France hooker Julien Marchand faces race to make knockout stages

I watched the highlights of this game and never noticed how useful Halfpenny was in D!

Yes, not undeveloped, more unrealized. What is it's potential? I studied some viewership numbers quite a bit after the RWC and I didn't get the impression their was only a fraction of the population that follows the national team. A fraction in my language would not mean you're trying to say a 'small' amount. A see a nation like Australia as being very similar but without that domestic league angle. Their crowds will fluctuate widely for the Wallabies, but for them, the national game can still outstrip the support for the highest participation local competitions. I agree that keys to unlocking eyes and spreading the game in France is an increased importance on the national teams results, and real meaning to those results, that can compete to the importance of the local game for fans. I think that's a give in. That must be hard when no other location the team visits speaks French though. I know for the All Blacks when they go away the goal is always continueing to exert dominance in the sport, to continue the amazing record and story. I could easily see the relevance in eoyt's fading for NZ if that was no longer a thing.

What I would also suggest would need to happen before I could envisage change to this current situation is not continueing to dilute the product by having too much of it. That, at least, is a big one in the sports that I know who want to realise their potential. Perhaps for rugby in France the opposite is true and it will lose fans if soccer is seen to have more 'content'?

Though to be fair I wasn't trying to mock Italy, just their 6N opposition, so as their captain and vice captain are great people, they'll probably let it slide ;)

Do you think Ireland have what it takes to send their big dogs to Chicago Terry? Or do you think others will just say the same thing as you and that the All Blacks are 'below them'🧏

You might fool Ed..

Correction to using NB's profile, I think that can double up the URL/article name if the comment isn't visible (not require you to add anything, you need to actually remove some in this circumstance).

Urgent is what yuo would describe the All Blacks situation was after their win in South African and they found they do actually have a group of players that can win the big games. SA's current situation is the complete opposite of that for sure. What I would do is supplant the word urgent with immediate, but here I am giving out advice on how to read Ben Smith articles without getting click baited, so indeed, take that for the grain of salt it is and dismiss all that follows in this article instead :)

That value is as highlighted, in his marketing. That's what he was purchased for. How many millions was he supposed to pay back RA again haha?

So while he would indeed by a better footy player if he got to make all his mistakes and look lost now rather than next year, it will detract from milking that value. And if they did wait longer, of course he would make fewer mistakes and look less lost in Super Rugby than in Gold next month. You know Joe well though, he's not really likely to play him, is he?

I'm joking of course Nick. Australia aren't much different from France and if the games aren't 'local' they're not likely to pay any attention to the team. He could whack it dead and concede a 5m scrum and the game against Ireland and non of the potential fairweather rugby supporters would be the wiser at home.

In my case it is at least not during the club season, so much more likely to happen than your suggestion, not to mention much more beneficial. Of course both would eventuate in the perfect world.

Having regular XV fixtures for players departing overseas to commit to, where full International duty might be a bit too much of an ask, would indeed provide a good link to RA being able to track their players and know who really do have the potential to improve the local product/scene.