New hooker on board at Gloucester after raid on Pirates

Face it kids - Ireland is the clear #1 team in the world. France is second.

Yoyre all fighting for scraps at this stage.

Seems to me it would make more sense to travel overseas for tests at the start, or midway through, your season.

These days France are playing 2-1 v Argentina and Uruguay respectively. Picture is always gonna to be a bit warped looking with the All Black lense though. Not sure Aus or SA have done the same thing as often.

Would have made a great rivalry had that been another epic like 23'.

Glad to see you have come around to their attack though. I have felt the same thing, they are just a few clicks away from beating any opponent by a couple of scores again.

I feel like there is opportunity to not just wait for that but to change some personal as well though?

It's a shame to see Ireland go back to their traditional style, though I always held it in high regards and respected it, there is just something surreal about rugby when they've decide to play with the ball. I really hope this is not three stoic sides trying too hard on hold the All Blacks back, I also want to see these teams play some good footy.

Really, he must have been Jorgo's age then...

France need to win V NZ or sending a B team next year will be seen as the French waving the white flag rather than player safety concerns.

Ireland just aren't as dangerous without their clicking flanking backline. Loved some of the direct moves they used instead, and showed a great amount of heart in the 2nd game, but ultimately I don't put those factors in the 'improving' category. Of course they were No 1 and it's very difficult to stay there so it's not like they've gone backwards any great extent.

Yeah we had one of their Kiwi's coming on TV suggesting there was some unknown clicking that happened, but it all looks like a beat up as their defence didn't do any better and they showed this new ability (the players chosen) to attack right from the get go. Obviously all teams improved through the competition and maybe they did improve the most but it was nothing that shouldn't be expected.

Well said, far too many people, including a well known author here, stick it into their team far too much imo. I'm not coming from a view that my team (Wales) have been the best 6N side in recent history, and should continue to be, admittedly. It's just so easy to see rugby going backwards in a few area's in your own country and then immediately apply that to the national team's performances (or vice versa in a case like New Zealands). It's very disrespectful to sides like England when it's suggested they finally clicked and played well to beat Ireland. No, they also had to play well to beat Wales. Did they play great? Did South Africa play great? Both defences left gaping holes all year, and I'll leave you to wonder if you'll see their blitz defence split apart next month.