Federico Ruzza hat-trick helps Benetton to comfortable victory

Yes, agreed. With Razor I worry it’s far worse than being scared, there are real tendencies there that might be much harder to overcome than basic fear.

I’m OK with the idea Italy, having drew with France, weren’t a team to F with. Given games to retiring vets like Cane and TJ was a good fit, but I don’t know what could have been going through his mind to think players like Ardie would be giving 100. You just can’t do it on the last game of an exhausting year.

If he was scared of Italy’s ability, and losing, the only logical action would be to bring in fresh players whos mind was 100 on the job. Willing to go at 110 to prove themselves.

It’s just about box ticking MO, you can read it in the articles quotes. Are you not familiar with this modern fad? All the reasons you highlight against in you middle paragraph get used for by in Razor in his goals of 4-4-4. Is it box ticking for the sake it it? Yes if your a cynical olf fart like me, it definitely is. So in terms of raw value of what his options where I’m with you, at least.

He played for Counties-Manukau in NZ about a decade ago and was part of the Chiefs training squad and then…disappeared.

As is that halves, with a class showing by Fakatava against the Lions, really isn’t a position they don’t have four international 9’s in.

Frankly, Hotham seems like he has far more upside than Ratima, who is looking more and more like the next TJ Perenara. Good defence and running lines, but doesn’t offer much else that’s top-shelf.

Yes the game has improved as a spectacle since it went professional, but it’s becoming more and more like football. Gone are the rounded people from varied backgrounds who played for fun, now it’s about rugby automatons and people representing a nation because it’s convenient and financially lucrative.

The salary cap going up will hasten the demise of the professional game in this country. I won’t mourn it one little bit.