Round nine NPC: Returning All Black makes statement, Highlanders' pair shine

When the Aussie fans cracked up and got angry when Joe Schmidt was appointed, I said to them to be patient, that he will get them on the right track. They said that he is not Australian and he won nothing. Second best. I should mind my own business because I don't know the Aussie ways, which is true as I'm SA.

However, now that he is bringing in results, they are all changing their minds. Joe is all in when he coaches a team. There is no team he supports more than the team he coaches. His quality is shining through properly now.

It's going to be a very tight game, much tighter than people realise. Both teams is playing exciting rugby right now. They both want to win. I'd even go as far as marking this game as the top game of the weekend.

He puts out teams knowing they can provide that W. It's all that matters. When people talk about it, they won't remember specific results, only that SA had a clean sweep. Won 11/13 matches and that they were the dominant team, continuing winning from the WC to TRC through the Autumn Nations series. Lost only 2 games by 1 point.

That is what will be remembered. That they have proven that it's not a fluke being double WC Champs. The result of this game is straightforward. I feel for the Welsh players, because they are being fed to the wolves by the WRU. It will only become better once those fools are sacked.

On the Joe El defence, the shooter variation has been made to look more like a schoolboy error and it’s always going to be vulnerable to special plays. If you look at the Boks example, a two man miss pass, if they had gone on the outside, puts the England full back in trouble trying to cover a 3 v 2 overlap and they’re fully cooked if the missed Bok inside runners are moving fast in support. And the all blacks cut back was sublime with the pass inside to Jordan eliminating the need that arendse had to step the first defender on the short side. Cracking analysis Nick and it seems to show that Joe’s plan is almost doomed from the off…?

Regardless of the game, or which team you favor, both teams are likely to have "left points behind" or "gifted" their opponents some scores.

The truth is that in these four games NZ were not good enough to impose themselves and deliver the wins. Teams can improve, and I hope NZ does so, but let's not avoid the fact that they tried and failed.

Its not "left wins behind", but "this year we weren't good enough".

I don't think your claims about a lack of buy-in from England players is right though. What evidence do you have for that? As you can see, I could only find positive comments.

The EP is also the highest ball-in-play league in the world right now, so I don't buy the lazy and unfit line on England players. The problem is the system not the players.