Ireland to play first ever Test match against Portugal in 2025

2. I had to work the system for that one. Fortunately my kiwi mates haven’t figured it out yet.

It all feels like a hollow victory.

Funny I was just on URC site today look to see if we can access the replays and I saw all the team logos with branding on the SA'n ones. Very much what it turned/segregated into in SR too.

Australia weren't as ready. They tried to set it up as an independent comp and invited aussie (and others) teams to join but there was no trust between NZR and RA at that point so they stepped in and blocked their sides from joining. They only just agreed to an independent board this year and ofc things haven't gone well on their side.

Even the new side Moana Pacifika was too rushed to really work well. The plan for them needed to be embedded for a while like the Drua were before they joined SR. Not that I'd think that would be a guarantee that they were a success.

I actually thought COVID was the perfect opportunity to do something simpler, but still with value, like what others suggested locally above. I think a test match level competition like SR is designed for is a very overrated concept and would have welcomed something with like the TOP 14's tradition but on a Div 2 level.

It's just so predictable. Get injured, come back and try to prove you're the man by playing 'catchup' football and trying everything. He looked big, he looked strong, he looked fast, he made it look like boys against men. But every single thing he tried to pull off failed miserably because he's trying to play well above his means. He looked like Ross Taylor trying to slog 6 himself back into record breaking form.

He's just got no nouse on the field, very similar to the Barretts in that respect. Not saying he can't force his way in but there's no way I risk giving this guy even 20 minutes against the big teams incase he was enough to lose the match. He can wait to come back in once he's proved he's playing well (which he hasn't had a chance to do at any point this year due to injury, pretty much mirroring his whole career).

Those problems you highlight were fixed though, and France did in fact seen full sides after 2009, as I pointed out. I was just wondering if for instance there were other instances similar to losing to NZ by 50 points because of a weak squad that you could highlight.

I know you're just trying to defend your team but I think you are doing them a.. a disservice, I don't think they are quite as bad as you make out.

I guess I'm agreeing with half of his statement if I can't remember ! Camillo?

No, one thing I noticed for sure was that England players were higher on the minutes played list (which I think was league only data) than France (admittedly I wasn't half as good with the names then). But if I recall right their european minutes were less.