If you’re lucky enough to be in a position to sit back and continue the festivities with some rugby this weekend – you’ll like the look of this lineup.
There are some tantalising derby games to look forward to in both the Premiership and the Guinness PRO14 with Guinness Six Nations stars in action across the board.
Four games in the PRO14 are bookended by two all-Ireland clashes in Ulster v Connacht and Munster v Leinster while Premiership action climaxes with Saracens travelling to Exeter on Sunday.
Ulster’s scrum-half John Cooney has come in for a lot of praise from new Ireland head coach Andy Farrell with the Englishman admitting he faces a ‘tough call’ in that position ahead of next year’s Championship.
Cooney could be the man to keep tabs on when Ulster host Connacht on Friday night but his opposite man, and the visitors’ skipper Caolin Blade, may well harbour similar intentions.
On Saturday evening Leinster will travel to Munster, and without any of the Irish internationals participating this weekend, it could be another opportunity for someone to impress.
Farrell has admitted that his inherited side are going to need to get used to life without Johnny Sexton which could hand his club deputy Ross Byrne the perfect platform to stake his claim.
Meanwhile the Glasgow Warriors will head to BT Murrayfield with hopes of retaining the 1872 Cup with their first win there since 2016.
Glasgow’s Sam Johnson will be another looking for any opportunity to impress ahead of next year’s Championship, as will fly-half Adam Hastings, but will face the experience of Edinburgh’s Stuart McInally and the threat of Darcy Graham.
The highlight of the Premiership action and the final game of the English club rugby weekend will see Saracens travel to Sandy Park to face Exeter Chiefs – and they can expect a hostile reception.
Chiefs have lost the last two Premiership finals to their bitter rivals but will be armed with new addition and two-time Guinness Six Nations Player of the Championship Stuart Hogg and England’s flying winger Jack Nowell.
The visitors however are not without their own powerful weaponry and will have the luxury of deploying England captain Owen Farrell at fly-half with the Vunipola brothers up front to give Exeter something extra to worry about.
