Sharks Vs Hurricanes: Whose Fans Will Be More Let Down If They Don't Finally Break Their Long Title Drought This Season?

Something of a trivia fact. I believe Slade is a Type 1 diabetic. Not an easy condition to live with(our son is also Type 1). He has done well to have such a stellar career.

As a first five, Dmac has no threat on the carry, he's too small to bust through, that's why you don't see him try it like Mo'unga does. Dmac can still try to carry (when he should just give it to someone else) as his bailout option when under pressure, but thankfully with the forward dominance it's not so much an occurrence/issue.

Somehow Spew, but we haven't seen that because of the Dmac issue I outlined. It's generally the 10 that doubles around. I don't trust Jordies instincts at doing it either, even in his role of laying it back I don't think he's the one. So while I agree it's a powerful attacking play I don't think it's an option for the All Blacks either. Rieko just hasn't been able to catch the ball, it's pretty much his only problem. You can't see that changing though. I'd imagine they just can that play as something theyre not capable of too rather than change people in and out.

I perhaps go for something more simple, like runners from deep coming into the line at different angles. No so much about width like they were last year, just simple inside or out passes to Clarke/Jordan/Telea straitening the line. We want to see something different happen this year because if its the same I think we'll all be calling for heads again.

You comment on Ireland being without a strong backup at 3. I have liked the look of Thomas Clarkson so far. To me he looks better than Bealham as a scrummager. At 1.83 m and 124 kgs, and only 24, he would still have a lot of upside, I would hope. The Welsh game next up would be a chance to give Clarkson another run, resting Bealham.

The welsh have always been blessed with gutsy forward packs and excellent fly halves. South African bread and butter stuff. Coupled with exciting outside backs.

What’s going on with welsh grassroots rugby needs to be addressed and or managed by WRU. The head coaches job is to get wins out of the WRU pipeline of players.

Very few, no not many at all, head coaches are able to fix the spear head and the system behind it.

Unless that coach is Rassie Erasmus. The GOAT.

All their close loses were also coulda, wouldas and shouldas. Feeble. They’re still playing to type.

Eden Park tests are for South Africa and the Bledisloe.

the men in white discovered the resolution to win a game at the death, with a try in the 78th minute

They did that against Australia too.

France were arrogant? Where did that come from, was their an Irish reporter in the room?

Rush defenses are great at shutting down a specific section of the field, but they leave gaps elsewhere. A great distributor is needed to unlock these gaps. The ball moves faster than the man (even B Barrett or McKenzie). A run first 10 will get swamped by a rush defense; Mo'unga has the skill to pass at the last second, unlocking the gaps. The All Blacks need a 10 who is a natural distributor, Mo'unga is still the best option.

The All Blacks also need to make more use of second man plays. For that to work they need a 12, 13, and 15 that can act as the second man. J Barrett can, but R Ioane cannot, B Barrett or McKenzie would be fine at that role at 15. The lack of line break or offloads from R Ioane, at 13, is also a major part of the reason the All Blacks backs aren't firing; put him at 11, injury cover for 13.