Kieran Read names his 2025 British and Irish Lions captain

That is some wishful thinking of course, so San Diego it will be again no doubt.

In the past I'm pretty sure teams like the Maori All Blacks have held test status for their oppositions, this needs to be extended to other All Black teams because you are not going to get the All Blacks sending a team to like Fiji were a B or C team could easily lose.

That is to say Fiji have received NZ XV teams etc, which will be the same players, from the B or C top side etc, but the game loses something, especially in their capacity to make money out of the All Black brand if theyre forced to play a team called New Zealand XV by WR. Essentially, if you haven't followed so far, WR to allow these types of fixtures to act like tests for one side, while the other can choose not to count it as a test (where currently a test game is a test game to my understanding). This will allow bigger nations to show much more freedom with the amount of T2 countries like Japan, and Italy etc they can play, let alone the USA or Georgia type team.

He's also already got Mo'unga I'd say, what he'd be asking of Robinson (or whoever takes over) is that the rules are bent to all his inclusion without first representing Canterbury. Razor will need a lot of good will spirit heading his own way if he selects Mo'unga to start in July against France.

When a Dupont-less, understrength B-team French outfit heads over to Aotearoa in July for a highly anticipated series down under, nothing less than a 3-0 sweep will suffice for the All Blacks. 

You aren't very good at sneaking a look at what's in the Xmas hamper around you Henry? If Toulouse somehow fluff one of their knockout games they will be able to tour (only players in the Final are excluded) and it will basically be Dupont's Toulouse versus all of New Zealand in July. They will be VERY hard to beat.

The old Christmas excitement gets the best of everybody. Personally I think Razor would be saving up backline wish for some creativity and spark till next Xmas. Mostly he'll wanting to stay in the good books and for fans to pay attention next year.

It seems like the idea of Ardie Savea moving to openside flanker is no longer on the table, and World Breakthrough 15’s Player of the Year Wallace Sititi seems to have locked down the number six jersey.

Ardie was selected as an openside flanker against France, two games ago. Dalton Papali'i is the incumbent though and while the jersey number is largely irrelevant, he might still want somebody to stand out in the 6 jersey next year.

It would be my own wish that Ardie is asked to be selected at 7 again, and play like a 7, though. I really hope that no one stands out in the 6 jersey for Razor though, so he's forced to think creatviely and move Scott Barrett there lol

I don't think there is a real godfather of Argie rugby itself as over time many countries have had a huge influence.

There was this period when the Saffas toured as "Gazelles", I remember watching Morné du Plessis as a "gazelle"...

Tactically, it is about what is best for them. If they don't have any player that can kick the ball, then obviously they want to avoid that. The same way that if they don't have hieight or strength in the lineout, they don't want to make the ball go dead. I'd imagine they just simply are well off the place in terms of athletes, so couldn't make that game plan, or any really, work.

Oh, and the other thing I want to reply with is, isn't it so hard to track these teams from week to week, especially over competitions, when they under go so much change? Taking a quick look at their last 4 games, it looks like they rotated for their away CC fixture. I remember watching that Leinster game, and I think Nick even half reported on it, as well, despite what Tom said below about obviously not having the depth or power of those two top European sides (English sides strength is going to have to be their cohesion for the immediate future) they battled squarely with them well into the second half ddin't they.