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This week, Stuart Barnes explains why he is excited by the appointment of Nigel Melville as RFU’s director of professional rugby. Plus, he looks at the winners and losers as the Premiership and PRO12 head towards the play-offs...1. In England, the weekend rugby news was dominated by the imminent departure of Rob Andrew and his replacement, Nigel Melville. Andrew lost the faith of the general public and the media for not taking greater responsibility since his appointment in 2011.What I will say is that he had to take a share of criticism as a central protagonist in the appointments of Martin Johnson and Stuart Lancaster. Both were bad appointments for differing reasons. Nigel Melvilles USA experience will be invaluable, says Barnes To balance the negatives he is widely believed to have played the crucial role in the heads of agreement between club and country. That is no small achievement.However, more obvious rugby related results were expected. Melville will take back the development role Andrew lost. Great things are expected. Coming from Colorado to Twickenham, the very distance between the states and England will give him a fresh perspective.He has a sharp rugby mind, broad business experience and the knowledge of some of the most sophisticated sports thinking on the planet emanating from the US. The predominant reason for delight is Melvilles appointment, not Andrews imminent departure.2. Eddie has been setting out his time lines. The tour of Australia is a chance for England (as he sees it) to climb the world rankings.New Zealand, however, is in another league to every side and the target to overhaul them in Tokyo 2019 is ambitious enough. No more of this targeting 2023 nonsense, however. The age of excuses seems to have been left behind. Bring out the buntings! Jones plotting victory against Australia 3. Celebrations in Cardiff too where over 68,000 spectators were lured by a promise of exciting derby rugby and cheap tickets into the Principality Stadium for Cardiff Blues versus Ospreys; it is sad that such a great rugby nation as Wales needs something as corny as Judgment Day to lure the supporters, but in this instance it was a great success both on and off the field. Highlights of the Guinness PRO12 round 21 clash between Cardiff Blues and Ospreys Rhys Webb and the returning Scott Williams will have helped make the day of the Welsh management, too. Here is hoping Sam Warburtons injury is nothing too bad. Wales will need every man standing in New Zealand.4. It was billed as the shock of the weekend but was it really? Pat Lam rested most of his team against a Treviso side in a neck-and-neck battle with Zebre for the right to get hammered in the European Champions Cup. Highlights of the Guinness PRO12 round 21 clash between Benetton Treviso and Connacht. Any victories are rare for the Italian teams but a home win is hardly a once in a lifetime affair. Also, it has to be remembered that barring a draw against Glasgow next Saturday, nothing has changed in the Connacht versus Glasgow scrap for a home semi-final. The result in Treviso will not have knocked Treviso off their stride.5. The defending champions are in great form. I was starting to wonder whether there were any teams in the Pro12 league capable of giving them a game at the moment. Cue a trip to Belfast and a high paced, inventive, bustling and, more than anything else, an intelligent performance from Ulster. Highlights of the Guinness PRO12 round 21 clash between Ulster and Leinster This was only their second win in eight games against Leinster. The Dublin-based side have looked as if they would be vulnerable to good teams all season (as they were in Europe). With two sides playing so well I do not fancy their chances of regaining the Pro12 title this season; Glasgow remain my idea of firm favourites but if Ulsters half backs can keep playing as well as they did last weekend we have at the very least a serious challenger.Theyll need to play well just to make the play offs. The Ospreys have not given up on a European Champions Cup spot as they showed last Saturday and with Scott Williams back, the Scarlets have been reinvigorated ahead of their must win game in Limerick this weekend. Fourth place is in Ulsters hands but expect the Ospreys to make life incredibly difficult in Swansea.6. Saracens fans had a bit of a fright. Trailing 3-14 to Newcastle at half-time, there might have been a few worried Fez Heads but once they threw away their Dubrovnik holiday gear they stormed back to win the game and clinch top spot in the league table. All roads now lead to Lyon. Chris Wyles of Saracens shakes the hand of Jacques Burger as the Namibian walks off in his last match 7. I am sure they will have noted Racing 92s impressive win over Clermont. The Parisian side have a strong squad, some outstanding individuals and a determination to make this a memorable season. There is not much doubt a late Leicester breakaway in the semi-final would have made this an easier final for Saracens.8. It was Exeter who took a few weeks to put the misery of their last second European elimination at the hands of the Wasps behind them. On Sunday their quarter-final conquerors suffered the same fate after losing to Saracens in the semi-finals. One more win and the Chiefs will have the advantage of a home semi-final in the Premiership with Wasps expected to again be the visitors. However, Harlequins will be a tough final game. It will be Conor O Sheas Stoop farewell and the Quins will be looking to send him to Italy on a high.9. Wasps should have a fairly straightforward task of claiming maximum points with London Irish down and out. The Irish can start planning for an immediate return next season while Wasps must ready themselves for a tilt at the English title. Saracens are by some way the best team in England but with the European final before the domestic denouement who knows what victory or another defeat will do to them? Jack Tovey scores for Bristol against Bedford. 10. Bristol are overwhelming favourites to make it third time lucky after botching last years play-off finals against Worcester and, more unforgivably, London Welsh. Doncaster Knights are expected to face them in the final after an impressive away win of their own in Leeds. Bristol can enjoy next weeks second leg against Bedford before the pressure begins to pile on Andy Robinson and his heavily fancied team. Look at the respective squads of Bristol and the other three play-off teams. There are no excuses. Also See:WATCH Guinness PRO12 highlightsLoss relegates London IrishFollow @SkySportsRugbyFixtures and resultsMichael Dickson Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Marquise Blair Womens Jersey .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. http://www.seahawksfansofficial.com/shaun-alexander-jersey/ . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Patrick Kerney Youth Jersey . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Michael Dickson Seahawks Jersey .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later.LONDON -- With Paris Saint-Germain being held to 2-2 by Arsenal, Edinson Cavani broke free and had only goalkeeper David Ospina to beat and score his second of the night.The PSG forward was far too nonchalant, shooting too early with a wayward long-range chip that was drifting off target before being easily gathered by Ospina.After one glaring miss, Cavani still had time to make amends but flicked a header wide and the Champions League game finished 2-2 on Wednesday.PSG seized control of Group A by moving ahead of Arsenal due to its superior head-to-head record after drawing 1-1 in Paris, but the lack of urgency illustrated by Cavani could prove costly in the round of 16.The Qatari-owned club is chasing its first European title, and coach Unai Emery was satisfied for now.This was a test and they met my expectations with the performance, Emery said.Top spot secures a game in the round of 16 against a group runner-up but whether that is an advantage will become clearer only after the knockout-phase draw. German champion Bayern Munich and Manchester City will finish in second place and holder Real Madrid is also currently a runner-up.You cannot really guess if its good or bad (being second), Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.Group A is completely lopsided, with PSG and Arsenal locked on 11 points and assured of progressing, while Ludogorets and Basel, who drew 0-0, are both on two points.This was Arsenals first real European test of the season at home, after putting six past Ludogorets and easily overcoming Basel 2-0.Just like in Saturdays 1-1 draw at Manchester United, the Gunners were inert initially against the French champions and fell behind in the 18th minute.dddddddddddd Thiago Motta slipped the ball through to Blaise Matuidi, whose low cross was turned over the line by a sliding Cavani, who made it 16 goals in 16 games.It was a fiery end to a tepid first half. First there was a lifeline for Arsenal in stoppage time: Mesut Ozil put the ball through to Alexis Sanchez and Grzegorz Krychowiak slid in, missing the ball and tripping the Chilean. From the penalty spot, Olivier Giroud finally made a contribution to the game by scoring.Amid the celebrations, there was a feisty exchange between Aaron Ramsey and Cavani, who punched the Arsenal midfielder in the chest but escaped any sanction.Arsenal was reinvigorated by the equalizer and, after the crossbar kept out Lucas Mouras free kick in the 54th, took the lead in fortuitous circumstances.Carl Jenkinson crossed from the right and the ball pinged around the penalty area as Ramseys shot was blocked by Marquinhos and his clearance rebounded off Marco Verratti into the net.Arsenal returned the favor on the hour. Hatem Ben Arfas corner was met by Lucas header and Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi helped it over the line.My concern is that we were 2-1 up and allowed them to come back at us, Wenger said. Its difficult to understand how easy we gave away a goal at a corner. We lack something in our creativity. ' ' '