Report: All Blacks snub Ricky Riccitelli signs with Top 14 club

But I think it would actually bring something to SR. If the top teams prove to be competitive at this level and if we get a decent share of any revenue, then it could help bolster the SR competition and give it some additional meaning. And it might draw in the sort of private investors that Europe have. We have a very small market - about 30-32 million population across the Pacific countries that participate. It would be good to be part of something larger that brought more eyeballs from outside. And, if a team like the Reds or the Crusaders or the Drua are competitive, it could get NH fans watching the regular SR competition - buying subscriptions etc.

So, while it won't be easy for us to be involved, it could be beneficial longer term. It is probably better than expanding SR and taking on all the burden of regular travel to places like SA or Japan or S. America, which was part of what brought us undone before.

What might work even better would possible to add some expansion in the region, play SR AU and SR NZ again (with some added Pacific teams) and have the Top 4 from NZ and the Top 2 from the Australian conference included based on recent results.

And every team that loses by 1 or 2 points can claim to be unlucky. Again, not new news.

How much does this guy get paid? Well, halve it & then give away the remaining half to charity.

I think it’s semi-hilarious that England and New Zealand have reverted to the style SA employed - kicking the rubber off the ball for 80 minutes. A style widely panned by everyone, mostly the English and Kiwis!

In England “winning ugly” even became a popular statement. After a sneak victory over Ireland. Now England just lose ugly.

Anyway…

The one area of the AB team that needs serious work is discipline.

The ABs go down to 14 men so regularly you can set your watch to it. It seems now that in an effort to tackle low, ABs aren’t even looking when they tackle!

Who is coaching the ABs defence? Because it’s been sh1t since before the 2023 RWC.

And lastly, scrums. Not enough is being said about the NZ scrum looking behind the curve when missing key personnel. A lot was said about the size and power of the AB pack at the beginning of the season. But NZ have not dominated the big teams. Recently SA and England had NZ on the back foot.

I’m starting to have my doubts about Ryan as a forwards coach. NZ aren’t making strides there.

But in terms of team cohesion, one can tell the ABs are on the up. And that is the thing Razor brings to the party imho. Just need to sort out personnel and selections and build from there.

Who do they expect to get picked then?

none the less . the 2023 springboks won by 1 point against the worst All Black team in history . even with 1 yellow and 1 red . the spring boks couldnt score 1 try . even as a nzlander , my opinion isn't based on bias . because i can see the positives and negatives in all teams . yet the points Ive made highlight the actions of the NZRU and the All Black coaches since 2016 - 2023 that have taken the All Blacks backwards . So it seems the world has caught up to the All Blacks . but the reality is , the standard of the All Blacks lowered from 2016-2023 and that is fact .

even more without the south africans playing in super rugby . super rugby has become weaker . the effects on the All Blacks will show in the next few years in the rugby championship . hopefully the effects dont have dire consequences .