With the British and Irish Lions squad to be announced on 8 May, this was the final round of Premiership games for contenders to press their case.
Northampton’s Alex Mitchell and Gloucester’s Tomos Williams, both leading scrum-half candidates, burnished their chances with excellent showings in victory.
Perhaps most intriguing, though, was Lions assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth’s presence at Sale’s win over Saracens.
George Ford will hope his former Leicester and England team-mate was in his seat promptly.
Ford sliced through Saracens’ defence twice in the opening 90 seconds to set up Rekeiti Ma’asi-White’s opening score.
With Finn Russell, Sam Prendergast, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith in the mix, the 32-year-old would have to weave through similarly heavy traffic to make his first Lions tour, but he has a big advocate in Sale coach Alex Sanderson.
“People have put other fly-halves ahead of him because of their attacking, game-breaking prowess,” said Sanderson.
“But I think he showed tonight that he’s got that in his game as well – what can’t he do?
“Are there three better fly-halves in Britain and Ireland than George? I don’t think so.”
On secondment from England duty, Wigglesworth might well have dropped Steve Borthwick a line on front-row matters.
Sale’s Bevan Rodd, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, a combination that might well be available for the summer tour of Argentina, dominated to the extent they even claimed a scrum against the head.
