Eddie Jones lands Barbarians job against old rival

I wonder how much of this is down to the thought that Gatland put into their selections (perhaps the core group of 25 were selected purely on the basis of being good at rugby, whereas the more surprising selections were chosen on the basis of adding something specific to a test side), or to the fact that the more surprising selections came into camp feeling they had something to prove, so rose to the occasion in training and midweek games moreso than the established names did.

Either way - will be interesting to see how things play out this time around!

As per Miz question, how does a team go about that rise you reckon? Someone got hold of the club and drove an interest in participation back with it, or just another generational thing?

Also, a question I gave Miz, do you think the AIL has the ability to go somehere, be more than what it is now, like the Championship over in England etc? If it doesn’t get the same spotlight as those other examples ofc, it might do already? Sydney club footy has several thousand attend its finals games etc.

NZ and Ireland both use provinces but Aussies States are far more inline with your provinces right? I was wondering if the AIL had clubs that were on the tipping point of wanting to become pro, how close could they get to a current Ulster etc. I’m guess the Ulster players no longer have much to do with their former clubs, unlike how SR players jump back to their equivalent provinces? So one of those Ulster teams wouldn’t say have half a dozen URC players who would otherwise represent them?

I’m wondering how close their structure can get to being a good back drop for the Aussie players once SR is finished, if the top structures are similar (State v Province), could Irelands club system also be used, but most importantly, would it be good enough?

BTW ty for the reply, I actually had the tables up and had no idea who was who lol

There is still a very big following and favourtism for rep rugby over ‘club’ or the pro rugby teams here. I wonder if Ulster has just lost that edge of what it meant to be a rep team? Were as Leinster have been able to embrace the new ‘club’ persona far more enthusiastically?

Could be that ‘pro’ vibe just eating into what were the strengths of your traditional teams?

Ulster have certainly been pretty good since I’ve been noticing, though sure, clearly under Leinsters spotlight. Picked up on a few of this years unfortunate results though. Happens to the best, hopefully things turn around.

Ah right, so in a similar boat to the Ulster schools? If it’s anything like here, I don’t know why that should matter much. Widely varying results from within NZ despite heavily funded/wealth Auckland sides to my understanding, totally about the crop of players coming through. Though that might still be a key point of difference in perspective, with although not in numbers, rugby still being the dominant sport here?