Greig Laidlaw set for long-awaited Japanese debut

He would be surrounded by ppl as talented as he and forced to work hard for a spot - that would give him a sense of perspective I don’t feel he always has in Aussie…

If he saw just how hard Tadhg Furlong and Andrew Porter work at their games for example, it might have given him food for thought He might have even more talent than Tadhg but he’s not the same mature man on a rugby field.

Scrums have been okay - Tahs are still tops in the overall pen count at +8 - but the work rate outside it is a problem.

It’s hard to say what the trigger for an improvement will be. As you say I’m sure being around AAA, BPA and the other islanders will help with the sense of ‘family’… but he’s 28 now and we should be seeing the very best of him regularly. Instead we’re still wondering who will turn up.

FYI I don’t feel he’s someone who can be ‘whipped’, he has to be nurtured.

Nongorr’s improving, De Lutiis still very raw judging by his performance v Tamaiti, so they will have to go with some combo of TT and AAA. But who starts, and for how long?

Even DMK cannot make TT get involved if he doesn’t seem to want to!

The best match Aussie played up front last November was with Skelton at 4 and Uru at 6 against Wales, when they reversed the maul trend from July. With HW in for Seru the following week v Scotland, not so good.

There was a reason that arrnagement doesn’t work so well! The other legit option is to shift Williams to 6 wher he would be comfortable vs. SA for example.

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; especially for a team with such a good backline. The 1998-2003 All Blacks often only had 2 or 2 and a half jumpers. Their lineout was often the weak point.

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. Does Kirifi’s talent make up for losing a jumper; maybe if the blindside and number eight can jump? It’s not like Savea is playing poorly.

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”.