Bristol Bears closing in on England international

All he has to do is hustle over to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, sit down over a cold Michelob with the Chiefs’ Head Coach, Andy Reid, and ask him one question: namely, how does his team manage to haul their butts out of the bonfire every other week when the flames are licking around their pants?

To be fair, Steve could achieve the same thing if he hustled down to his local bowls club. Or his local school cricket team. I don't think he needs to go so far out of town to get advice - because he's getting the basics wrong!

Are we comparing like with like here? In fairness, we’re probably not. The Chiefs are the back-to-back Superbowl champions and boast a roster of players and coaches who can all finish each other’s sentences.

This rugby website must please stop feeding our trough with NFL stuff. It makes me nauseaous.

The chiefs can go smoke a bong for all I care. All Borthwick needs to do (without code hopping) would be to look at the Boks who are filled with players and coaches who can finish each others sentences. Oh, and all he'd really need to do to get some useful insights would be to talk to Felix Jones - you know, who was actually part of the bok team.

‘We don’t have any contact with Felix,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure if the coaches do or not.’ Let’s be very polite here: this is something of a head-scratcher.

Bloody ridiculous...

Which, in turn, begs the question why haven’t England been a yard in front in their last two games? Because, defensively right now, they’re a jumble.

Getting warmer....

We know not why, although, supposedly, he’s still working for the team ‘remotely’. If you know what this means or how it works, I’m all ears. Certainly, England have no idea.

We know why. Felix said the environment was sh1t. Looks at Borthwick.

The bottom line is this:

- The management of this team is broken;

- You can't be great if your team culture and management is broken (The basics);

- Borthwick is the chief architect of this;

- Just as they looked to get their defence right during the 6 Nations - Felix is out the picture;

- They are at sqaure one - and their defence last week was hopeless. Not fixable in a week;

- The English looked unfit - and that can't be fixed in a week either.

The problems and the solution are so obvious. But anyway - let's wait until after the 6 Nations to fix the problem. England is in a slow burn - and after England ships 10 - 44 points against the Boks on Saturday I expect the sh1t will truly hit the fan.

Reckon England Rugby Team will get debated in parliament even.

Sir Clive is definitely going to poo his pants.

The Springboks are going in to this game preparing as if they are playing in a World Cup Semi-Final. England are toast.

I'll even predict that England will take an early lead. Score two tries, quick out the gates. Cunningham-Smith will be going bonkers. Downing a beer in the stands with the fans.

60 minutes later... Toast.

France's pack is so massive I don't think having a guy who a few cm taller and 5kg heavier will have a material effect. Barrett, Vaai, Tuipolotu and Sititi have turned NZ's line out defence from OK last year to an absolute weapon this year. We don't miss anything in the line out from Finau not playing.

I would much rather have a guy in red hot form go to work than someone who makes sense on paper because of his dimensions. Our back row already doesn't make any sense compared to previous ABs team and other international teams (Ardie is the tallest at 6'2", and Sititi's dimensions are more comparable to a prop or hooker than a loose forward, but he is the line out option of the trio) but it is proving to be very effective. Add Lakai into the mix who can do everything Cane can plus being a huge ball carrying threat and you have a very dynamic and unique back 3 who are all threats in every facet of the game.

We also executed a great game plan against Ireland that made the most of our loosies strengths outside of set piece. By never kicking the ball out we took Ireland's best attacking platform away from them and dominated them with loose forwards who are built for running rugby.

I just don't see an English win. Boks by 20+

As for the AB's, I can't argue there neither. I will always support the SH over the NH, call it SH bias, but the arrogance of the Irish and French just gets my heckles up. I don't think the French stands a chance against the AB's. I predict the AB's to win by at least 12-15 points.

I just say it as I see it. Du Point is a very good player, but that doesn't necessarily make him a good person. I'm not arguing his personality. I don't know him, just how he play.

I am guessing you have watched Roigard play a number of times, but have never actually watched Dupont play. You have heard the hype, maybe watched him in the QF vs. South Africa, but other than that have never watched him. I am Hurricanes and NZ supporter and love Roigard, but as well as being one of, if not the best ever at the core roles of a 9, he also wins turnovers like Josh VDF, has the vision and tactical kicking game of the very best 10s, and the strength and finishing ability of Telea or Kolbe.

I hope he has a shocker on Saturday, or at the very least Roigard and Ratima can limit the damage he does on Saturday.