Celtic Challenge 2024/25 fixtures revealed

This year only 5 people are being inducted, so many nationalities will miss out. Who do you think doesn't deserve it?

In those instances, they were behind by 3 points, 7 points and 3 points, respectively. In all of those opportunities, NZ was deep in French territory and was breaking the line with relative ease. Every time they were in the French 22, they took the easy option with the 3 points. A try was needed to take the lead and apply scoreboard pressure. And it felt like if they just kept the pressure on in the French 22, it was going to come.

But instead, the cycle kept repeating where NZ took the 3, France kicked deep into NZ territory and got unlucky with dubious calls against them (2 by the TMO), which kept them in front.

Scott Barrett is a great player but lacks the confidence to be captain. It was so obvious in real time that they were the wrong calls, and that's why Razor berated him in the immediate on-field interview.

Never the less they are things that are being done. It just needs good people to play nice and it certainly looks like both parties (FFR and LNR) having been trying hard in recent years, and it's not as bad as you make it sound.

Haha I like that phrase! Yes certainly different perspectives as NZ has already thrown out their rugby culture (in regards to the topic of competitions) but I can understand wanting to hold on (as I do to the former NZ setup). One of those things is that it's not as easy to say everyone wants to see Dupont every game either, is it. You want to see some of future too, but I see that Dupont has only been involved in a third of this years Top 14 games. Has he been injured, it's even less that he normally plays.

You depict a league accepting change and looking for the right fit, I'm sure it will get there. Nick doesn't reckon SA and at the same level yet but I'm sure I read an article confirming the SAn posters on this site saying the no longer pay wages (might still be closer to a English model/balance than French though), but I can't find it now. Will have to dbl check that one but remember FIFA do hold power, you only need to look at the amount of international football to realise that. LNR can easily be made to bend if push comes to shove through how tightly it's players are tied to international rugby (large forieign contingent).

The blitz D works best when the breakdown is on the sideline, the defenders don't have to make any reads because the ball can only go one way, and the whole line can sprint up and take away all the space. That's why teams that play this D leave space in the 15m wide channels and are happy to concede 10m+ of territory to force a breakdown there because they know the they can put max pressure on the next tackle.

We are not losing these matches by miles because players are running out of puff. We are losing them by small margins because of a shockingl poor defensive system adn some careless errors.

And if we are running out of puff, it might also have something to do with our continuous blitzing at breakneck speed like headless chickens - withotu ever pausing for breath