'You can put Joe Schmidt, Wayne Smith, the great coaches in the world in there and it's not going to make a significant difference'

Well maybe if they’re really poor they do.

But you expected him to be even better than them? Strange take Wiseguy.

Oh, you would be more comfortable losing would you? Surely you know Christie’s not good enough at test level from historical results…

That said, Noah was a bolt out of the blue last year, even if you considered halfback stocks low, but Roe and Preston have delivered great competition this year so should be in the discussion of course.

For instance the view that it’s the knockout games which coachs pay attention to has always been their, look at that lucky loser game, 18-19 scoreline. The intangibles that the SA sides would bring were their size, not so much their style, we would also talk about bringing in some more beef for the rematch if we lost a game to the Springboks.

Though I guess that could be saying that our coaching teams were never good enough to pay attention to that dynamic, as it used to be said a lot. We would always trying a running game first!

Some NH comps are fast, Prem, URC and JRLO all try to speed the game up. Theres been a few recent articles abuot it, but yes, WR is another matter entirely.

Are you suggesting the Saders should loan him out for the Lions tour?

I certainly hope they can show they can evaluate feedback and reintroduce the idea in an improved concept next year.

two hemispheres.

LOL are you a flat earther as well Gregor?

The average game length (excluding half-time) was 90 minutes and 11s, compared with 91 minutes and seven seconds in 2024.

This stat combined with the ridiculous amount of overtime played must mean theres more than 5minutes of rugby played in SR than any european competition. Incredible.

As an entertainment product, Super Rugby is starting to rebuild itself as one of the game’s hottest properties.

But what’s not clear yet, is whether it’s is going to deliver on its other goal: a competition with the necessary physical and competitive intensity to prepare New Zealand’s best players for what they will encounter in the international arena.

It has been since it’s formation. It was the second attempt and what the Aratipu report considered the best way forward for the game. Which was a move away from the orginal foundations of SR as being just a test ground for the respective National teams. It was time to make it a financially successful competition instead.

And this is the reality of picking an All Blacks squad in the Super Rugby Pacific era

It’s always been the reality even for Super Rugby, even if much less so for ALL other pro sports.

he was practically hinting to media they shouldn’t always be seduced by what they see in Super Rugby

Sititi was the form SR selection, it’s the only reason he made it in.

This year, there could again be a few surprises. Could Dalton Papali’i– a prominent force for the Blues – miss out to the rugged Simon Parker who has been a workhorse for the Chiefs, carrying with an impact his 1.96m, 117kg frame enables?

That would be selecting of form, not who you believe is best test suited.

but will it be the Highlanders’ Fabien Holland who wins a spot because he carted the ball up the middle of the field thanklessly and relentlessly

Yes hopefully, he’s been the stand out Lock this year.

or will the latter’s deft touches and smart kicking be preferred?

Depends on what the teams lacking.

is it mad to wonder whether the combative and defensively adept Finlay Christie is better equipped to play Test rugby

Yes, he’s been proven to not be good enough.

That is why Joe is trying to pick the same players all the time, even if he’s getting rather ‘catholic’ about it!

I actually like the career trajectory of all three amigos. Sure hellraisers early on, but their journeys from that point on have been more interesting than the norm, esp JOC and Quade. Real poacher turned gamekeeper stories and I feel both still have a huge amount to contribute - one way or another.

That blotchiness on the canvas is what makes it real.

I feel a sadness that Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor, three of the most talented rugby players produced in this country, all had flawed careers. Of the three it was Beale who had the greatest impact as a WB, one can argue. His part in the 2015 RWC was not insignificant.

O’Connor had that awful period where it was only the intervention of Sale, giving a lifeline, that saved his career. Quade Cooper I see as having two very different parts to his career. The first with Qld. where he was very maverick, often indisciplined. And then the end, where he came back a very wise and disciplined player and person. He should have been used in France in 2023.

O’Connor may not be done yet, nor I suppose even Beale. But for the latter one feels it would take a lot of injuries for him to feature against the Lions.

Thanks for the article, Nick. Not long to wait now till the Lions make landfall.