England centre Piers Francis cleared after citing dismissed

In rugby it’s a bit more gentlemanly, once you’re in - you’re in. In future I can still see those coaches with a longer professional memory staying at the top. It’s a hard thing to imitate all that experience - so you still have Hansen, Henry, Deans, Smithy etc coaching well into their 60’s.

He basically started his career as Julian finished his (AB wise). If whatever hes done to fix that problem he’d have probably been the frontline 6 (a weak position as it were).

Whether it has anything to do with playing up north (maybe he had to simply his game for their level of play?) we don’t know.

Agree that he was in a very different position to those other names though.

I think I’ve seen just one drop from him, amazing as he’s kept up his aggressiveness with and around the ball still.

I would have the positive for Hoskins is that he would be treated at face value and appreciated for his unique style, instead of being told what he’s not to be an All Black, but I actually hear things have improved on the communcation front.

If you listen to Nacewa’s post-career interviews, it’s pretty clear that not being able to play for the All Blacks is one of his bigger regrets. I’m not sure that Nacewa’s case was in the back of the minds when the eligibility rules were changed, but he should’ve been.

As far as Moana Pasifika is concerned, I think they’re clearly fulfilling an important role. Players like Danny Toala or Sam Slade - who were always on the fringes of their Super Rugby side and would’ve likely gone to lower-tier Japanese club rugby - are getting game time at a high level and developing nicely. They are being coached by experienced and talented rugby minds - Tana Umaga, Tom Coventry, Stephen Jones, Seilala Mapusua - which will greatly help nations like Samoa and Tonga be competitive in their Test matches. Seems like an improvement to me.

When you say “England” though you’re only thinking about half the equation, and the lesser half at that.