The Alex Mitchell verdict on Fin Smith versus Finn Russell

I would suggest that a competition with an average margin of above 12 points is unsustainable. Super Rugby needs to really look closely at why this year is so tight and do whatever it takes to keep it that way.

Also with lead changes, there is a reason basketball is so popular

I’d like to see MP become a real force - to win SRP outright and also an engine to drive Tonga and Samoa internationally. Will that happen?

- [1] why did he choose Tonga in the first place? It’s hard to build a team around players when you don’t know if they are going to be around in future.

- [2] is MP a farm club for the ABs or there to genuinely encourage PI talent to represent the islands?

- [3 Is three years a long enough stand-down period between nations?

I certainly think Doris is nailed on for 8. Not least because he helped his team to beat Australia just a few months back. That cheeky old win ratio thing? We talked about that?

Can Itoje or Genge play 8? Or at least 7?

But you’re evading the quesion about the purpose of the MP team in the process so it’s a neat bit of deflection.

Guys like Seilala Mapusua obv thought the idea was for Aumua to develop into a Samoan international, and John Kirwan agreed with him.

you see lots of things enshrined in policy that you arnt mentioning here. EG there is an allowance for a percentage of MP to be NZ eligible.

In the article, I say

The All Blacks are fully within their rights to pick up to three players from Moana Pasifika, but it does bring into question the real purpose behind the foundation of the franchise.

So it’s there in black and white.

The same applies to Tamoefolau, who has already played six times for Tonga. Is the real aim of MP to fund stronger Samoa and Tonga sides, or to provide a PAsifika base for new ABs? It seems to me you’re goimg to struggle to manage both.

You’ll have to define success for me then if Pep hasn’t gotten better with age. He famously won 5 trophies in a calendar year. That was 2024. The team he coached made history that year and the year previous with a treble.

“They are also less experienced than the top coaches were 10 years ago - something you seem not to have noticed.” So you’re confident that Arteta at 43 has less experience than Mourinho did at 43??? Anyway, what top coaches? How? Of what? league position? In a league that is currently ongoing and not yet decided for this year? How does any of it relate to RUGBY????????????????????

Yes, I’m fully aware you’re English. I don’t lack self-awareness.

I’m suggesting any 20 year man could of had similar success with the resources Ferguson had.

Boom indeed! My point proven. Pep hasn’t gotten better with age - he won loads when he was pretty new to coaching.

But the examples I gave were to show that the top coaches now are younger than the top coaches were 10 years ago. They are also less experienced than the top coaches were 10 years ago - something you seem not to have noticed.

I’m English btw.

Ok so you’re admitting you didn’t really have a point to make wrt Ferguson and spending regulations?

Ok so you were just making a non-sequiteur. How helpful!

Earl lost against Australia recently. So did Itoje, Genge, Stuart, Tom Curry, Freeman, Lawrence, and Feyi-Waboso. Presumably you think none of them will start for the Lions?

It was true actually. Arteta hasn’t won much, nor slot. Pep has of course, and is a few years older. BUT - here’s the clincher: compare his trophy haul when he was THE SAME AGE AS your other examples! Boom. A vast difference exists in the ‘concrete’ examples you gave.

“*Football” Yeah, tell me your English without telling me. I’m Irish and our national sport is a very different code of football, alas the name is already taken. It will always be soccer to me.

The fact you have literally typed that you don’t know much about soccer then attempted to lecture others on it is almost impressive. Post-irony.

Actually I did use it separately. Remarkably you seemed to think I was talking about all-time win ratios (?). All 23 Irish players going, or something like that? Crazy. Did Earl not already play against Australia recently? As an 8? Did England win?

I’m guessing you have an England replica Jersey with ‘Earl ‘8’ written on it? It must be a great inconvenience that the lad may just be better as a 7. You’d have to get a new Jersey? Or maybe you don’t.

Either way, it’s a level of argument that is indulgent. Are you a bot?

I know what a paradox is. I also know that you haven’t offered any insight.

“the most successful manager in English soccer attained 90% of his trophy haul in an era that had unregulated spending”

*Football.

What does the lack of regulation of spending tell us about the relative merits of youth and experience? Hint: it tells us nothing.

You didn’t use it seperately. You started talking about 6N win ratios in response to me saying that you can’t just select players on the basis of their individual win ratios, which I said in response to the point you made about Earl’s win ratios. Try to keep up!

“So you agree a players 2023 form may not be the best marker for selection this time.”

Not sure how you infer that from what I said. I do agree, but it’s unrelated to what I said about Smith.