With so much going on around the grounds each week in the rugby world, it's easy for some of the interesting, fun and crazy stories to slip through the cracks.
These are some of the stories you might have missed.
707 DAY WAIT COMES TO AN END
Carried from the pitch in the Waratahs Super Round loss to the Chiefs in 2022, Will Harrison could have had no idea it would take him close to two years before he'd pull on the sky-blue jersey in Super Rugby Pacific again.
Suffering a horrific knee injury that would include a multi-ligament ACL, MCL and patella tendon rupture, Harrison looked close to making his return for the Waratahs last year, before he was felled yet again by another ACL injury.
Over 700 days later, he's set to finally make his return when he comes off the bench against the Rebels on Friday night in Sydney.
Somewhat overshadowed by the news of Lalakai Foketi's return following a scary neck injury that saw the centre rushed to hospital on the eve of the Super Rugby Pacific season, Harrison won't mind the understated return as he looks to help guide the Waratahs to their first win since Round 2.
"It's been a long battle for Will Harrison. It's so good to see him back," Waratahs assistant coach Chris Whittaker said. "The boys have seen him in here every day working on his injuries. He's raring to go and he's a littler terrier who will give us plenty of energy."
The youngest player to sign a professional contract with the Waratahs in 2018, Harrison was on the fast track to higher honours and was even included in the Wallabies touring squad under Dave Rennie at the end of 2020. Despite two years on the sidelines, he told ESPN before the season he continues to dream of wearing Wallaby gold.
"100% I've still got ambitions to play for the Wallabies. I know what I want, and I'm just trying to go and try and get it," Harrison said. "I had aspirations last year coming back to still try and crack the World Cup squad, but obviously things didn't pan out... it just lights that fire and that's sort of been my motivation."
'NOT THE FASTEST, NOT THE FITTEST': HOOPER TO MAKE SEVENS DEBUT
Switching to the seven player game after he failed to reach the Rugby World Cup last year, former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has been on the brink of making his Aussie Sevens debut several times only for injuries to set him back. But not anymore.
Named in the squad for next week's Hong Kong Sevens, the world will finally get a chance to see just how good the 125 Test capped Wallaby can be on a sevens pitch as he attempts to earn a spot at this year's Paris Olympics.
It's hard to know what to expect with the four-time John Eales medalist hardly selling himself to pundits.
"Look, I am not the fastest, not the fittest. So it doesn't start well, does it?" Hooper said on Thursday.
"But I'll give it an absolute shake. I'm going to find out. I'm going to learn as much as anyone when I actually hit the field and see what I can do."
Hooper joined the wider squad in November but was dogged by an Achilles injury that saw his debut pushed back.
The former Wallaby isn't the only world class 15s player who's made the switch to the sevens game this year with France star Antoine Dupoint making his debut in Vancouver where he proved his skills were just as brilliant on the sevens pitch.
Whether Hooper's sevens debut will be as impressive, we'll just have to wait and see.
FROM CARDIFF TO KANSAS
Announcing he was leaving Wales rugby and following his dream to play in the NFL earlier this year, Louis Rees-Zammit is reportedly closing in on a dream move to sign with Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.
According to multiple reports, Rees-Zammit is close to making the move after he impressed during a visit to the team earlier this week, with Bleacher Report reporting he will be signing a deal on Friday (Saturday AEDT) as a wide receiver or running back.
If reports are true, the former Wales wing will be suiting up alongside tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in what could be a new look offense that will be challenging for an unprecedented 'three-peat' next season under Andy Reid.
It's a stunning turn of events with the wing announcing his departure from rugby just two weeks out from the Six Nations opener and now potentially preparing to suit up with one of the most famous NFL franchises ever.
It's understood the New York Jets and Denver Broncos had all shown interest in the 23-year-old before he struck a deal with the Chiefs.
"If I had any doubt in my head I wouldn't do this," Rees-Zammit told the Daily Mail earlier this month. "You have to believe in yourself, and you have to have full confidence in your ability.
"It's such a cut-throat business that the margin for error is very small."
If Rees-Zammit does make an appearance he'll join a shortlist of past rugby players who took the gamble including one of the Premiership's highest try-scorers, Christian Wade.
DON'T WRITE OFF CRUSADERS YET: WILSON
Following a terrible start to the season, many have written off the Crusaders in 2024, but not former All Black Jeff Wilson, who believes the men in red and black still have a good chance to sneak their way into the top eight, despite their current 0-5 record.
Languishing at the bottom of the table, the Crusaders next take on competition favourites the Chiefs with many -- including Wilson -- writing off their chances, especially after their hapless showing against the Blues last week, but it's during their upcoming nine fixtures that the Sky Sports commentator believes they can turn their fortunes around.
"They've got the Chiefs at home [on Friday night]... [a win's unlikely] given how good the Chiefs are," Wilson said on Sky Sport's The Breakdown.
"But then they've got the Tahs, the Force, the Rebels and the Reds, four Australian sides. Then they've got the Highlanders away, which they will look at and go 'there's a chance'.
"The Brumbies will be tough, they're the one side in Australia that's really, really hard, and then they've got the Blues at home and Moana Pasifika at home." According to Wilson the Crusaders will need to "win five games" to make their way into the top eight, and if they do make the playoff stage he believes they'll be a totally different beast.
"Do you want in the first round of the playoffs to come up against a Crusaders team that will look like [George] Bower, [Codie] Taylor and [Fletcher] Newell; [Quinten] Strange and [Scott] Barrett, [Ethan] Blackadder, [Tom] Christie and [Cullen] Grace?
"Do you want to come up against that? Sorry, you don't."
CROC ROLL ENDS IN HORRIFIC INJURY
The crocodile-roll has found itself in the spotlight once again after England No.8 Sarah Beckett was handed a three-match ban for her red-card tackle on Italy centre Michela Sillari that resulted in the Italian breaking her leg and needing surgery.
Sarah Beckett banned 3 matches after 🟥 for croc roll on Michela Sillari 🇮🇹 who required surgery on a fractured leg.
— Progressive Rugby (@ProgressiveRug) March 26, 2024
No intent, but this ugly manoeuvre must be eradicated & to aid players must be punished consistently - regardless of if injury occurs - to drive message home. pic.twitter.com/Q4NvSFTMjh
Initially handed a yellow-card just 11-minutes into the match in Parma, her foul play was quickly upgraded to a red just minutes later following a TMO bunker review.
While the send-off didn't appear to impact England's eight-try, 48-0 demolition over Italy, it has brought the controversial act back into the spotlight with many calling for longer punishments for players who commit the foul play, with some comparing the incident to Wallaby Darcy Swain's cleanout on All Blacks Quinn Tupea who injured his knee and missed over a year of rugby in 2022.
Post-match, England coach John Mitchell argued the action didn't warrant a red card stating: "If you look at the tackle by Beckett on the chest, which is obviously poor technique, but that girl was over the ball was flat as a pancake off her feet."
In her admission to the disciplinary committee, Beckett admitted she had committed an act of foul play but also argued her actions were not worthy of a red card. While the committee upheld the red card decision, they did show leniency in their sanction, reducing the initial six-week suspension down to just three due to Beckett's "remorse, good character and exemplary conduct at the hearing".
Beckett's ban will see her miss the next three Six Nations matches, but will have her back in time for their final clash against France in April, meanwhile Sillari will miss at least the remainder of the Six Nations tournament, bringing into question whether Beckett's ban was too lenient.