With all eyes on Super Rugby Pacific, Pacific Four and Australia's TRCU20 campaign, it's easy to skip over key Aussie performances abroad.
There were plenty of familiar faces playing international club rugby last weekend with standout showings across Japan and Europe.
Catch every game of SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
Rugby.com.au looks at the best from the weekend.
Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One has another chapter to go after his Kintetsu Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at promotion to Division One.
Linters conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni before posting 38 unanswered points with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia crossing for his 10th try of the season.
Cooper and Genia will face ex-Test teammate Tom Banks's Mie Heat in the two-game promotion series after the Heat ended their regular Division One season with a 67-22 loss to Black Rams Tokyo.
Former Reds and Australia U20s star Isaac Lucas shone for Black Rams with two tries and a line break to ensure Black Rams retained Division One status.
Meanwhile former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie's Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs.
Robbie Dean's Saitama Wild Knights earlier gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17.
Wild Knights will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay, who ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Joey Manu's Toyota Verblitz.
There's a lull in European rugby following the Champions and Challenge Cup semi-finals with clubs resting their stars ahead of Top 14, PD2, Premiership, and URC knockouts.
Former Wallaby Scott Sio and Exeter got the better of Angus Scott-Young's Northampton in a 42-13 thrashing. Both sides are out of the UK Premiership finals contention despite the Saints' incredible Champions Cup run.
Mosese Tuipulotu's Edinburgh kept their URC final dream alive with a 31-21 away win over Connacht while Jack Walsh's Ospreys are out quarter-final running following a 29-10 loss to the Sharks in Durban.
Over in France's Top 14, former Waratahs backrower Reece Hewart scored an important try for Pau in their 29-27 victory over Lyon to kick clear of the relegation zone.
Jordan Uelese's Montpellier are on a collision course with Will Skelton's La Rochelle next weekend after both sides jagged important wins to stay within touching distance of the top six - they meet on May 18 with the loser unlikely to qualify for final.
In the PD2, two-Test backrower Caleb Timu starred for Colomiers with a try and two line breaks in their 46-19 victory over Nice while Wallaby lock Izack Rodda also dotted down for Provence.
