Teddy Thomas : « c’est embêtant, c'est de devoir se faire secouer par le président pour réagir »

On another note, with your article regarding the 2nd Bledisloe test and Harry Wilson's positioning woes. I was gob-smacked the referee didn't blow a penalty to the Wobblies in the lead up to Will Jordan's try. All I could see was the AB prop (E. de Groot ?) crashing into F.McReight and creating the hole for Jordan to stroll through. Any thoughts on that effort, or should I open the other eye? Should de Groot get credit for the try? 😁 In the end, it didn't really matter as the WB ran out of gas in the 2nd half and the AB stampeded all over them.

I'm not sure it's worth it to reduce some of the redundancy of having two windows. TBH I like there being 3 squads naming/selection cycles each year. I was thinking more along the lines of completely scrapping the whole NvS idea to fix these short 3 week tours.

Essentially this guy has said its a global season now, it's just that the clubs/leagues have chosen to use the 'break', and other windows, to continue playing domestic games. To me a global seasons is where each regions/hemishperes domestic and Int are contained within themselves but overlapping with other.

In terms of where the teams are at, relatively speaking, I think that current World Rankings are pretty close to being correct with a series of very close matches incoming. The results could all go against NZ, but they could also possibly win them all with the most likely outcome being somewhere in-between with a loss somewhere along the way.

The analysis in this article places too much emphasis on defensive systems without taking into account other factors that contribute to defensive performance - like the weight of possession or control of the collision area. The exact same argument was made about Ireland’s defensive patterns against NZ prior to the QF last year and look how that turned out!

NZ is still trying to get its own team pattern settled with the most pressing issue being the last 20 minutes of the game and the impact from their bench. They were actually leading in every single match during the Rugby Championship but fell off in most of the games, with the last match against Australia being the single exception. It is precisely that turnaround that suggests they may be on the upwards curve though. As a NZ fan, I am looking forward to seeing how they progress.

Canes performances were sub standard defensively and not close to the exceptional performances the author claims are required by a 7.

As for the other two guys there is no one else in NZ close to them so the coaches need to do their jobs and get the best results out of them.

But I’m glad that the matches to the north have become so tough and competitive. It’s great for the game.

I like what the ABs are doing sending an ABXV team. I wish SA would do the same. In fact I’d like to see more SA A games.

It’s interesting that “nobody likes losing to England”. Thought it was just an SA phenomenon. I wonder what the English have done to deserve this.

Anyhow. I expect the ABs to beat England. But Ireland and France are going to be a tall ask. I particularly think France are the dark horses from the North. I think they’re going to be the team to beat in the coming years.

They lost a bit of momentum at the WC, but they had the momentum going in to the WC. A few injuries didn’t help. They were unsettled at the 6 Nations but on paper and fundamentally they’re still an exceptionally good side, with exceptional talent. Galthie was all but walking on water prior to their QF loss.

There is also no greater perceived “beef” than between France and NZ who have had some real spectacles of matches between them. I’m SH till I die, and will be rooting for the ABs. But I suspect that will be the game to watch in November.

And then of course England vs SA. Could be brutal.

I guess ignoring Michael Hooper and Kwagga Smith, someone will inevitable say he's too small.

The only danger to those in that group is when they get injured, and a youngster takes their place and shows them how it's done. The last two years under Foster were like that, where all the positive changes happened via injury, and it's the same under Razor, who has also gone into job-saving conservative mode.