The Premiership needs a little more self-analysis, a little less advertising. After a fortnight in which English clubs recorded two wins in 14 European Champions Cup games, the cheerleaders were quick to reel out excuses. The fixture list is set up for the Pro14 teams; it suits the Irish teams that beat their English counterparts in all six of their back-to-back games. Was it Edmund Burke or Napoleon who called us a nation of shopkeepers? Nobody can question the promotion of the Aviva Premiership goods.

Source: The Times December 22, 2017 00:04 UTC