The curtains fell on 2017 with another action-packed day of rugby as the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations draws ever closer.
From a high-scoring fixture in the Premiership to dramatic matches in the Top 14 and PRO14, the international coaches will enter the new year with plenty of potential to look at.
Chiefs outclass Tigers
England head coach Eddie Jones was watching on as Exeter Chiefs went ten points clear at the top of the Premiership table with a dominant 30-6 defeat of Leicester Tigers.
Henry Slade was on the scoresheet, knocking over a penalty before George Ford levelled the scores from the tee.
Though Ford scored another penalty moments after the start of the second half, it was Chiefs who firmly took control, with Slade, Don Armand, Jonny Hill and Jack Yeandle all crossing.
Defeat in Devon was Tigers’ sixth in succession – their worst run since 1965 – not the way England scrum-half Ben Youngs would have hoped to mark his 150th Premiership appearance. French drama
The Top 14 may have only had two matches but they were both dramatic high-scoring affairs.
Lionel Beauxis was the star of the show for Lyon, scoring 20 points in their 35-23 win against Pau.
The fly-half was at his creative best with ball-in-hand and deadly from the tee, while he also scored a drop goal.
Elsewhere, Clermont’s Morgan Parra was also at the top of his game as he scored five penalties and a conversion but he could not prevent a 31-27 home defeat to Castres.
One of his international rivals Rory Kockott scored for Castres, who secured a bonus-point win. All-Welsh affairs
Dan Biggar scored seven points from the tee as Ospreys ended the year in commanding style with a 22-9 defeat of the Dragons.
Welsh internationals Scott Baldwin, Cory Allen and Sam Davies all scored tries at Rodney Parade as Ospreys recorded only their third win of the PRO14 campaign.
Elsewhere, Rhys Patchell’s try saw reigning PRO14 champions Scarlets edge out rivals Cardiff Blues, jinking his way over the line shortly after the break with Tom Prydie scoring Scarlets’ first.
Leigh Halfpenny added the extras from the tee, with Ellis Jenkins’ try proving not enough for the Blues.
Though set to miss the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations through injury, Wales captain Sam Warburton’s 2017 ended on a high as he was appointed OBE in the New Year’s Honours list.
