Highlanders lose one-test All Black for rest of season through injury

My World Cup preview had Ireland and Scotland’s golden generation with their best chances, France and Italy's too inexperienced and Wales and England between generations.

England is starting to look good but you'd have to say that France have a lot of top players coming into their peak.

I'd have expected a better accumulation of caps since then though for their young 2023 players and I'm not sure that the ten month club season is conducive to their players being fit and firing for the big event.

Habana was a special wing. You don’t play 124 tests and score 67 tries for a top tier nation unless you’re something extraordinary.

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One of those interesting players, who could have played for any of the WB’s, AB’s, or Bok’s. And along with David Pocock, he was developed by the W. Force, after both were schooled in Brisbane. And both could have played for the Boks….just ponder on that one !

It was so sad to see him go off the rails, and waste some of his best years, lost to the WB’s. But the story does have this great ending. Thrown a lifeline by Sale Sharks in England, where he took his chances and worked hard, and was a good team player, by all accounts highly valued. Then coming back to the the state of his birth, and playing for the Qld. Reds. There is no doubt in my mind that he has been a big element in the Reds becoming a much better side during his time with them. And now what is probably the last chapter, playing for one of the great rugby teams, the Crusaders.

My view would be that James O’Connor would be a wonderful member of Joe Schmidt’s broader squad, preparing to take on the the B&I Lions. He just looks, from where we stand as observers, to be one of those players one loves to train and play with. He is so multi talented, and who knows, given the cruel hand of injuries, and the vagaries of form, James O’Connor my one last time run out onto the pitch to stand and sing “Advance Australia Fair”. I for one hope he does !

Good to see Hastie back, the other guy they tried giving a go is just no where near SR standard at this stage (you have to see him getting the chop for Pledger next season).

I’ve been trying to tell them that for a couple of years now, I’m pretty sure they go the message. Just yesterday I said if Super Rugby didn’t want to be disrupted by an ANZAC test they should use their 2ndXV team to bring back overseas players instead.

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