Ulster confirm Ben Moxham's season is over

Taking the whole NH(which in this case is Europe, not N. America and Japan), players have just finished what is for many, a long and arduous season. There will be niggling injuries to heal, operations to perform. And family time, holidays.

I will accept that your statistics, Nick, do show that the French could have picked a far stronger squad. And therefore why should it not be the autumn window that should not exist ? At the heels of the hunt, professional players in this era are just under far too heavy demands for the good of their bodies and minds.

An interesting article, thanks for writing….a good lead in to the game later today. Be one hell of a shock if the French win. As a neutral, I am probaly going to find myself swinging behind France. But I must be honest, and say in the tipping comp. I have gone for the AB’s by 21 pts.

Did France just never show enough interest when touring foreign non French speaking countries, and so the Top 14 saw a chance to take advantage?

Glad the kid is playing in the U20 WC!

You just have zero legs to stand on refuting the message in the article, arguing the usefulness of some information provided is just avoiding the issue. A point actually I note NB has already made.

The bottom line is if France wants to have the best welfare programs for it’s players, it needs to make adjustments to it’s domestic rugby. It will not be allowed to be a Tier 1 reciprocal nation if it doesn’t.. reciprocate!

Sideline is comparing against NZ players because they have the best playerwelfare in rugby, perhaps all of sport, not sure where he would have got his numbers from (perhaps they are the real numbers the players have played? Very misleading still) but you are still confirming his point for him that French players aren’t overworked and don’t need to be withheld from big games.

If you like that example for helping you get an accurate picture though a more like for like and meaningful comparison would be;

Aaron Smith - 280 / 18k min

TJ Perena - 260 / 13k min

Dupont 250 / 14.5k

All data taking from 2014 on, obviously, and might be of questionable accuracy (all.rugby). Correction: Duponts data started one year later sorry, and includes his rookie year where the other two don’t (not a full season of selection).

Again, showing the picture of a incredibly well looked after player and were anybody in the same boat should be taking any advantage they can to play three more tough games. Not saying he has it as easy of course, only having a month or two between seasons (offseason) is a significant detriment.

But with a longest losing streak by the ABs against any international team, a French win would be PROBABLE with the known Frenchman, so easily POSSIBLE with unknowns, i.e. unknown to most kiwis. It would certainly liven up the series & silence the France B whinging, even if warranted.It would CERTAINLY liven up AB selection chats.