After a big weekend of club Rugby worldwide, Australian players overseas were in the spotlight.
Australians were playing influential roles in both semi-finals of the European Champions Cup along with in the Japanese leagues.
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Rugby.com.au looks at the best from the weekend.
Pete Samu, the 33-time capped Wallaby, went over for a glorious early try as Union Bordeaux-Begles ended Toulouse's two-year unbeaten run in the tournament, brilliantly winning the all-French battle 35-18 victory at the Matmut Atlantique on Sunday to reach the final for the first time.
In the final later this month, Bordeaux-Begles, also featuring ex-Australia lock Adam Coleman, will play English side Northampton, who were propelled to a famous, unexpected and rather epic 37-34 victory over Irish favourites Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.
The 'Saints' emerged triumphant with five tries, including one from their popular Australian fullback James Ramm, while former Wallabies' back-rower Josh Kemeny shone and Angus Scott-Young came off the bench to help them become the first English finalists since Exeter won in 2020.
The five Aussies will do battle in the final on May 24 in Cardiff's Principality Stadium as Northampton seek to end French Top 14 clubs' recent domination of the title.
The 33-year-old veteran Tasmanian lock Coleman, capped 38 times by Australia, is of Tongan descent and now playing his international rugby for the Pacific Island.
He only lasted 28 minutes after failing a head injury assessment following his tackle on Julien Marchand.
On Saturday, Sydneysider Ramm, the former Waratahs wing who played just once for Australia's under-20s but hasn't yet played a senior international, even though he's eligible for New Zealand, England and the Wallabies, was a stand-out at 15 as he scored a key try in the win.
Kemeny, who played at the last World Cup for the Wallabies, was also in fine form in the back row battle but did receive a late yellow for a high shot on Rabah Slimani that forced the Saints into an almighty backs-to-the-wall struggle to eke out their three-point win.
Wallabies veteran Quade Cooper has kept alive his hopes of departing Japan Rugby League One with another promotion.
The 37-year-old playmaker had a leading role as Hanazono Liners beat Green Rockets Tokatsu 42-19 to set up a final day showdown against section champions Shuttles Aichi.
Cooper, who was Division Two Player of the Year when he led the Liners to promotion three years ago, announced recently he is parting company with the Osaka-based club at the end of the season.
As well as setting up two tries by manipulating the defence with trademark short passes, Cooper also kicked five from five, one being the conversion of the try scored by his long-time halves partner, Will Genia.
Cooper's success contrasted with the fortunes of another ex-Wallaby flyhalf, with Bernard Foley missing a conversion from a wide angle in the final play of Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay's thrilling 29-29 draw with Saitama Wild Knights.
Ex-Wallaby backrower Liam Gill had an unusual afternoon, scoring two tries and setting up two others, but the 32-year-old was also one of a trio from the Black Rams who were yellow carded, which all but sealed their fate.
Samu Kerevi scored the 10th try from his last nine appearances, but it was not enough to prevent another defeat for Urayasu D-Rocks on a madcap afternoon where they shared 17 tries with Shizuoka BlueRevs in a 62-52 defeat.
D-Rocks will be joined in the post-season relegation series by Mie Heat, whose last hopes were ended despite two tries by Wallaby fullback Tom Banks, during Sunday's 38-30 defeat by Verblitz.
