Northampton confirm four big-name players are leaving this summer

Starting to come together for Munster.

I think that having Tommy O’Donnell looking after the academy has been very smart business.

Pundits say what they get paid to say, anyone that has watched an under 13s games knew BOD wasn't playing that last test with everything on the line

Roberts didn't need looking after as evidenced by his performances. What he needed was someone on his shoulder after the line breaks and a 13 that stood wider in defence.

Go all out and get one of the oil barons that own premier league soccer clubs to be the new performance director at the IRFU?

Or you could just go door-to-door around Ulster and demand that young kids start playing rugby? I’m shocked nobody has tried that yet. I’ll lend you my Skoda.

Jesus, build a new school in Belfast! Call it Rugby Central. Get shuttle buses from Cork and Galway so we don’t miss any potential prospects? My actual real job is in the sector of social housing so I could try to help. Might be a few transferable skills there.

I’d like to help your efforts to save Irish rugby in any way I can!

They also had the fortune of their better players either not regularly getting capped for Ireland because of depth in certain positions, or they were waiting out their 3 year residency rules.

They didn’t have to share the bulk of that squad with National training camps and had them fresh for the entire season.

It’s obvious by now that Ed isn’t even reading these responses, just banging in with his head full of anger.

Maybe he’s actually an Ireland fan who got very upset by our recent 1/4 final loss?

Maybe instead of making assumptions about which games I watched or not you should get out of Aus/NZ and watch some other rugby. And learn how to read and write while you’re at it.

WATCH FATHER TED! NOW!!!!

Pundits were unified in their thought that BOD would captain the third test. Huge shock to have him dropped entirely given Roberts was just back from injury.

Of course Roberts benefited from BOD, just as BOD benefitted from Roberts. It’s known as a centre partnership for a reason. Why is it ludicrous to say a senior player helped a younger player settle in? BOD had been there twice previously and had 90 odd test caps.

Everyone knew he was getting dropped for the 3rd test.

Yeah he sure helped the player of the series and not the other way around in 09. Ludicrous statement

You go into the finals with 1 team out of 6 knowing they are through no matter what. Had the chiefs won that game then 2 of the remaining teams out of 4 would have known they were through no matter what - The Brumbies v Canes game would have been the most farcical finals game ever played - a knock out game where no one gets knocked out. Very ill conceived.

If they stick with this lucky loser concept next year they should re-seed the teams after round 1 with the LL being the 4th seed, and schedule the games in such a way that teams don’t know they are playing a non knockout game. E.g. 3 vs 4 would be the first game.