Rugby union: talking points from the weekend’s action

Owen Farrell needs to step up a level for Saracens, Toulon wait till extra-time to click properly and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne shines to give Alan Solomons vindicationNothing went so very wrong. They all rose to the occasion and although Brock James won the man-of-the-match award, Alex Goode ran him close. The full-back gave a majestic performance, checking the surge in the polls of Nick Abendanon for election to the England World Cup squad. Not that Abendanon was in any way poor; just that Goode was exceptional. But full-back may not be the best position from which to wave the controlling wand – the…