ContinueWell, it's been just another normal week in rugby union, with Harlequins becoming English champions, Manu Tuilagi surviving a hearing following a citing that could have ruled him out of England's South Africa tour, London Welsh winning the Championship final and now appealing against the Premier League's absurd decision not to allow them into the top flight and today Andy Farrell walking out of his Saracens job.
Oh, and Bryan Redpath has been confirmed as Sale's new Director of Rugby, which has been the worst kept secret in the sport and an appointment that will have Gloucester looking up local solicitors about.
Mind you, they still need to appoint their own Director of Rugby in the wake of Redpath's departure. Llanelli Scarlets's Nigel Davies is the almost certain replacement.
All this, and it's June, for God's sake! Quins were deserved champions. They led the Aviva Premiership from week three until the end and even though Leicester came to Twickenham in storming form, they were second best on the day.
If they had managed a last minute converted try to draw the scores level and force extra time - and this was on the cards - it would have been a travesty. Quins and England captain Chris Robshaw capped a man of the match display with the crucial try for his side, continuing an amazing season for him, while Danny Care pulled off his best performance in any jersey for a long, long time.
I'm delighted for him because, despite all his well-chronicled difficulties this season he remains a lovely guy who has made a few wrong decisions. He also survived a dump tackle from Tuilagi which resulted in the citing. It may be convenient that the centre has escaped a ban but in this instance it was the right result.
It was dangerous, hence a penalty being awarded to Quins, but I have seen far, far worse. The London Welsh scenario is a travesty and centres around the primacy of tenure clause that allows Wasps, London Irish, Saracens and, until the end of this season, Sale to share with football grounds, but not Welsh for next season, where they propose to play at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium.
The loss of Newcastle to the Premiership would be a blow to the geography of top level club rugby, but fair is fair. It also makes a mockery of the promotion/relegation issue. I hope Welsh win their appeal and play Premiership rugby next season.
Finally Farrell. It was a surprise that he opted to return to Saracens rather than join England, although the decision stemmed more from the inability of the RFU and Sarries to agree on anything, and it is now a surprise that Farrell has walked out.
What won't be a surprise is that he joins the England coaching staff again, possibly even in South Africa where the England squad are preparing for the first test against the Springboks next Saturday. Phew. That feels like a season, not a week. Rugby Union, eh? Open 24/7, 52 weeks a year. Next week, South Africa! Will keep you posted.
