Pays de Galles : quatre changements contre l'Australie

El-Abd is doing poorly in the D2 as a DoR; a position he was promoted to on the basis of good performances as a defence and forwards coach.

Sinfield, Borthwick, and Wigglesworth are the real talents in the English set up, but El-Abd and Harrison are much better than they are given credit.

Same happened with ses and he’s now with Edinburgh, which was a slightly odd decision because they’ve got some serious issues as a club and have had for a long time now. Regardless, it showed some backbone to decline the opportunity to be under his big brothers wing at glasgow and he may well have the makings of an equally good player.

Apparently there’s a third one too, who is said to have potential to be the best of them, playing at hooker with the tahs. So they will prob need to ensure he gets a few early opportunities or he will be heading north pdq as well…

1. His time has slipped and the game has moved on. Evidenced by the lions in SA, the Chiefs and now wales just not making significant gains

2. His record with wales was outstanding and sustained over achievement first time and welsh rugby is in the financial 💩

On balance if it was my call, I believe in loyalty but only where it’s justified and for me that holds with Gatland for now, at least through the 6N and maybe until the end of 25.

I think you've mistaken the big bucks low level league with Japan Rugby League One stars welcomed at their prime (Mo'unga, de Klerk, Matera, PSDT, de Jager, Mostert, Kolbe, Kriel, Barrett, Savea, Cane, Koroibete, Perenara, Kwagga Smith, de Allende, Kolbe, Wiese, Marx) because it pales a bit. 12 of of the 30 players that started the RWC final play in Japan. With a maximum of 16 games/season. In France it's up to 29 to be get the Top14 title, plus the Champions Cup.

Try to keep up the rythm with more than twice as many games.

I guess you've read their interviews on the intensity of Top14, right? Right?

The biggest Top14 stars are in great majority French players, because the JIFF policy has changed the way French clubs operate.

The era of Carter, Botha, Wilkinson, Kaino, Smith or the others mentioned before is over.