Clermont's Noa Nakaitaci scored a wonderful solo effort © Getty Images

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Following a weekend where the home sides largely ruled in the European Rugby Champions Cup, Monday Maul looks back at the key talking points.

Clermont and Toulon set the benchmark

There are times when watching Clermont where you can do little but sit back and smile. Their first try against Munster was a case of accuracy, collective understanding and being clinical. The second from Noa Nakaitaci was individual brilliance. A potent cocktail of both the individual and the team working in tandem to produce a side capable of winning the tournament. Clermont have been nearly-men for far too long on the European stage. They have the talent to win this competition and at times on Sunday against Munster, not even that famous side could cope with them.

They may face a familiar foe in the final at this rate. Toulon's win over Leicester showcased their array of Galácticos and they look to be in fine fettle as they chase their third European title on the bounce. Ali Williams was superb in the second-row while Mathieu Bastareaud's pick up for his try was brilliant. Both Toulon and Clermont will take some stopping.

Player burnout an ongoing issue

In a week where the England captain was sidelined for the best part of a month with a shoulder injury, the debate over whether players are exposed to too much rugby rages on - and rightly so. It is no coincidence that Richie McCaw is still playing wonderfully at the ripe old age of 33 while his fellow Kiwi and former All Black Brad Thorn is tearing up trees at 39 for Leicester. The central contract system implemented by the New Zealand Rugby Union puts player welfare first and the limits on matches played with enforced breaks included prolong careers.

The bulk of England's 2015 World Cup squad will go into next year's competition having barely had a break since the last pre-season and even that was tempered by the June tour to New Zealand. Eventually players' bodies will give out and taking some form of action - perhaps introducing mandatory mid-season rest periods - needs to happen prior to the 2019 global gathering.

Give Sam Burgess time

You have to feel for Sam Burgess. He has arrived at Bath with the billing of being the saviour of English rugby. After two substitute appearances and one start for Bath, he is still learning the game. You cannot switch from league to union in the blink of an eye and be immediately comfortable with the different nuances.

He has only just turned 26 and has his best years ahead of him but this is a man who has not yet been given a set position. Talk of him playing for the Saxons in January, let alone in the Six Nations, is premature and he must be given time to adjust. Instead of playing international rugby in the early part of next year, he should remain at Bath and be allowed to take to the game at his own pace rather than being fast-tracked. He has the physicality and skills to make a real dent in union but it should not be a process where the pace is pushed.

Treviso the anomaly in a 'competitive competition'

Few could have predicted Castres and Montpellier's joint implosion over the last couple of months but Treviso have put up next to no fight this season. Their nadir came on Saturday at Franklin's Gardens where they were handed an 11-try thrashing by a Northampton side who were smelling blood. George North was wonderful in the first half, while Ken Pisi and Samu Manoa recorded hat-tricks. While not taking anything away from the Saints' dominance, the current state of Treviso is a concern. They are yet to record a win this season and clearly need increased support from the various stakeholders in Italian rugby.

James Haskell waves goodbye to Adams Park © Getty Images

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Farewell to Adams Park

As goodbyes go, Wasps brought down the curtain on their stay at Adams Park in the perfect manner. The last couple of seasons have been tough at times but this term they are playing with a renewed vigour and their back-row triumvirate is up there with the best in Europe. Nathan Hughes enhanced his growing reputation with another bulldozing showing at No.8 with James Haskell and Ashley Johnson dovetailing with him perfectly.

Tom Varndell spoke at the weekend of his wish to play for England again and while only Stuart Lancaster knows if that is a possibility, his pair of tries can't hurt such claims. Next Sunday sees them start a new chapter at Coventry and while it might take them time to bed into their new Ricoh Arena surroundings, they drew a definitive and conclusive line under their Adams Park tenure in style on Sunday.

Faith in the academy pays dividends

Harlequins may have lost in Dublin on Saturday, but without star duo Chris Robshaw and Nick Evans, they can feel hugely proud of their efforts. They had a man at openside who had only played 14 first-team games and even though he was playing catch-up for Isaac Boss' try, Jack Clifford acquitted himself well.

Leinster's performance last week at the Stoop was uncharacteristically disappointing. While they got the four points on Saturday, they will look at how they tailed off in the second-half as they went from 11-0 up to 11-13 down. They too have a number of players out injured - including Lions Sean O'Brien and Cian Healy - but in what was billed as one of the biggest games of their season, their strength in depth came through.