Heroic Halfpenny, Scarlet fever... and Wizards can’t find a spell to get Carter!
IT was very much a rollercoaster ride of emotions for Wales’ regional stars and those plying their trade in foreign fields.
But the upshot of play-offs in the Top 14, Aviva Premiership and Guinness Pro12 over the weekend means there’ll be Welsh involvement in all three competitions this week. And in the Principality Premiership the controversial Tier One and Tier Two competitions staged their finals day.
ANTHONY WOOLFORD takes a look at the Welsh winners and losers over the weekend ....
WINNERS
LEIGH HALFPENNY You can bet Lions coach Warren Gatland was sporting a smile as wide as the English Channel, to help offset the injury blow to No.8 Titan Billy Vunipola, when reports drift back to him about the performance of the Wales full-back against Castres last Friday night.
Halfpenny may have not hit the giddy heights of previous Six Nations Championship campaigns this season, but back with his French employers Toulon he been his assured self and at his prolific best from the kicking tee. Though Gatland may be dismayed Halfpenny will head into a potentially bruising play-off semi-final encounter with La Rochelle next Friday night, he will certainly have that warm glow of satisfaction with the way he piloted Toulon through a no hold barred second half clash with Castres. Down to 13 men at one stage and trailing 19-16 with 15 minutes left, Halfpenny was freed by two-time World Cup winner Ma’a Nonu to score in the corner. The Welsh star knocked over the tricky conversion to confirm a lead his team never surrendered and ended with a 21-point haul in the 26-22 victory. PHIL DOLLMAN Name the Newport Gwent Dragons reject who is one win away from pocketing an Aviva Premiership winners medal?
Given its eight years since he headed through the Rodney Parade exit door for the west country, it could well be lost in the mists of time that Dollman was a former Dragon.
But the Dragons’ loss had certainly been the Exeter Chiefs’ gain in the intervening years with the former Bedwas centre simply outstanding in their Aviva Premiership play-off win over Champions Cup kings and defending English title holders Saracens at Sandy Park on Saturday.
His incisive breaks from full-back stretched every sinew in the Saracens defences and it was the initial thrust from the 32-year-old that helped set up the crucial first try for Lions bound England wing Jack Nowell.
ITV pundit and former England prop David Flatman gave Dollman a big shout-out for his performance on the channel’s Aviva Premiership highlights show.
The ex-Bath and Saracens front-rower, said: “Phil Dollman back from a little period out was just electric making break after break. What a player!”
It must be like a tomahawk to the heart for those at Rodney Parade seeing one of their own such a cult figure with the Chiefs fans and within sight of being part of an English title winning side.
For the record as well, Wales prop Tomas Francis came on in the second period to add his bulky frame to the late lineout drive that secured victory. TADHG BEIRNE It was said 2005 Grand Slam-winning coach Mike Ruddock recommended the 6ft 6ins lock to the Scarlets having had him under his wing at Lansdowne.
And the 24-year-old Kildare native back on home soil on Friday night produced a performance to suggest his move across the Irish Sea last summer has taken his game onto new levels as the Welsh region booked their place in the Pro12 final at the Royal Dublin Showground.
His performance that included 15 tackles, seven sinew busting ball carries, two lineout steals and a crucial turnover was all the more herculean given Beirne was suffering from a rib injury that may have sidelined mere mortals. THE SCARLETS To pick out just Beirne would do an injustice to one of the greatest ever Pro12 performance from a Welsh region... if not the greatest ever.
From the outstanding James Davies and Aaron Shingler making something of a mockery over Welsh selection for the summer Tests to Lewis Rawlins’ making the absence of Jake Ball feel a minimal loss, to a man the Scarlets were