The Breakdown’s season review: Ireland and La Rochelle take charge

Best games

1 Leinster 26 La Rochelle 27, Aviva Stadium. Hard to beat for intensity and quality.

2 Ireland 32 France 19, Aviva Stadium. The greatest Six Nations game? The first 40 minutes were particularly epic.

3 Exeter 33 Montpellier 33 (aet), Sandy Park. Ridiculous, see-sawing drama.

Most enjoyable matchday atmosphere

1 England v France: Women’s Six Nations, Twickenham. A world-record attendance for a women’s rugby match – 58,498. Only 3,500 more fans attended the men’s Premiership final later the same month.

2 Wales v England: Women’s Six Nations, Cardiff Arms Park. A sunny day full of positive vibes in an otherwise grim season for Welsh rugby.

3 London Scottish v Richmond, The Athletic Ground. It is not necessary to be in a 10,000-capacity rugby stadium to have a great day out.

Most consistently reliable players

1 Grégory Alldritt (La Rochelle and France)

2 Antoine Dupont (Toulouse and France)

3 Levani Botia (La Rochelle)

Related: The Breakdown | United Rugby Championship’s South African expansion punt paying off

Most inspiring rugby people

1= Ed Slater, Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield, Steve Thompson.

Premiership players to watch

Tom Pearson (London Irish), Ben Loader (London Irish), Chandler Cunningham-South (London Irish).

Killer moments

1 Duhan van der Merwe’s two tries for Scotland v England at Twickenham.

2 Jack Crowley’s winning drop goal for Munster v Leinster in the URC semi-finals.

3 Christ Tshiunza’s last-ditch winning try for Exeter v Harlequins in the Premiership.

Coaches of the season

1 Ronan O’Gara (La Rochelle)

2 Andy Farrell (Ireland)

3= Graham Rowntree (Munster), Mark McCall (Saracens)

Rising referees

1 Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

2 Luke Pearce (England)

3 Holly Davidson (Scotland)

Saddest tales of 2022-23

1 Worcester

2 Wasps

3 London Irish (probably)

Summer rugby highlights

1 The final stages of the women’s Allianz Premier XVs.

2 The French Top 14 finale. Can La Rochelle clinch the “double”?

3 The August World Cup warmup between New Zealand and South Africa at Twickenham. The word “friendly” never applies to this fixture.

It won’t be the same without them on the field …

1 Alun Wyn Jones

2 Sarah Hunter

3= Stuart Hogg, Chris Ashton

Rest in Peace David Duckham, Doddie Weir, Eddie Butler, Ken Scotland, Tom Kiernan, Ray McLoughlin, Bernard Lapasset, Ian McIntosh, Piet Visagie, Bruce Robertson, Tom Tierney, Ray Megson, Peter Thomas, Tony Brown.

Rugby podcast of the season

The Rugby Pod.

Critical questions facing rugby over the next 12 months

1 Will the Rugby World Cup inspire the next generation of youngsters to take up the sport?

2 What more can be done to make the game safer at all levels without diluting its rugged appeal?

3 How soon before English club rugby becomes financially sustainable?

Quotes of the season

“I don’t think history will remember this period of English rugby too kindly.” Sir Clive Woodward reflects on Eddie Jones’s tenure in charge of the national team.

“There needs to be chats about the way we structure the season and the way we grow the game as players – because for some, rugby really is on its last legs. If we carry on going the way we’re going, it doesn’t look good.” Northampton’s impressive captain, Lewis Ludlum.

“I have been around rugby for a long time and there are not too many people who want to put their hand in their pocket and buy rugby businesses.” Prophetic early-season words from Worcester’s former director of rugby Steve Diamond.

“You feel like you’re mourning someone. No one died and you have to remember that. But it did feel like that.” Lee Blackett, the Wasps director of rugby, on the aftermath of the club’s financial collapse.

“We love a watershed in Wales, we have them every fortnight.” The Welsh Rugby Union chairman, Ieuan Evans, before the WRU’s pivotal annual general meeting.

“I don’t watch it every day or every week, but it still gives us a little tingling at the back of the neck when you see it.” Sir Gareth Edwards on the 50th anniversary of “that” try for the Barbarians against New Zealand in 1973.

“Every club in the land was with Sale. Do you know what? That is how we like it. That is how we have always liked it. No one wants us to win and we don’t care.” Saracens’ retiring back-row forward Jackson Wray after his side’s Premiership triumph.

“One of my greatest strengths and weaknesses is that I can’t act.” Ronan O’Gara, La Rochelle’s relentlessly competitive head coach.

“We watched the Ireland v England match. He barely knew it was England. Andy Farrell, Owen Farrell, he hadn’t a clue. He knew Johnny Sexton is someone he should have known but he couldn’t remember the name. He kept saying, ‘There’s your man, there’s your man,’ but he couldn’t remember the name.” Margot Slattery, wife of the great Ireland and Lions flanker Fergus Slattery, talking to the Sunday Times about her husband’s struggle with dementia.

“Suddenly it’s a 24-hour journey when it should take about 10 hours. We’re big people and you can’t perform at your best when you’re sitting in an airport and eating junk food.” Bismarck du Plessis on the stopover implications for South Africa’s leading provincial sides competing in Europe.

“I don’t expect every rugby player will be painting their nails any time soon but it’s just me. Look good, feel good, play good. I’m a strong believer in it.” Ollie Hassell-Collins of London Irish and England on the subject of performance-enhancing nail polish.

• The Breakdown is taking a short summer break, but will return in good time for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.