Monday 18 September 2017 15:17, UK
Stuart Barnes talks the magnificent All Blacks, high-flying Ulster, star-studded Montpellier and the James Haskell/Joe Marler incident in Coventry...
1. It will take something extraordinary to eclipse the Beauden Barrett reverse flip against the Springboks as my moment of the season.
Sitting in front of the screen, quietly eating some breakfast ahead of my drive to Swansea later that morning, my wife thought I was choking to death on my bacon butty as I screamed in disbelief at the beauty and perfection of the play.
Rushing into the room to see what the noise was all about, even Lesley agreed that this was worth watching...and it is fair to say that Mrs B isn't one of the world's greatest sporting fans.
2. Any doubts over the magnitude of the Lions' drawn series can now be put to bed. Whether New Zealand were off their best, or the Lions managed to bring them down to earth, the fact remains they won and drew a test match in New Zealand.
That is an astonishing achievement. One win, a draw and a loss in New Zealand is another level of achievement compared to two wins and a loss against a woeful Wallaby side.
Lions and their fans should be proud of what they managed, not disappointed with the draw. To think the All Blacks look to be playing through a state of tactical transition...
3. The rest of the weekend paled in comparison. However, the Wallabies will be delighted with their second-half performance against Argentina and their first win of the Rugby Championship.
The Australians are steadily going the right way while Argentina continue to struggle in the absence of many of their star players in Europe. Traditionalists will not like it but the money swilling around within the English and French club game means playing for one's country isn't always the peak of a player's career.
Family security isn't as sexy as running out to represent one's nation but the money goes further than the memory. Think Charles Piutau.
4. I thought Friday night's second half in Ulster was a pretty good moment until Saturday morning's events. Ulster controlled the game and possession in the first half against the Scarlets but the champions burst to life in the second period with some sweeping scores.
Ulster showed great spirit to keep bouncing back and just about deserved the win. Stuart McCloskey isn't one of Joe Schmidt's favourite players but after Friday night he won't be top of the Scarlets' Christmas card list either.
Powerful, with a soft handed offload, he was excellent. For the champions, a brief mention for Tadhg Beirne, whose breakdown work was breathtaking.
5. More concerns about the competitiveness of the two conferences. Three from seven seemed a far too generous number of qualifiers for the knockout stages when the system was announced.
It seems even more of a worry now with Treviso getting the better of Edinburgh to burst that particular bubble. The Blues late home loss to Glasgow Warriors and the Dragons win against Connacht were also setbacks for a league that needs winning Blues, Edinburgh and Connacht teams.
After three games you would put plenty of money (if a betting man) on Scarlets, Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Glasgow making the play-offs. The danger of too many dead games is great.
6. Ospreys should be added to that play-off list but they are playing with a lack of shape to match the lack of energy for which coach Steve Tandy publicly berated them at the weekend.
I know they are lacking a few key leaders, some leading Lions no less, but I can't help but feel disappointment at the absence of game management. There doesn't appear much of a backbone to their strategy.
Some of their management thought they did a lot right against Glasgow in week two. That raised these particular eyebrows. Early days but I get the distinct impression all is not well in Osprey land right now.
It is the level of performance more than the result that causes the concern. The Scarlets started slow last season but I could see something in those early games. All I see here is a bit of a mess in Swansea.
7. The American Dream doesn't appear to be rugby. Dreams of sell-out stadiums were American only in their extravagant level of hype.
I was disappointed with some empty seats in Canberra earlier in the day, I was dumbstruck at the disinterest in Philadelphia. Rugby is big business now and the home of big business is the US. It is not the market for rugby union some seem to believe, however.
America loves sports at which it wins world titles. Basketball, baseball, American Football. PRO14 take note. And what about our carbon footprints in this age of global warming? Let's keep our heads on, folks, not get carried away with dreaming.
8. A mention for Montpellier. Four from four in France and a 43-20 thumping of Toulon. The French international full-back, Benjamin Fall must be taking English lessons - or maybe Afrikaans - such is the balance of the team.
I guess he can always have a chat with Louis Picamoles while Bismarck and Aaron Cruden weave their southern hemisphere spells. It is not great news for South Africa, New Zealand, even France but it's bringing a smile to the faces of Montpellier supporters.
A lot of people are tipping them for European glory but I think the Top 14 will be the clear priority in this part of the world. Vern Cotter knows how hard it is to win them both.
9. What to make of the Coventry strangler? James Haskell gave Joe Marler a good and proper throttle in response to the Harlequins prop pulling twice on his headgear and then, according to Haskell (and the TV pictures appear to back up his assertion), a squirt of water in the face.
Haskell ended up in the bin, Dai Young ended up incensed. Andrew Jackson, the referee, had little choice but to card Haskell, it looked pretty ugly. But he was provoked by the prop.
Had Marler not wound him up there would have been no incident. No yellow. For that reason, he too merited a card. The instigator got off. This encourages other players to squirt water, yank scrum caps, hang onto legs in rucks, hold back by the jersey...all the little things that create the Big Crime.
By letting the petty infringer escape scot-free, referees are backing the niggling cheats. Inadvertently or not, Jackson took their side on Sunday.
10. A first win for Leicester, a first loss for Bath and Wasps. Gloucester did some naive things but showed real potential, while Northampton are winning without looking hugely different to the previous not so vintage Saints sides of recent years. Early days.
It's feasible - if unlikely - that any one of 10 teams could make the top four. I'll leave you to work out the two sides dismissed as contenders. No prizes for getting it right.
