Under-19 player of the year and new Blues recruit set for first Canterbury start in Ranfurly Shield challenge

Why make a change just to squeeze in DMac? He is best as a bench player.

The discussion should be about how to build a winning record, not about the excuses for losing.

BTW - the kick that hit the upright missed the centre line of the posts by over 2.8m.

By the way, 12 Quinn Tupaea and 13 AJ Lam both played outstanding on both sides of the ball vs Munster today. I really hope both Tupaea and Lam replace ALB and Havili next season.

Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.

Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.

Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

It’s weird watching the ABs. In the past, the passes always stuck. The offloads always stuck. There were a few times tonight they looked like scoring many more times. Maybe it’s confidence, but in time they’ll find their rhythm

England never looked like winning. Even after they went ahead. They certainly weren’t the better side. NZ’s ill discipline (again) kept England in it.