Rob Evans column: 

WHAT a weekend!

We got our European Rugby Champions Cup campaign up and running with a game at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton, against the Saints.

Saints are a side that we’ve picked off in the past and we headed to Northampton on Friday feeling confident after what had been a very good training week.

It was a long bus journey up, Roy the driver did a good job in terrible weather conditions and despite getting stuck in a bit of Friday afternoon rush hour traffic we made it there in good time.
Before heading to the hotel we popped in to Franklin’s Gardens.

This is something we do on away games, just to get a feel for the place and familiarise ourselves and for the kickers to have a practice.

Believe you me it was freezing there! We all got off the bus in our travel wear; shorts, t-shirt and a hoody and we were all shocked by just how cold it was!

Safe to say, we didn’t stay long! We left the kickers there with Steve knowing that Jamesy (kit man) would bring them back to the hotel in the van!

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t remember much about the game having had a knock to the head with about ten minutes to go. The medical guys did a good job of looking after me and are monitoring me this week. Hopefully I’ll be available for selection for Saturday but I’ll be following return to play protocols so will have to see how it goes.

Saturday is a massive game. We have to make sure we win our home games to make sure we stay in the running to get out of the pool come January.

We’ll be welcoming Racing 92 this weekend who are yet to play in the Champions Cup due to the devastating events in Paris last Friday night.

It goes without saying our deepest condolences go out to families and friends of all those who were caught up in that.

Hope you can all make it up to the Parc on Saturday though. Be nice to see you.