'Very excited': Ex-Wallabies boss Michael Cheika takes up a director of rugby role outside Australia

I think it works especially in america for those types of days. Of course the general idea is that you spend time together and although watch sport is the exact opposite I’d reckon it would probably be a net positive in the end.

Something that has or should have more meaning is another thing entirely though. Or does the day just not have that much meaning anymore either? Like having a ‘rivalry’ with the other nation you’re celebrating as team mates.. well hello? Maybe it’s a good day for the All Blacks v Kangaroos game? Transtasman version of the black clash?

I had read there was a big exodus to France after professionalism which was a major blow, could investment at this critical juncture have kept more of those players, coaches, officials in place and reduced the damage?

It was a major blow for the local championship and the level of the local competition.

This was fixed in 2011 when the Superliga was created - a professional league with 8 teams. I think it had 10 in it’s peak. Having a pro league for a T2 nation is really good but now the issue is there are only 6 teams which means you don’t have a lot of matches during a season. It would’ve been great if there would be again 8 or 10 teams but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

However, for the national side, this exodus was really good. Even now we get benefits from it, although we don’t have as many players abroad, because kids of those players are playing at a higher intensity level in France - ex. Gontineac, Mitu.

SOO is played during the week and just don’t train, because really what is there to train for in league anyway?

The only issue I can see is the ethical one, what do you say about it?

Then being gone can only help Ireland in the lkng run