It's been a long old year, going right back to the 2013 pre-season fixtures against Ulster, Montpellier and Jersey. But we've finally reached the end.

The last Test matches of the season came last weekend and now we can start looking forward.

Just imagine how tough that must be for players. Not just playing for 10 months of the year, but training too. And we all know how intense some of that training can be.
 
The internationals only started their summer this week, more than a month after their last club outing of the season.
 
Already some of their clubmates will be back in for the start of pre-season conditioning and fitness work, with the rugby detail to come soon.
 
Supporters, meanwhile, are counting the days. This week The Tig spotted one on social media remarking that it was only 131 days until the Barbarians fixture!
 
If it is any consolation, we’re now just five weeks from the Premiership Sevens, quickly followed by the pre-season programme, the Welford Road double header at the end of August and then, 10 weeks from now, the start of the new Aviva Premiership season.
 
If you need to break that down any further, we’re just a week away from the announcement of the Premiership fixture list. Nearly there!