Giant ex-NFL hopeful George Smith exits Northampton for France

Also..

“1. Mayco Vivas – 6Yellow carded for collapsing a maul that led to a penalty try, but had little choice in the moment. Held his own in a

Surely you can do the ratings on what really happened and not what was ruled on the field? Or as per some of the other comments did your one eye not allow you to see Cowie/Dickie actually dive for the line when he was ruled to be brought down?

We just need our game to be better than this, that’s the problem. People were tuning in and that lackluster effort just wouldn’t be enough to propel SR to the top. Dmac looked lost yet again, and they seemed incapable of spreading the ball without being able to go forward first.

And this explaining to people that really understand how hard it is to reach the final, well that just tells me you don’t understand the talent you have at your disposal.

That said, it was a great turn around from the team after that Gatland season. I can’t remember whether it was his or your first season, but losing every game but less the 7 points, and then to nearly win every game for the following season was a great effort and required great leadership. A lot of teams would die for a coach that can get them into contention and keep the consistency up.

Previously the Chiefs had Finau, Lord and Samisoni coming on, this time it was Boshier, Tupou and McAllister. Meanwhile their opponents had Grace, Hannah, Bower and Bell.

At the start of Andy Farrell’s tneure he was only picking half a dozen Leinster players to start for Ireland, it was Leinster’s domestic success that persuaded him otherwise, so I’d be inclined to see it as part of a natural cycle of dominance.

Ulster have had deep squads and good crops of youngsters coming through before, so how best to do it again? Which was my original question to you.