Monday 31 August 2015 16:40, UK
Scottish wingers and an Australian 13 furnish our Team of the Week following wins for Scotland, Wales and the Baa Baas.
Samoa did their World Cup preparation no good by chasing the game with 14 men against the BaaBaas, while Wales edged out Ireland in Dublin.
It rained tries in Edinburgh under sunny skies, but which players performed well enough to make our Team of the Week?
15. Leigh Halfpenny
Halfpenny kicked three penalties and converted Justin Tipuric's try for a personal haul of 11 points. The Toulon full-back covered every blade of grass and proved what an excellent reader of the game he is by snuffing any dangerous kicks behind the Wales defence by Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray.
14. Sean Lamont
Lamont said before Saturday's game that he feared for his place in Scotland's World Cup squad. Well he can rest easy after scoring two tries in the crushing win over Italy.
The wing did superbly well to claim Finn Russell's kick to cross for their opening try, and he put the boot into the under-firing Azzurri with an interception try just after the hour mark.
13. Ben Tapuai
There may have been 14 men on the field for Samoa but with dogged defence there were not too many gaps for the Barbarians to exploit. The Western Force's new signing Ben Tapuai took it upon himself to create his own gaps though, as the 7-Test international wrong-footed the Samoan defence all afternoon.
12. Jamie Roberts
It wasn't a particularly glamorous shift for any backline players for Wales or Ireland in Dublin. There were a fair few handling errors but Jamie Roberts ensured that damage was controlled with defensive structures and made a few runs that kept the opposition defence honest.
11. Tim Visser
Another Scotland winger in the team, another man who scored two tries against Italy and he also brought one about through an interception. Visser will admit that his first try was not the most difficult he ever scored, but the second showed good reading of the game and a willingness to back his own decision-making when defending on his own line. Scotland have proven their try-scoring ability at a crucial time in their World Cup preparation.
10. Dan Biggar
Biggar edged Finn Russell in what was a well-run Scottish ship in the capital. While Russell was given free reign with plenty of ball, it was up to Biggar to ensure his side crossed the line in a very tight encounter. He also made the most tackles out of all the Welsh backline players.
9. Greig Laidlaw
There were 16 points from the boot of Greig Laidlaw, who slotted four penalties and two conversions in a dominant Scottish performance. Big-scoring games are often remembered for the tries, but the platform is set by keeping the scoreboard ticking with the boot, which is exactly what Laidlaw did.
The scrum-half also set the attacking tempo from the base of each ruck and maul that led to a big win for the Scots.
1. Alasdair Dickinson
Alasdair Dickinson ensured that Italy tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni did not enjoy his trip to Scotland with a series of dominant scrum performances. He was part of a good tight five but Dickinson in particular made his opposite number feel unwelcome in Edinburgh.
2. Ken Owens
Eight runs and 14 tackles from the hooker in what was a scrappy game from both sides. Generally speaking the tighter the game the more involved the forwards are – whether in the set piece or the loose – and Owens made plenty of ground in Dublin doing his part in a slender win.
3. Tomas Francis
Francis will be pleased with his first outing in a Wales shirt, with the exception of the backpedalling scrum that led to Ireland's try. One cap and the 23-year-old impressed enough to make it into the Wales squad for the World Cup.
4. Iain Henderson
Henderson put his hand up for a starting spot in Ireland's second row with an accomplished performance against Wales. Carried a lot of ball and made more tackles than any other Irish players, Henderson also did well to squeeze over for his try on the stroke of half-time.
5. Jamie Cudmore
Cudmore made a welcome return to the Canadian team on Saturday and skippered his side to a much-needed victory over Glasgow Warriors in Nova Scotia. Having missed the Pacific Nations Cup due to injury, Cudmore helped his side recover from the concession of an early try with a 16th-minute touchdown.
The Clermont lock also showed great leadership and experience as Canada were forced to defend for long periods, but they held on to snap a seven-game losing streak.
6. Adam Thomson
It rained throughout the Barbarians' practice week and the ground staff at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday ensured conditions were similar with an impromptu mid-game watering of the pitch. The unannounced downpour did nothing to dampen the skills of Adam Thomson, once New Zealand's big up-and-coming flanker, who scored two tries for the Baa Baas in what ended up being a tough game to win despite the numerical advantage.
7. Justin Tipuric
Tipuric gave Warren Gatland plenty of food for thought with a man of the match performance against Ireland. He worked tirelessly, making a host of crucial tackles, and also ripped the ball from Sean O'Brien's grasp as he attempted to ground the ball. With Sam Warburton the first-choice openside, could Tipuric's performance persuade Gatland to field two fetchers? He did so against England on the final day of the 2013 Six Nations, when Wales ran out 30-3 winners.
8. Jamie Heaslip
The Mr Reliable of the Ireland team. The No 8 made 15 carries on a day where the men in green failed to spark in attack. Whether or not part of a winning team the Leinsterman is a constant thorn in the side of opposition players, climbing into the less glamorous jobs on the pitch with enthusiasm – on Saturday he proved he's useful with the ball too.
