Former Wales and Lions captain and coach John Dawes dies

"Innovator", you are joking. First job of the Coach is to select the best players to play the positions from 1 to 15. Borthwick fails the first job of a Coach.

From Peter O’Mahony’s comments to Sam Cane to Reiko Ioane’s message to Johnny Sexton last year, this is now a Test with a lot of “spice”, to which Brooke believes “if you’re going to give it out, you’ve got to take it as well.”

I think "Arrogance" is the word here.

Sledging during the match is not the same as abusing players and spectators after the final whistle.

As well as that being a nastily arrogant act, NZs inability to admit when they get things wrong is a further symptom of entitlement and arrogance.

Mocking beaten players and spectators is wrong: even when the "Great All Blacks" no ifs, no buts.

Remember NZ were too big to have a beer with a team they didn't rate, never mind swap a jersey. Perhaps time these "Humble Heroes" were brought down to earth a bit.

A truly global game like soccer, where everybody plays, and the winners are truly world class: they shake hands, they swap jerseys, they respect opponents.

Seems like a worse team than last week

Agree

It can also be good for the kicker to have booing!

Of course, but that was (a) a final, and more importantly, (b) the weather was cr*p. However, if we fast forward to Oz 2027 where it will hopefully be dry, the very ability to score tries will be a major factor - much like the 2019 final in a reasonably dry Japan where the Boks scored two tries against the poms in thrashing them 32-12.

NZ gave England two chances and relied on luck to win. Can't you just be honest?

Ireland entered NZ's 22, fifteen times in 2023 scoring only an average 1.4 points per visit.

That was a better AB team. We are a better developed, majorly more accurate team with better attacking and defending systems. NZ put out a new defensive system just for Ireland in 2023. There won't be as many surprizes tomorrow.

Telling the truth that this NZ team is not a 'great team' is not writing them off. This was an Irish rugby journalists saying Ireland have a chance. Rugby journalists in NZ have been consistently saying NZ will win all three of the hard matches. Don't throw stones when youre standing in a glasshouse.

That was a sledge during a match. Happens all the time in International rugby.

When the match is over you shake hands. Abusing players and spectators after the final whistle is something completely different. I think you know that.

Why were NZ whinging after the Ireland series then?

What you said just shows NZ are entitled. Everyone else are whingers except NZ because they have good cause to whinge.

Everyone else are arrogant except NZ cause they are the best and so have good cause to be arrogant etc etc

Hypocrisy and self righteousness are two sides of the same coin.

It seems like the 4th best hooker in the country by every measure. Fair enough to bring Bell in because he is younger, to be see guys older than him then selected for the ABs XV when they can't earn a start ahead of him in SR or NPC is crazy. He must have done something to someone, it's the only explanation.

100% agree!!!

It’s shite

Shows how the margins are razor (no pun intended) thin at the top level.

Ford's kick goes 4 inches to the left and the narrative is 'England win despite not being at their best in first game of the season.'

Harlequins went to Cardiff in the European Cup last year and stuck 54 points on them barely breaking sweat.

I know of no fan interest in the Welsh regions joining the English league.

There's zero interest amongst English club fans I've talked to in the Welsh joining the English Prem

There's a few coming through. Fasogban is a monster and Billy Sela will be very good as well. the race is on to see if they can be developed in time for the RWC.

Nadolo? Mataele?😁

200K per match??? Unreal.

Well if we don't pitch, they can hurt us.