What renders us helpless is watching a bad opening first period and knowing that there isn’t a lot you can do about it.

When people say Manchester City are better than the English national side, of course they should be. They have a world XI on the pitch and another squadron of talents waiting in the wings. Pep Guardiola’s hand is a lot stronger than Gareth Southgate’s.

After a mountainous 21 weekends of Top 14, we go into Week 22 on Saturday balancing the necessity to finish in the top two with the semi-final of the European Champions Cup in a fortnight

The Champions Cup is what Munster gauge themselves against. Spare a thought for Denis Leamy this week. Imagine, is that the best they can do to represent him? I don’t think so.

I like players who are receptive to learning and new ideas and I have the Denis Irwin of French rugby in our dressingroom.

Scott Robertson's appointment as All Blacks head coach is thrilling but we've done the family thing in a different hemisphere.

The most potent extra Andy Farrell's side has added is shedding their predictability and gaining the capacity to keep the ball alive.

Scotland's talisman Finn Russell started his week with a commute from Paris - will he finish it by derailing Andy Farrell's Grand Slam hopes?

We lost two more men who lived the province's mantra this week.

The trip to Paris is the litmus test for Gregor Townsend's side's credentials.