With European competition moving out of the picture for the foreseeable future, clubs from the Premiership, the PRO14 and the Top 14 switched focus back to domestic matters this weekend.
A host of players all bidding to represent their respective countries in the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations were in action as they bid to earn selection for next year’s Championship.
SCOTLAND
Former Scotland Under-20 international Chris Dean stole the headlines as he dotted down with two minutes to go to hand Edinburgh the bragging rights over Glasgow Warriors.
His sensational late score, for a team that had spent 74 minutes playing a man down after Simon Berghan’s sixth-minute red card, handed Richard Cockerill’s troops a dramatic 18-17 victory in the first of three 1872 Cup clashes this season.
Scotland international Nathan Fowles was also an Edinburgh try-scorer while Huw Jones and Scott Cummings went over for Glasgow, with Peter Horne and Finn Russell chipping in from the kicking tee.
But in the end it was Dean who made the difference, going over right at the death as Edinburgh ended Glasgow’s perfect league record and got the bragging rights ahead of next weekend’s return fixture at Scotstoun.
ENGLAND
Luke Cowan-Dickie was a shining light as Premiership leaders Exeter Chiefs snared a bonus-point victory at Northampton Saints.
Jack Yeandle’s 81st-minute score earned Exeter all five points from their 35-14 success at Franklin’s Gardens and it was fellow hooker Cowan-Dickie who was named man of the match after making on 14 carries while also chipping in with five tackles in an all-action display.
Elsewhere Danny Cipriani kicked 19 points as Wasps moved up to second in the table with a 49-24 win at Gloucester while a try from Mike Brown and five points from the boot of Marcus Smith, who was called up to Eddie Jones’ England squad for the autumn internationals, proved insufficient for Harlequins to avoid an 11-10 loss at Newcastle Falcons.
Finally, Sale Sharks humbled Bath 32-9 while on Friday night thanks to a pair of Scotland internationals, Byron McGuigan and Josh Strauss, who both crossed.
FRANCE
France No.8 Louis Picamoles was in impressive form as he scored two tries to help Montpellier come from behind to beat Lyon and move back to the summit of the Top 14.
Montpellier, took advantage of La Rochelle’s defeat to go top of the table, with Picamoles getting their first two tries.
On Friday Racing 92’s international duo of Wenceslas Lauret and Virimi Vakatawa both scored in their 23-19 win over Toulouse in the first club game played at the U-Arena.
And finally former France winger Vincent Clerc edged a little closer to the all-time record tally for tries in the Top 14. His score in Toulon’s 49-25 win over Oyonnax took him to 99, one short of Laurent Arbo’s record.
ITALY
Benetton Rugby, inspired by Italy wing Angelo Esposito, downed fellow countrymen Zebre in the PRO14.
The 24-year-old continued his fine scoring form – crossing either side of half-time – to help Benetton run out 27-14 winners at the Stadio Monigo in Treviso.
Edoardo Gori, also of the Azzurri, also dotted down while Tiziano Pasquali proved a defensive rock as he pulled off 12 tackles, with Zebre’s cause not being helped by the loss off Johan Meyer to a red card.
IRELAND
Ultan Dillane stole the show as Connacht demolished Ulster by a record margin of 44-16 to head into Christmas on a high.
Lock Dillane, capped 11 times by Ireland, grabbed two of his side’s six tries while fellow internationals Tiernan O’Halloran and Bundee Aki were a constant threat with ball in hand.
It took Aki, who made his Ireland debut in the autumn internationals, just seven minutes to cross the whitewash while O’Halloran showed his pace to beat a couple of players midway through the first half en route to grabbing his side’s third try.
