All Blacks prop punished for breaking team protocol

So the above selections may get you 80% of the way there, but the second 80% is just as important.

Like I said, I think the ABs will beat France, by an average of around 10 points per game.

Overall, France has been a rugby team in decline since the World Cup. Hammered at home by Ireland, would have lost to Scotland were it not for dodgy TMO call, drew with Italy, barely beat England at home. That's before you factor in the raft of ugly off field issues they've had.

The All Blacks will be a much more settled team next year and will be fuming at having to play a B side. Reckon the Tests will be 50+ point blow-outs.

The NH tour of 2021 we played very badly. Looking back now at the score lines against France and Ireland they actually flatter us. We had enough individual talent to avoid embarrassing score lines but we looked so far off the pace.

The coach selection process is deeply flawed. One guy should apply then get the assistants after. Basically something worked well once (reappointment of Henry/Hansen) and the whole process has been built around that despite it not working for the past 8 years.

If England go out with a substantially changed defensive system they will lose. That may be an OK price to pay in order for players to obtain game time in a new approach, but if your goal is to win against top teams you want subconscious ("system 1") defensive decisions. That requires continuity.

My guess is that Borthwick really wants to show progress, including a respectable scoreboard. That would mean telling El Abd to tweak and evolve the Jones plan, rather than rethinking it.

If you think a French team without all its big names will get close to the ABs (who will be angry at being disrespected by France) in NZ maybe you should watch more rugby. It's going to get messy for France.