU glory, will be far better over the coming weeks, while the Brumbies were impressive in running the Crusaders close. Western Force came within a Domingo Miotti conversion of shocking the Chiefs but it was still another defeat for the Australians and completed a 5-0 whitewash for the New Zealand sides. The Aussie sides will hope for better in Round Two.