Midway through the second half of Italy v Wales, the Top 14 caught up with its Covid-hit schedule as the final whistle sounded on Bayonne’s match against Agen – the only French domestic topflight game of the weekend.
To put it another way, 13th entertained 14th in a vital game as the French top flight delivered another powerful advert in favour of promotion and relegation and joined-up competition thinking just as the Premiership looks to ringfence itself from the rest of rugby in England.
Players from those two clubs now join the league’s 12 other sides on a much-needed break before the f...