The ex-New Zealand Under 20 enforcer who is set to play for Reds in Japan

As for the idea that a squad should have a third string specialist 8 - Please!

I think at least if players like Paisami, Noah, McReight can go overseas (your idea), you will at least be able to make a more accurate opinion on their level relative to those also currently being os!

Best I think to just extend the current deal with Stan until the future has a more solid outlook, would be a shame to come out with a great rugby concept in a few years and but stuck into a longterm broadcast deal where it's impossible for a broadcaster to know the value. Wasted money (I'm confident things will continue improving).

So not now, but you'd hope double soon enough, a broadcaster is not going to see as much value in RWC hosting rights if it has not earned the rugby viewers confidence (so the next three years rights gain that important/value/confidence growing opportunity to sell big advertising rights come 2027 etc. I'm sure SR is actually still on the up in aus, I saw a graphic a few years ago now showing the decline in players going overseas, I wouldn't say i've noticed it being different in aus. Would be interesting to see a more updated report showing 23's cycle.

Hard to really see that concept working if it hasn't already, but I like the idea. I thought the Force would have welcome spending big money on some stars with Twiggy's backing (which I though he would provide if asked) but they appear to have gone State focused like the rest. Could they be persuaded to look overseas, along with ACT, to up the anty? Imagine two high profile clubs like them paired with the two massive State focused teams in QL and NSW battling it out with NZs stacked sides?

This "people don't like us because we're so good" fantasy is in itself arrogant. Ireland and Leinster are good but not demonstrably better than everyone else. Dismissing comments about how different nations dislike them so much - at a time when coaches and players are careful not to say anything controversial in public - just masks reality.

There's a saying here, "if a kiwi decides to go earn a living in australia, it raises the IQ of both countries!", the same could also be said of SAn teams raising the standards of both SR and the URC when they ditched it. Be careful what you sow.

Can't see Perth as being interested in what happened there Steve.

Teams are liked or disliked according to their own behaviour. Being one of the top teams hardly means that you're going to be disliked more than the other top teams.

Going that direction could have knock on effects of raising the current standard of Super, increasing interest, making it more marketable, resulting in star players wanting to stay, and then finally, possibly, even making Australia more successful (if with less depth). The comp and teams will no longer be 'for Australians', they will simply be like most other privately owned clubs. If that became successful then investment can be put into that bunch of players underneath who have been missing out, and therefor raise more Super quality locals as a result in time (taking the squads back to being largely Australian players).

Because I agree, there is plenty of talent out there. NZ would be the first place to attempt this, even paying them back that 8 or 9 million loan they got from them might be enough compensation to allow NZR to release their players to Aussie SR sides (individuals still paid by NZR). When there's only 4 teams, just a small number of quality signings will make a big difference, then see how success the sport is locally once they're winning the majority of their home games.

Which blows apart the argument that the All Blacks can't take a team rising to challenge them. Behaviour is taken on its own merits.

Fun fact: New Zealand have progressed further than Ireland in every single Rugby World Cup.

But enough of that. Ireland have done a fantastic job to build their pathways to become the best run rugby country in Europe, maybe the world.

Sititi is more a 7 than a 6, and I would have liked Lakai and him to be behind DP (though not playing). Razor suggested Sotutu would have been the next call up but I wonder if Lakai shouldn't have actually been. A lot of criticisms of Razors selections, Ethan, Bell, Fihaki, even Havili.

Isn't this also Farrell's first gig? I don't know if I'd classify counter mauling as a specific/anti SA trick, or a very reasonable and calculated player selection. But I take your point. I still think next season will define him a lot more and give him the chance to put him on the pedestal you already think he's good enough for.

You shouldn't have need Sexton to admit it in his book to agree with that.