Derick Hougaard given '50-50' chance by doctors

Cale is still growing into his body and inlikely to be ready for the Lions.

Even if A Savea only gets thrown the ball once a game, as he is a viable option the opposition have to cover him. If they double mark another jumper, then he is wide open. He could even get the odd steal if the opposition throw to the back and the throw is a bit off.

The lineout is the best attacking platform. The All Blacks were lucky the Springboks lineout was wobbly in 2024, otherwise they may have gotten well beaten, instead of close losses. It starts with solid set piece.

Though Kirifi would give 100%, being under six foot as a test forward would mean he would have to be Ritchie McCaw level awesome to get a real shot. But, who knows what Robertson is thinking.

It only works (but then I’m not sure it works when I choose southern either) /is used for the home page where you click on the Rugby Pass banner (not if you go to news after that).

At best I think the French fans can hope that players are making their voices known that they are not accepting of how the LNR (though I can’t see how they can be blamed for the dates of the test fixtures) are using them.

The SA’n RP crew had Reinach as their 9? I agree though, Rassie is not going to change much. I hope he players le Roux over Fassie again.

Also read up on Aled Walters opinion on age.

What, where he says “I don't really think about it.”?

I tend to agree with you.

However, Wilson has been good, and a good captain. I say this despite my belief that McReith is the best long term captain option.

From memory, we have got away with it when both Skeleton and Wilson were both on the park, but it might only have been one match.

If Joe is going to stick with Wilson, and presuming Skeleton plays, I think that the way to do it is to mix up the lineout in the first half, and use Skeleton for a couple of surprise lineouts first up (as he has done in France), a couple to Frost, a couple to Wilson, then back to Frost and one to Valetini! That sort of thing.

In the second half, bring Uru on for Wilson after 55, and LSL on for Skeleton at 65. The second half lineout would be more “normal”.

Like I see another post mentioned Berdeu was mentioned at 10 where I’d imagine the poster likes the look of the player, where I was just going by my very rudimentary hierarchy and stat (what opta have of the stats hub and where Berdeu is fairly low) visibility.

If Toulouse or, and, Bordeaux are not in the final

It might be overly critical but with the current state of the Top 14 I can’t see it being anyone else J Marc.

You touch on a very pertinent question I have been asking myself though, what is going to happen to the players outside the Finals game day 23?

I’d imagine that the plane to NZ would already have left, so any of the really good players that can’t make the final selection for their club (but could have for France), will still be needed by their club to stay in France incase someone gets injured for the final. Do you know if that is right?

Yeah I feel that they will still apply the ‘premium’ rule to some players, they’ll need a leader though.

So you think he will try to look to the future rather than make the most competitive team possible?

That might make it a lot easier, it will be very interesting what Razor does in that same respect though J Marc! It’s sounding like it’s going to be the exact same group of tested All Blacks again.

That old chestnut has been found out in some Nick Bishop articles if you’re interested.

Currently the players Top 14 sides look to be rest/not using in demand players more than France. It’s all well and good and a huge improvement in player management I understand but it’s all because of the underlying problem of the length of the Top 14, not player minutes. They simply don’t get more than a months holiday and thats totally absurd. Crap, it might actually be they only get a months holiday if they don’t play in July, can’t quite remember.

And I’m not sure that exhausted “premium players” would do better that “fresh” young lads.

You really don’t understand the French dilemma at all do you. These ‘fresh’ players you speak are the ones that need the rest, not the “premium players”. They are simply not cared about because they are not the top 20 that are critical to France’s success.