Munster leave it late to climb top, Cuthbert responds to critics

LF coming back is an exciting prospect, but definitely seems to be a position fairly low on options. Billy Proctor obviously right up there but he had some serious defensive wobbles in his two games so far against fairly average opposition, but below that there aren't that many guys pushing for higher honours. Sullivan (when fit for 1 game per season) always looks dangerous, Macleod, Aumua, Umaga-Jensen.

ALB is a conundrum - 81 tests but not consistently excellent enough to own the shirt even after 8 seasons in the team - that must be rare in itself for so many coaches to see a player as the second best option to so many different players starting ahead of him. It's normally the type of thing you see with a halfback or hooker who is behind someone absolutely world class.

HARD MODE: try to answer without sounding like Nick Griffin.

I literally listed all the games under Borthwick where Marcus has started at 10. Do you want me to apologise for telling you who won those games?

"you suggested they didn't use him and used a different setup instead"

I suggested switching out Marcus for Fin. I didn't suggest that that would require other changes elsewhere in the team. My entire argument has been that Fin would better suit the strengths of the rest of the team, and allow England to play an attacking gameplan that (i) comes naturally to the players, and (ii) has worked well for them in the recent past.

"Oh right, so the side is starting to play better with him?"

No, its playing much much worse. In 2022 England didn't lose 5 consecutive games. In 2022 England beat Australia in Australia. In 2021 Marcus Smith helped England beat South Africa. That was the best England have ever looked with Marcus at 10, and its been downhill since then.

"I'd like to see it continue now and see how good a Marcus side could get"

We know the answer to that. Marcus Smith was England's starting flyhalf for 21 months from mid 2021 to the start of 2023, and they went from 3rd in the world to 6th in the world. He's a good club player, but his club performances haven't improved since then, so there's no reason to think there'll be a different outcome this time, and so far there hasn't been. This summer he came into a good (but not great) England team who seemed like they were on the up, and performances have got worse almost every week since.

IMO a little slow to turn on D but perhaps that has improved

Defence is a massive part of test midfield partnerships these days and whilst they polarise (both or one of them) Jor-ko lets little through - put it this way how many midfielders score through them?

Rieko is suffering on distribution but my his scramble D is incredible

It’s another reason why Proctor should be slowly persevered

He could skinned twice by Riley for Japan

Anyway I look forward to seeing Leicester back in black!

He played great in the World Cup quarterfinal then didn’t make the team in the final!!

Jordie given he covers everywhere from 10 to 15 would be an ideal bench option.

Three months must have seemed like three years bank of experience to young Noah! All that input from the grand old man Alun Wyn Jones.😁

Listen to Israel Dagg!