Sexton starts as Leinster face first SA opponents of the season

Look I agree either way, there are better options out there, and it's time to move on anyway (and they will/have basically), but I'm hopeful that DP's performances were just below his standards because Cane has simply been better for me, and we need DP to be even better than that again.

Should they have done what you suggest sooner? Probably. I don't think he's handled his bench at all well and he's picked favourites that shouldn't be in there. He also put immense pressure on the teams development for not getting them up for Arg 1, Cane could so easily have missed Bled1 and just come in for the Bled2 farewell.

Do you think the same about SA's aging players?

That's the reason with Hotham, who they would seem to suggest they rate higher than TJ (as you would expect them to, he's got his whole future ahead of them).

That there is such a league to attract all types of talent from over the world is wonderful, I wish rugby locally here had the capability to do the same. That they get a professional environment, to focus fully on their own development, while experiencing the joy's of a good rugby community only help to strengthen the game.

What is France going to do when these players can obtain that experience in their own country, when a Madrid team has the ability to compete with Stade Francais, pulling in their own big names and using the Spanish national side as the basis for majority the of their squad? I think some of these nations are already getting near the ability, and all it would take is some backing for a new league and owners (to branch off with say South Africa into their own tournament) before this talent pool of yours (and your french 'contribution' to rugby dry's up).

Will France fight it? Will they help promote this new European league? Will they look at a transition that trys to catapult off rugby's success in France and increase participation to other areas of the population and demographics? How much of France to you actually think the game of rugby penetrates now? How much could it contribute to that if France went on tour defeating the All Blacks, Springboks, and Wallabies in successive years for the first grand slam of the south?

But yes, the (other) Pacific Islands would be the best place for some of these French squads to tour, even their own!

The granting of an historical 4 year full contract to Kennedy Tukuafu remains Bunting's most puzzling decision. At 26, she had offered little of the on-field quality deserving of such status. Her relegation v FRA was imminent imo & Bunting gets kudos for this decision. I would've tossed her completely, myself. In all tests this tour, she has been ineffective & doesn’t seem to have a point of difference (required of a loosie). Jackaling, high tackle rate, clean, carry, ???

Another puzzling selection is Bunting continuing to use our best 6 Alana Bremner 178cm & 77kg at lock in place of our best lock, Chelsea Bremner, 181cm & 88kg. Maia Roos at 179cm & 80kg needs a big body at her side. Neither she nor Alana are power locks.

Going forward I'd reshuffle the back 5 as follows:

4 Roos 5 Chelsea 6 Alana 7 Sae 8 Mikaele-Tuu with Olsen Baker bench impact. Alana is an option to cover lock, if required. I'd also be tempted to use a 6/2 split depending on the opposition.

One issue I have with this selection is that the same core backline that leaked a million tries from set play v ENG is taking the field. Sure, FRA got thrashed by CAN, but it's still FRA, quite capable of stepping up & blasting us. What will be different? Backfield comms? Midfield reads? ?? Scary stuff.

Would look bad if it just came out of the blue.

I'm suggesting that when was the last time the All Blacks toured France (and won) that gave them the impetus to do likewise to them back in New Zealand?

The 1996 Springbok tour was so epic not just because they hadn't won the previous year but because South Africa gave it to them often when they toured NZ (in part ayway).