Northampton Saints turn to giant lock Will Spencer

Kinghorn and Jack Willis have become world class at Toulouse. Players get better in France. REC nations have heaps of players in the ProD2, it shows.

Coaching Aussie would be more a pure coaching choice, finding a team which has a sympathy with the way you like to coach the game.

Americans value experience because their professional sports are all far older than rugby, it will just take us a while to catch up. Those Yoda guys are like gold dust.

But yeah they were cardboard caricatures of Moneyball guys who looked at their laptops and never went to games…

“The win rates are vitally important for this Lions tour”

I agree. But you can’t just select players on the basis of their individual win rates.

“Farrell is a straight forward, no nonsense type of guy. He’ll probably pick conservatively and with guys in their proven positions. He hasn’t the time for bolters or shock calls. Not with the touring schedule they have.”

Yes, I was thinking more England selections. For the Lions tour then if Doris and Tom Curry both start then Earl becomes a pretty viable option at 7. But if Doris ever gets injured, or Farrell wants either Chessum or Tadgh Beirne at 6, then Earl will move to 8.

Nick Nurse is 57. He was 51 in 2019.

“Rugby won’t go down the Soccer road and hire-and-fire like it’s the Wild West. It will find the value in older coaches as time passes.”

I hope you’re right, but I still highly doubt it will ever be common for coaches to be peaking in their mid 60s. If anyone manages it it will be Rassie or Farrell - because coaches with the most longevity tend to be those who stick in one job for decades. But even so, I doubt either will still be in a top international job in 15 years time. Les Kiss is only 60 now, so he could get the Wallabies job right after Schmidt leaves - but if he keeps the job to 2031 I’ll eat an actual hat.