The weather having gone very seasonal all of a sudden in the UK, last weekend I watched the Stormers take on The Sharks in glorious sunshine in their festive URC fixture in Cape Town. Talk about an iconic stadium in picturesque surroundings. A global vote revealed that the Recreation Ground, Bath, is the No 1 rugby viewing venue in the world. I think the stadium in Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background will be giving it a run for it’s money very soon, even though as a Bath man I thoroughly approve of the choice.

It was real entertainment – a near sell out crowd was treated to a concert of sound during lulls on field, funny how the old songs return time and again. A dinosaur race at half time and a three-ball up and under challenge were wonderful distractions.

It helped that there was a team’s worth of Springbok talent playing, spearheaded by the likes of Kolisi, Mapimpi, Mannie Libbok (a cult hero with the Stormers) and prodigy Sacha Feinberg-Mngomozulu. The match itself was rough and uncompromising with no quarter asked or given. Stormers creativity deserved the win, but I was struck by a similar scramble defence by both sides which characterises that of the National team. When they are up for it you can tell and, unlike the parallel match at Twickenham, no easy scores. The URC really has got this right (cue the 1872 match up in Edinburgh) and the reason that South African Rugby on field is so strong was writ large, right in front of us.

The Stormers have promised a no holds barred approach against Sale Sharks next week in Europe – given the prevalence of the occasional shark in African waters, this is entirely topical and given Sale’s dismantling of league-leading Bristol, I hope they come fully loaded because it will be one to watch.

The Premiership is also hell-bent on entertainment and it is great viewing, although Bristol will not have included in this being nilled against Sale. Observers say they did not perform that badly but I don’t think I for example can remember being blanked at home in a decade of playing – or anywhere near it- so it is a salutory moment. Bath’s ruthlessness was impressive in despatching Saracens who claimed a few excuses but will have felt scalded by the score line. Bath will now take some stopping because they have added in a level of confidence and sureness in the attitude, and last year’s champion club Northampton Saints (whom they visit tomorrow) possibly lack the forward clout and resemble flat track bullies – Newcastle were ‘lucky to get zero’ against them last weekend, in Steve Diamond’s own words. These are grim times for the men from the North and at some point you wonder if the players are simply risking too much of their own health in engaging in these matches when hopelessly outclassed and out-resourced. Forget for the moment that they probably need a spell in the Championship anyway, despite their collective licking of lips for the visit of Harlequins tonight in inclement weather. Newcastle is a long way and very unfriendly this time of year!

The league’s great Entertainers themselves are suffering from the departure of Esterhuizen (gone to the Sharks) and the absence of Danny Care. Wouldn’t any side. But with all their talented backs and backrow they should have been preparing for this – now Lennox Anyanwu has left for France aged 21 and Will Joseph another star in the making (one cap for England) may also have decided to leave before he gets stuck to the bench on which he has been sitting. I don’t know the whole story but I do know that our development plans in the midfield look very shaky and we cannot afford to lose our pipeline either through departures or lack of playing time.

Meantime, another round of Europe approaches and I will be very interested to see how the South African teams perform, both in their approach and their selection. Two away trips to France, at least many of them have played there before and the opposition is middling, and two massive home games against Toulouse and Sale for the Sharks and the Stormers.

 Happy New Year!