Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins leaves province 'with a heavy heart'

AFAIK the feeling was that Slimani was all but washed up in the Top 14 so that was a great bit if business by Leinster. Jordie for six months was a new type of deal anyone would have taken.

Hopefully it leads to wider two-way cooperation between the NZR and Leinster in future - maybe with some Irish players travelling south to SRP! There are not many clubs NZR would conisder doing that sort of business with.

Tom Clarkson could turn out to be the answer to your prop question, he came good when it mattered.

1 Williams, DeGroot, Norris

2 Taylor, Taukei’aho, Aumua

3 Lomax, Newell, Tosi

4 S. Barrett, Tuipulotu

5 Va’ai, Holland, Lord

6 Blackadder, Finau

7 Savea, Kirifi

8 Sititi, Lakai

9 Roigard, Ratima, Hotham

10 B. Barrett, McKenzie

11 Clarke, Carter

12 J. Barrett, Tupaea, Tavatavanawai

13 Proctor, Ioane

14 Narawa

15 Jordan, Love

The biggest test for the school academy pipeline though is yet to come. We’re already seeing them begin to struggle for (Irish) depth in the prop department and there isn’t the same residency path available anymore for imports. SP still has it all to prove and similar challenges in the backs are also looming when JGP and Lowe call it quits too.

So he is far more athletic than what you give him credit for.

And at 1.98m and 118kgs, he is definitely one of NZ’s heavier locks.

He is a massive lose for the Hurricanes who have the weakest pool of locks among the 5 NZ franchises.

I think the issue when the Bulls were in occupation in the Leinster A-zone before half-tiem was that they never varied their play. It was all pick plays or one-out drives and Leinster condensed around the ball. They never trusted their backs in those situations, or combination plays.

But ahreed by gae Leinster’s best of the season, maybe even their best for the last two or three seasons under pressure to win a trophy!

AS Jake said, there is not he strnegth in depth in any of the four SA squads to compete on two fronts at once, and maybe not even in the URC by itself. ‘Leinster is the benchmark for hte Bulls’.

It’s been said by others, but getting shut out in the last 5 mins of the first half really hurt them. They threw everything at Leinster. Even a 5 pointer in the corner keeps the game going. Just didn’t fall for them. Le Roux getting frustrated and kicking the ball into stands after he knocked on in the 2nd half was game over.

Still, it took Leinster’s best performance of the season to get it done and four SA finalists and one winner across the 4 seasons is by no means a bad return. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of younger talent beginning to develop and get going for the SA teams and it will come good at some stage.

Fullname denotes form rookie/bolters

Players not considered due to injury or contract status

Ofa

Darry

ALB

Caleb Tangitau

Stevenson

There are lots of other names being talked about and you might get one of those selected.

Some for me would be;

Riley Higgins

TK Howden

Flanders

Tanielu Tele’a

ENS

Cullum Harkin

But theres a couple of interesting others too, just a lot of really good performances this year by new guys that you dont know how to really rate/expect. A lot of those names will shift position to be utilized at a high level of course, so order in positions doesn’t mean likelyhood.

Not many standout centers this year for you guys?