Four debutants named in explosive Black Ferns team to host USA

So he is far more athletic than what you give him credit for.

And at 1.98m and 118kgs, he is definitely one of NZ’s heavier locks.

He is a massive lose for the Hurricanes who have the weakest pool of locks among the 5 NZ franchises.

I think the issue when the Bulls were in occupation in the Leinster A-zone before half-tiem was that they never varied their play. It was all pick plays or one-out drives and Leinster condensed around the ball. They never trusted their backs in those situations, or combination plays.

But ahreed by gae Leinster’s best of the season, maybe even their best for the last two or three seasons under pressure to win a trophy!

AS Jake said, there is not he strnegth in depth in any of the four SA squads to compete on two fronts at once, and maybe not even in the URC by itself. ‘Leinster is the benchmark for hte Bulls’.

It’s been said by others, but getting shut out in the last 5 mins of the first half really hurt them. They threw everything at Leinster. Even a 5 pointer in the corner keeps the game going. Just didn’t fall for them. Le Roux getting frustrated and kicking the ball into stands after he knocked on in the 2nd half was game over.

Still, it took Leinster’s best performance of the season to get it done and four SA finalists and one winner across the 4 seasons is by no means a bad return. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of younger talent beginning to develop and get going for the SA teams and it will come good at some stage.

Fullname denotes form rookie/bolters

Players not considered due to injury or contract status

Ofa

Darry

ALB

Caleb Tangitau

Stevenson

There are lots of other names being talked about and you might get one of those selected.

Some for me would be;

Riley Higgins

TK Howden

Flanders

Tanielu Tele’a

ENS

Cullum Harkin

But theres a couple of interesting others too, just a lot of really good performances this year by new guys that you dont know how to really rate/expect. A lot of those names will shift position to be utilized at a high level of course, so order in positions doesn’t mean likelyhood.

Not many standout centers this year for you guys?

Yes McKay was an excellent foil for Thorn with his more cerebral approach. Reds prob improved more in BT’s first two seasons than they have under Les.

The current lot should be well deep enough in the forwards to sruvive their injury list, but they don’t seem to have the minds to change things when the plan doesn’t work. The trio you mention [JOC, Hamish and Hegarty] represented a lot of good rugby I.Q and that isn’t there right now.

That ‘golden generation’ of forwards did not approach their task with the same SR attitudes which had been tried and failed so many times previously. Under Rassie, the emphasis was diametrically opposite.

He has always been careful to keep the Kiwi influence firmly at arm’s length. Select from overseas, leave SR, shift north. And Tony Brown is just one room in a very big Springbok mansion.😉