Gloucester swiftly replace Fraser Balmain with ex-England U20 prop

Even with their Boks, the Sharks aren’t demonstrating anything that looks like incisive attack. Nonetheless, they are resting their Boks, because they have somehow found themselves at #4 on the URC table. So they are double-clicking on that.

The above selection includes good players, but the game will probably be a territorial snooze-fest, at least on the Sharks side of the ball.

Interesting that Wilson had a very similar experience just a few years ago in Dublin with Glasgow, and that cost him his job at the time too. You might think he knew exactly what was coming but it appears not.

Happened to Bristol too, used to being able to chuck the ball around unhindered and crumbled to that line speed.

They had no chance before a whistle was blown, they were quite literally playing against Ireland but nonetheless it was poor.

If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.

I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.

I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.

I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.

If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?

Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?