Be warned... Jordie Barrett has bulked up in the off season

Obviously getting JN in is a big one, but even that is possible more adding to rather than changing. He’s obviously changing things on the field though, which is why we all pretty much didn’t expect results from them this year. Looks like that’s the way it played out, and definitely with the sort of encouraging results that make you believe you’re on the right track.

Would be a superb outfit if they put that all together with trying to find a better way to manage the unique challenge of having a national representee team as your make up. I can only imagine what problems the old Auckland Blues team would have encountered, but they might want to look at the Crusaders example? While not the same scope the Crusaders star players were key All Blacks who often just meandered through the season and that affected results, but were always able to turn it on at the back end when it counted.

Re-read my initial post. Despite your claim I never mentioned financials. I focused purely on the political consequences for SA rugby structures of the Springboks decline in RWC's. My focus in relation to that was entirely on the issue of competitiveness.

SA, as I said, has a much better structured domestic season now than it had in SR. Domestic teams playing in a round robin comp they are in every year is a domestic comp for competitive/development purposes. And as you say, SA's URC teams have to run significantly bigger squads, again a function of having a proper full season for those teams. That is something NZ will eventually emulate.

And, as I said in my second post, after you dragged in financials, the URC's popularity/financials are greater in SA because its a full season and its teams are winning [again something I recognised] in the distinctly lower quality URC, whereas it spent almost all its time in SR losing in much higher quality but shorter comp. The story is radically different in the much higher quality European comps, where the SA are getting crushed year after year.

So, to repeat yet again, what will be the political consequences in SA of the Springboks decline in RWC/WR standings? Will the financial/popularity advantages of getting a proper domestic season be seen to be damaging the Springboks, given the distinctly lower quality of the URC in comparison with SRP? My bet is such a blame game is almost certain. To give themselves a substantial domestic comp and keep the Springboks in TRC [They have no choice] SA are being forced to play 12 months a year. SA, like NZ and Aussie, have developed a habit of improvising solutions instead of building durable structures. A 12 month season is just another improvisation.

And as for the fairy story that being in Europe is better prep for RWC/Test rugby than SR, it fails even on its own facts, let alone in application. SA teams only play Ireland/Wales/Scotland/Italy in the URC. All have been crap at RWC's. And SA teams don't play in Europe long enough to benefit from playing against club teams from England and France. And if you think that playing in Ireland/Wales/Scotland on a wet winters day is less challenging than playing in NZ, April-June, then you're welcome to your short memory.

I doubt the end of the 6N did much for the confidence of the players either. They finished flat as a pancake.

So they might try taking their chances with more first teamers playing consistently in that period, they have no problem with warm weather and usually win the EPCR semi. But you can be TOO careful sometimes.

Selection suggested that they felt they might get an easier ride vs Saints than they did.

Totally agree re Sam Prendergast. The 10’s have to be Russell, Fin Smith and one of Ford or Marcus, maybe both if they want to use Marcus at 15.

The tap wasn’t wrong, they had scored two good tries from it earlier in the game, so they had the variations in their armoury. At that moment it just comes down to desire and poise, in combination.

I’m not sure if Sam Prendergast should go to Aussie with the Lions. Atm I’d take Finn Russell, Fin Smith, either George Ford or Owen Farrell with Marcus Smith as a utility back.