Pop quiz. Who was South Africa’s last scrum-half before the ‘Rassie Revolution’ in South Africa took root? If you answered ‘Ross Cronje’, award yourself a gold star. By 2018 Cronje had disappeared back into the rugby bush to be replaced by Faf de Klerk for the England tour in July. The blond firecracker was pivotal to South Africa’s World Cup victory one year later, but at the time he was plying his trade with the Sale Sharks in England’s Premiership and it was a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
No major rugby nation has undergone more positive changes than South Africa since Erasmus took the national game by the scruff, and the first part of his plan was to open the door for the selection of South African players of national interest playing overseas.
Wind the clock on to 2021, and the Springboks took another huge stride forward with the strategic decision to withdraw all four major professional franchises from Super Rugby and realign them with northern hemisphere competitions, which represented around two thirds of rugby’s global commercial value at the time. There were R90m [£4m] in travel savings right off the bat, a happy congruence of kick-off times and the long-term potential for South Africa to join the Six Nations.
By 2025 Erasmus had grown a fully cosmopolitan coaching group around him, which included two Irishmen [Felix Jones and Jerry Flannery] a couple of Welshmen [2019 head of athletic performance Aled Walters and more recently, ex-Saracens strength & conditioning coach Andy Edwards] and a Kiwi attack coach in Tony Brown.
While South Africa has thrown open its doors and issued an unprecedented welcome to the world outside the country, Australia and New Zealand have remained largely self-contained, and stayed within their traditional boundaries. Crisis might be too strong a word for it, but there is a problem with the acceptance and integration of overseas rugby IP into the Australasian game.
It is obvious to high-profile coaches from both nations watching their homeland from a new orbit. When current Bristol head coach, and ex-Auckland and Samoa number eight forward Pat Lam took a long retrospective at his old country on Martin Devlin’s DSPN podcast recently, he was looking back with a great deal of common sense, and just a smidgeon of incredulity and anger.
The Bears supremo began by taking a swipe at New Zealand’s policy of asking every head coaching candidate to nominate their coaching teams at the interview stage.
“I was part of it in 2007 when Robbie Deans rang me out of the blue and asked me if I could go be his assistant coach for the All Blacks. Wow. He needed to put his name into the hat.
“Now, I’ve never coached with Robbie Deans. I mean, it’s crazy. He’s going for the All Blacks job, and he’s asking me. But the reason he was doing it was that New Zealand Rugby wants to know what your coaching team will be before they pick it.
“And when Jamie [Joseph] and Razor went for it [in the 2023 World Cup year], they decided Razor is the best coach, but they still made them do the same thing.”
The upshot of an ‘archaic’ process was that Brown went with JJ and was therefore excluded from Razor’s coaching panel. Now he works with Rassie and the Springboks.
“The best attacking coach is Tony Brown, 100 per cent,” Lam continued. “I couldn’t believe it. And naturally, Tony went with Jamie, but Tony’s also good mates with Razor. The New Zealand Rugby Union, what they should have done is choose who they believe is going to be the best to lead – Razor.
“Okay, off the back of it, who do you think is the best defence coach? Well, let’s interview and find out. Who’s the best attack coach, from not just everyone in New Zealand, but everyone around the world?
“In the end, Rassie saw it. Bang! Let’s get Tony Brown, put a four-year deal in front of him. And New Zealand Rugby didn’t talk to Tony Brown.
“That’s the worst thing that [could have] happened for New Zealand, [and] the best thing for South Africa. I know a lot of the South African boys, and they’re impressive men, all they needed was to play a bit more expansive rugby.
“I said if the South Africans ever get upskilled to play a game outside the big bosh, which they’re good at, watch out. And Tony Brown, the Kiwi, All Black, has gone in there, and he’s doing a brilliant job for them. You can just see it, you’re watching them: ‘That’s Tony Brown’. And you know what he’s teaching them.”
With the latest extension of Brown’s deal with South Africa until 2031, the Otago man’s IP will be firmly out of bounds to New Zealand for another six years at least. Lam’s conclusion about the state of New Zealand rugby?
“They missed out because of their behaviour. They still believe they are the best in the world, rather than making any changes to some of their behaviours.”
The proof is in the pudding. If they cannot get Brown, will New Zealand rugby scour the globe for the best man to inform and run their attacking shapes, and in particular will they consider a Ronan O’Gara for the job? The Munsterman worked with Robertson at the Crusaders for two seasons in 2018 and 2019, and the relationship was mutually beneficial and exponential in its impacts.
Robertson taught O’Gara the value of positivity and the maintenance of connections within a ‘beehive’ environment.
“I think my mindset was turned inside-out going to the Crusaders, just the way they think about things and how real positivity and real buy-in from a lot of people can enhance an environment,” O’Gara reflected. “I didn’t really believe how valuable connections are. And that’s where he [Robertson] excels.
“The environment gives you the tools to get the best out of players with the personality profiling, with how to speak to players, with the pre-meetings, with a lot of strings to the bow before you even approach a topic.”
O’Gara even recalled the moment the lightbulb lit up during a 2018 game against the Hurricanes. “I can remember exactly where I was standing on the pitch [when I realised] my past was influencing my thought process.”
By way of payback, O’Gara introduced the Crusaders to the novelty and the intricacies of a true northern hemisphere line-speed defence, looking to penetrate gaps and hunt the ball rather than mark men. The pennies began to drop from Razor’s eyes and O’Gara’s methods provided a bedrock for the All Blacks’ improvement on D in the quarter-final of the 2023 World Cup against, of all people, his native Ireland.
“It really challenged me,” said Robertson. “[It was] totally different from what Wayne Smith built the foundations of the Crusaders on.”
New Zealand Rugby should be straining mightily to attract a coach of O’Gara’s calibre. With his background in Canterbury and an established relationship with the All Blacks supremo, he could bring his northern IP to bear with devastating results.
As ex-Crusaders and New Zealand full-back Israel Dagg commented on his Sport Nation NZ radio show: “If there’s someone out there, it’s potentially Ronan O’Gara. Razor has got a great relationship with him, I’ve been coached by him, he’s an awesome coach – I absolutely loved my time with Ronan.”
There is no better man to coach a sophisticated international attack than an ex-number 10 with 130 Test caps and a background as a defence coach. The All Blacks could certainly do with O’Gara’s expertise. In the key November match against England, they started with a hiss and a roar and led 12-0 after only 18 minutes, but could only manage a paltry seven points in the remaining 62 minutes.
Some of the situations which looked to be inviting an acceleration of attacking tempo with the attack sitting right on top of the defence, did just the opposite.
After a line-break:
— William Bishop (@RPvids1994) December 19, 2025
Cam Roigard picks up the loose ball and breaks upfield, but instead of hustling to the line for the next phase of attack, Beauden Barrett sits deep for a chip kick to a pod of forwards alongside him, with the only other back in the vicinity [Quinn Tupaea] looking away from the ball. It never looks likely to work.
After a tapped penalty:
— William Bishop (@RPvids1994) December 19, 2025
If the All Blacks choose to tap a penalty in the England half instead of kicking to touch for the lineout throw, they must have a special move in mind, right? Wrong. After two one-out runs by the forwards Barrett is back in the pocket, kicking the pill away without the certain knowledge New Zealand will get it back on the next play.
After a turnover with the fate of the game on the line, the All Blacks would surely be able to conjure some magic, wouldn’t they?
— William Bishop (@RPvids1994) December 19, 2025
— William Bishop (@RPvids1994) December 19, 2025
When Damian McKenzie finally connects with another back, Will Jordan is receiving the ball so far behind him that he can barely make it back to the ad-line. It goes from bad to worse in the second clip, with the ball out of the forward pod in front never even finding the full-back before Henry Pollock pounces and Tom Roebuck converts the turnover ball for England’s game-winning score.
With Jason Holland set to depart the national coaching staff, you have to wonder just how far the All Black net will be cast in the search to land a replacement. Will the trawl for talent take New Zealand Rugby on a voyage around Europe? Will it drop anchor at the Vieux Port in La Rochelle?
If it doesn’t, it ought to. O’Gara only has a couple of years left on his contract in France and was airing his desire to coach at international level as recently as this time last year: “There are Test jobs I’d bite people’s hands off for… I just want players to try and experience what I did. I got so much out of the game. It gave me wonderful emotions and now I want to really try and give back. I care a lot as a coach. I cared a lot as a player. It’s probably my greatest attribute. I spent two good seasons with Razor and was transformed by him. I see the good in people now and the possibilities.”
If that doesn’t motivate the All Blacks to reel him in, nothing will.
Well there is no way ROG would coach for a couple hundred thousand Kiwi $$. NZ needs its Head coach to be its head coach.
IRE and SCO had a golden era, helped by the shorter 3 year residency rules regarding qualification & recruitment. That is going to get harder for them to retain, which medium term will make it harder for them.
IRE have potentially over performed for some time but sadly, things are catching up with them and you will likely see a dip in global standings as they rebalance to a natural world order.
Premiership also receive £600k credits for International players, so is not a unique solution.
Ultimately they have more money no matter which way you try and cut it, Top 14 leads the Premiership as a result.
No that’s in your head and has always been a failing of your.. comprehension since I’ve been reading your articles.
It shows what you’re inner thoughts are.
“Super” is, you guessed it, coined after the competition they are in. Yes in a way they are unfair because of how strong they are, but as per what i’ve said of URC teams in the past, the point is mainly about fairness.
Though you didn’t add any contradicting views to your post, I agree they can get confusing sometimes, so apologies there. You really do have to be on the same level to follow along, and it’s often a fairly particular one (that is, what ever is the topic I have been following at the time, which is often outside these forums).
Thanks for taking the time to reply, and actually I agree, Toulouse and UBB could fit the same description, just for a different reason. They are propped up by the overly incentive national selection boosts they get. They have had a rollon effect over the years that has taken them outside what they should be (a normal club like the rest).
In this context though I was just replying to cw who was trying to argue that SR sides with 20+ internationals would compete well, and I was trying to dissuade too many comparisons to French clubs because of NZ having an unfair structure in that debate (where it doesn’t have the things you suggest, it only has the players thanks to the ‘fusion’ of teams, nothing else, like the amount of support those separate teams get)
Which is what the ABs have done >.<
No way, Hansen would be a a few (low) hundred k at most, doubt Razor would get more than players either.
Yea exactly, agreed a circumstance like ROG is just a great fit. I see theres headlines he’s meet with his bosses about whether their might be a mutual departure at the end of the season.
ROG by all accounts has his sights set on Ireland job. I don’t think he could get a better introduction to that than helping the All Blacks.
Yeah nar,
Which of those names are going to come to NZ to do that? It’s a good 6+ years investment on low wage to coach the famous ABs. “You’re dreaming” is what we say here.
Also were you asking if specifically in NZRU would consider them or NZ rugby in general? There’s a big difference and I wouldn’t see why such a progressive organization would have an issue with it, they will have to take the players view and public consideration into it as well of course though.
Then you have to ask yourself what the point is when you have NZ options like Tony Brown, Mitchell, Andrew Goodman, Kendrick Lynn, Tyler Bleyendaal, Nick Evans, Chris Boyd, not to mention those that have returned to NZ like Cotter, Gibbs, Joseph, and even Scotlands Clarke Laidlaw who’s doing well here. You don’t think those names are good enough?
I’m not sure why you’d think coachs no longer go to the NH. True the money is in Japan but from what I’ve seen those are retirees like the players. The only real change to that trend was Razor, and he was just so good that he bucked the trend. It’s not removed I wouldn’t think.
In general though I get a theme from your post that it is a building process that takes time and opportunities to work. What you need to get your head around is that that’s not an option for the All Blacks. Anyone you need to bring needs to succeed from day one.
On NZ they have found it difficult to go week to week for a while not, they even did it with Aus a few years ago. RC wise I think it is a lot to do with increased competitiveness, as well as just not being as good. But I think there is a little lost of their aura internally which could be the irreversible part.
Rotation is only a recent thing (but relevant to that time). What I hope is that teams will stop trying to beat us so much now.
Ireland need something like that don’t they. They showed they’re still willing to fight like the best (one of the best attributes they came out with of their era of dominance (like they Welsh I think they always had it, but without the players it was hard to appreciate). They shouldn’t be top of 6N again for a while, but they could upset others and come second ahead of teams trying to win it.
Thats what I’m saying. When I said Prem I was specifically referring to them when talking about clubs. I was just saying SR was in a better position to make a an American teams entry viable (competitiveness wise).
That’s not the reason they are ahead. French teams get cap boosts for having internationals (because they supposedly have rest and play without their best players more than other teams do), that is why Toulouse and UBB are in front. It stops there.
I don’t know if I would be sold on the rugby but it would still certainly be more fun to go to their games. That’s where they are really ahead. That’s on the world, we have massive respect for them here. It was so cool hearing in the amatuer days and pro start that a massive country like that had Rugby as their main sport. The soccer boom may have taken over but I’m big on encouraging them to improve their league because I would love to see them, and reckon they can, match football again.
NPC is his level still, where he should be getting games anyway. I would rather see Perofeta at 10 and Beaudy at 15 being replaced by Sullivan (who I was referring to). I don’t rate Simpson as having any 1st5 nous, he looked a better 15 and I’d rather see Spencer or Cashmore get 10 time. Diff team to Cashmore ofc, rate other young Auckland 10s above Simpson already as well.
Carrying about the Blues for a second, I’d hope that Sullivan gets some consistent time in one spot (theyve done that well so far), so that might be better continueing at 15 even though I’d love him to break it and suddenly command the 10 jersey (if Pero was to be 15 or injured too etc).
Haha if that is even possible I will try once you do Nick!
I bet you don’t even now what you’re replying to, there is no “whole host of facts” in this thread. I was replying to him dodging my facts about squad depth of SR and the quality of its players and then he incorrectly went on to talk about the CC length and squad size necessity when we are talking about the World Club Championship, which is not going to be a full CC schedule like he was stating.
I’ll know you’ve grown up when you can apologise to me.
It’s fairly high and DoR’s are putting greater trust in some of these younger players, so fans are curious as soon as they come through.
Bath currently have some brilliant youngsters coming through, especially in the forwards. Last night at Castres (AWAY) we started Billy Sela (20 y/o) at tighthead, with Kepu Tuipulotu (20 y/o) coming off the bench at hooker.
Both are tipped to be future International starters but they are being trusted in the biggest games and fans support it. Ironically, we started Sela last night, with Thomas Du Toit on the bench - so it also shows you how much trust JvG has in these kids and you literally see them improve in-front of your eyes with this type of exposure.
It’s not that ruthless at Academy level. Some clubs will run U16 & U18 teams but it’s mainly at 18 where they start paying you to be in the Academy (also links with University) when the key decisions are made. You see a few 18 year old hit the periphery of Premiership squads but is pretty rare, so it’s not a deliberate strategy actively being pursued.
It was harder for Academy players to get games between 18-21 and many are not playing enough games. They are training 5 days a week and playing about 10 games a season (that’s not enough).
When the squad sizes were reduced during Covid and we lost 2 teams, there were about +100 professional players that could not get contracts and many stopped playing. We are certainly seeing a greater retirement/drop out rate of players as a consequence.
Once you are dropped from an Academy contract, I would say there is a very high drop out rate and we are losing players.
Theoretically, you could sign a youngster and play them in the CC (outside the cap) but we are not seeing that as a trend, so I think you are heading down the wrong road. It’s more likely to see loan signings being added once you pick up some injuries.
Success rate for for Academy players are getting higher. It probably used to be 10% and I would say most are running at 25% at the moment, as most clubs are adding 3 or 4 academy graduates per season but are also then cutting at the top. Most clubs are targeting 50% home grown Academy players in the overall squads (but’s that’s to maintain the demographics of the the salary cap). However, whilst that’s a tough attrition rate, players are still fairly cheap from 23-25 and they may get their first 2 years of a full professional contract but the cut rate is then pretty high at 25 and you are then dropped.
It’s super tough JW, so we are seeing a later start and an early finish at the back end (players are done between 32-34), so the career length is definitely shortening, hence the upward pressure on wages whilst you can get them.
French Top 14 are a step ahead of the Premiership on most fronts - better Government support, tv commercial rights, stadium infrastucture (larger), matchday attendance, playing squads. There is a lot to like and is the reason they are ahead.
U think my last paragraph sums it up pretty well. They made a decision ago, probably not understanding the unintended long term consequences and it’s made it very difficult to be able to go back the way things have turned out.
You’re not paying attention very well if you don’t realise I’m their worst critic here.
I just know enough to call out people who they the t”aking of tap” is the root cause of their issues LOL. Sorry, you’re probably just coming from your own perspective and understanding. I just want the team to get better and white noise like you’re creating with this troll of an idea they shouldn’t have taken a tap is not helping anyone.
I thought about but didn’t get around to talking about engagement outside the games themselves in my last reply above, as pertains to fans involvement with say Academy players, how would you rate the fans interesting in more than the stars/starters of their clubs these days? Noticing increase interest in say games with fresh players than before?
I think that’s long been as aspect lacking from our broadcast/coverage here.
I really like the concepts of Cups and such that intermingle competitive levels, you get that sort of vibe locally as well?
Yeah fair enough, that’s one way to go. Obviously things could be changed to remedy that problem. Personally I think it’s very wasteful to have that level of player in an Academy that provides no value (like say in a comp in it’s own right) other than to the Prem side.
Yeah I know, I was referring to sources outside your establishments, ones that have no inclination of following the Prem guidelines (particular limits on retaining academy players).
Does your club have 15yos being snapped up out of their systems?
Ah, of course! Theres incentives to keep them down a level, do you like how that works/think it works?
More players are coming out of their apprenticeship at 23 (older than before basically) given the reduce number of teams and fighting for spots right? I know weve had this discussion before but have you heard of any consequences of the ‘pro’ age being raised higher, like more rounded people, kids giving up before their time etc?
So the English prem follows the EU football model, but obviously no one else in the EU does in rugby, irght? As you’ve no doubt heard with the likes of Emmanuel Meafou and others from Aus and even NZ, the only way to lock someone down here is to contract them like Pollock (we also have internal rules). The point being that if a club had the money they could use the CC to do that. Be part of the Academy for Prem (and free), and in the CC squad to lock them in.
Perhaps you just don’t have that problem with depth yet, or the clubs are indeed wealthy enough to secure talent (or hell, no one comes calling).
What do you think the success rate would be for Academy (full, year 23s only I mean) to senior squad? Do you know if the Academy players are slowely filtered out so that only the ones likely to be Prem worthy are kept till 23yo?
Yeah most are, I hate it. You’re constantly hearing about teams having to offload their players after theyve done well. Diminishes the league to me, it turns it into a lottery and has nothing to do with who is the best club. Though - and not that I follow them enough to know - the likes of Penrith in the NRL had a good amount of success, but it pales in contrast to say Auckland or the Crusaders.
Haha that sounds like an AI response, like for like. What does that mean?
I just didn’t know the caps and squad requirements off by heart. When you say “+10-25% above”, you don’t know exactly because you’re trying to account for the differences in how caps are enforced? Would you also know if that had included the clubs actual spending, ie, what the likes of the French and Irish (if they do) players get paid directly to the club?
I had just never bothered to calculate it before, and after you’d started talking about squad sizes, I’d realised that obviously the bigger caps on TOP14 teams (compared to Prem), are shared over more players, so wondered how much that equalizes the pay (per player).
French clubs could we spend more than double English on amenities and other teams, academies (it became their focus with JIFF changes) though.
Yes, but is it the right direction?
Who wouldn’t want a franchise with a good Welsh team filling out a 70k stadium though?
If you think there would be a UK + Ireland league, how do you think that would go in regards to the other competitions, 6N and Lions, would it enhance or hinder (drown) everything?
Theres already a bunch on the other side of the border, theres no real difference is their. Any welsh can play for them and vice versa.
But if were talking a Franchise comp, then the two best Welsh URC regions would be a good addition. URC fits for them too of course but PREM would be more lucrative/sustainable I’d imagine (which is particularly important for them Id say).
Simpson will be interesting to watch this year. With BB in front of him its hard to see him getting much time at 10.
The perfect example of NZ rugby atm.
We get it that you find it hard to accept and acknowledge the current AB’s weaknesses, which is why it’s then hard to discuss the root cause issues for you. We get it. 👍
Attendance levels were about 20-30% lower for those games (usually played when the 6 Nations were on) but the fans were pretty loyal and gave you a chance to see the youngsters coming through.
Once they stopped these games they rebranded a tournament called Premiership Cup, which is aimed at a development side (but some teams still play their strongest side and players as warm up games), so it’s very variable but they still get decent attendance levels and are well supported but is a step below the Premiership but higher than the Championship (next league below).
They did allow the Championship teams to play in that Competition for the last 2 seasons but the Premiership Academy Clubs could beat them, so it shows you how the divide has been created with the Championship dropping since Covid and the Premiership increasings, which is why promotion & relegation has become too big a gulf between the two leagues.
The Premiership clubs has set “catchment areas” for schools and clubs, so any younger player who plays school or local club rugby in that area can only sign for that club’s Academy.
The Academy is from 18-23 age range, where the “Rugby Players Union” set the base salary level based on age (clubs have about 15-25 players in each Academy). The clubs can spend up to £100k top up money on the Academy, so they get a set contract plus some top up money per season.
If they make the 1st team, it’s basically “for free” in the salary cap. However, the salary moves from £27k at 23 to about £157k at 26, so you can see how quickly it rises and you can’t have too many players all increasing at the same time, so you have to manage the squad age demographics within the squad each season (you have to keep replenishing the demographics each year).
You can sign an Academy player of another club but you have to agree a compensation figure with the club (for developing them) or the RFU decides a mediation figure.
However, for a player like Henry Pollock, you can give them a Senior Contract and you effectively contract them as a Senior Player and you can pay them what you want but it’s then within the salary cap figure.
They have closed it off pretty well, so there isn’t much of a loophole that you are looking for and even if they do get games in their final Academy year, whilst it looks cost effective in that final Academy contract year, they will be looking for a higher starting Senior Player Contract the following season (it’s basically paid on age and experience - playing caps), so it evens out over the medium term for the player.
Players are pretty cheap from 21-24 start to become expensive between 25-27 are in peak contract from 28-32 and then tail off but are not as cheap as an up and coming Academy player - so you can see how the DOR’s are having to juggle the age composition of the squad to maintain the age profile balance.
It’s really tricky and is a game of Moneyball in the Premiership.
On a like for like basis - Saracens & Bath will be spending £9.5m and including player image rights (only coming this season in Top 14 salary cap), I think Leinster, UBB & Toulouse will be +10-25% above (they didn’t currently include image rights in salary cap).
However, the English clubs will have revenue of £20-25m and losing money as a result, whereas Toulouse are being quoted at £35-40m Revenue, so they are much bigger commercial organisations with the wider sponsorship, tv money, matchday attendance etc.
In theory, I agree with you but sadly Premiership Rugby is a commercial business and the reality is you basically have to buy your way into nowdays, which makes it very difficult for the Welsh teams to join the Premiership, or compete financially without the TV money from the “P” shares - hence the discussion towards franchise teams (you have to buy them basically).
CVC paid £200m for a 25% of the commercial rights (they paid each club £20m each), so it basically says each team is theoretically worth +£100m (+the stadium assets), so I doubt the Welsh Clubs could pay that sort of money (and then they lose money each year).
If we are being honest, the Premiership was an old amateur organisation that turned professional and carried on acting like an amateur business for a long time. It has gradually become more commercial and the CVC deal has advanced that in what they are trying to achieve.
They have been forced to become a more professional business and don’t do the deals like they once did.
It would be good to bring back the Welsh & Scottish teams but I think the divide between Premiership & URC is going to be very difficult to cross going forward. This was ultimately made during the Pro 14 era and we probably didn’t understand or discuss the long term consequences at that stage.
You’re thinking of the wrong games. I wasn’t using July window in any references.
Argentina have been 1-1 with ABs for the last four of five years.
There was someone using first hand knowledge highlighting the popularity of, what you could say as the tradtional English clubs/rugby system, over PREM, so you have to take their word for it.
Yeah thats a niche, I would say there are two groups like that, the SR player that hasn’t cracked it but needs to move on to allow a new AB prospect to have his chance (like AJ Lam as a recent example), and a new breed who simple want to be ‘pro’.
This new breed might be the same or have morphed from those who went overseas and tried to use their rugby ability to get them all sorts of avenues, even if just free went and a small wage/playing fee for any minor level local club team.
And for instance Plummer and Alex weren’t missed (your boy should have been given a chance to replace Plummer) but their are times like in the Plummer case that new guys like Rico Simpson are just not at the required level yet, so agree there are small little incremental road blocks to reaching the potential of say Super.
Christchurch had a devastating earthquake PMCD. Agreed though, France have been a much better rugby nation in that context. NZ had a fairly short purple patch of about a decade of people going to rugby trainings and events, basically before it went pro. Things quickly moved on though.
You are showing very little understanding of NZ rugby though, and do not provide any suggestions or seemingly even understand what is being asked in terms of playing ability. So it’s hard to take you seriously.
I don’t really know what you’re trying to say theyre but I’ve been spot on with my rugby whenever it is or whatever it involves for quite a while. If you bothered to note things you would have seen that by now.
This^^
It has nothing to do with the tap. That is every ABs play.
That’s great, you do you, but you have to respect that I don’t agree with a lot of your (either of you) opinions, and this is a classic example, and is why I’m focusing on your logical decision making. Nothing you have written backs up your idea, it’s as simple as that. Nick for instance suggests they should have taken a scrum, but that would have be a worse decision.
I repeat, you have described nothing to do with the taking of a tap. You have only described the ABs in-game weaknesses atm, which I agree with in regards of a lack of leadership (so I can see why you are reaching here) and attacking ability.
So in conclusion, your verdict is that the All Blacks do not have an adequate game manager, captain (albeit with a very circumspect claim of ‘blank faces’, or bench strategy. That is what you should be taking out of that circumstance, if you want to be able to analyze games well.
It’s not on any highlights.
It’s a tap dude!
DId fans ever show much agsnt at change in results and competition quality when games were held minus internationals?
No need to do that, you just needed to try and understand more what I meant.
We already see youngsters only playing CC matches though, so perhaps it’s wouldn’t be a new thing.
It pertains to your raising of the Academy topic. The setup their is no different to elsehwere in sports right, the best Academy players aren’t actually “in” the Academy, there are all sorts of such ^^ tricks to get them more money, and some can even be fully fledged squad members?
As apposed to say American sports where there are strict rules to keep them out of pro teams. Do you have problems with other clubs/sports abusing your strict/enforced rules like a limit on their earnings? Clubs losing their talent.
Yea it’s a little like RWC now right, rather random. You reckon it’s done to improve travel do you?
I meant to France and other local clubs, divided by squad sizes etc.
If they are going to be permanent, I think it might be best to go with two teams from Wales. Make it an Anglo Welsh comp. That would concentrate Wales talent, it would add some different rivalries (but not new as they used to play before) and it would keep the costs relatively the same (maybe good for Wales but not for England)
I wonder if Australia has previously made an error about not looking beyond Australia and NZ. We have had three NZ coaches but we did have an opportunity to take on Jake White at one stage and I think that would have been interesting. He would have brought something different - he already had changed the Brumbies. There would be other coaches, like Stuart Lancaster for instance (though going for a coach that your side had, in one sense, ended the international career of would be interesting.
I wonder also if we will ever look at Cheika again. He seems to have grown as a coach since leaving Australia and I would like to see Australia put together a coaching team like NZ put together first with Henry, Hansen and Smith. Cheika could be that initial head coach and someone like Kiss might be defence coach but even better Shaun Edwards or Jacques Neinaber. Not sure about attack other than Brown or Wayne Smith?
“Might be another game”
🤣
How much do you think Mola or Bru are on? Or even Collazo…
I think you have to pick a back row as a combination and how they deliver as a unit collectively, rather than the 3 best individuals in each position. This is where things have changed and why you are seeing more teams effectively play a starting 3 back row and then 2 off the bench - which is where Razor has been slow to evolve with NZ.
However . . . thoughts on Ardie Savea.
1. Is probably still NZ’s best player and the likely talisman of the current AB’s. I actually think would make a better captain than Barrett but that ship has sailed (unless Barrett is dropped).
2. Ardie moved back to 7 due to the retirement of Sam Cane - the youngsters gave away too many penalties at the breakdown, whereas Ardie’s decision making is better and he gives away very few penalties.
3. He’s probably a better 8 than 7 at International level and the AB’s potentially miss some of his dynamic ball carrying and the number of involvements he had in matches at 8 vs 7, especially the pick and go at the fringes, which have reduced since he moved to 7 (and is usually at the bottom of the ruck).
4. Ardie at 7 needed a quicker 6 & 8 to create the balance - hence why Sititi, Ardie & Lakai is likely the best starting combination at present (with him at 7).
5. If you moved Ardie back to 8, you could probably try Vai’i, Ardie, Kirifi as an alternative and I actually think that would be a good finishing back row off the bench in the final Quarter of games (with lots of energy either side of Ardie).
6. I think Sititi is improving, who can help fill the void Ardie has left and suspect Lakai will also improve the more games he gets.
7. The starting bench is usually competitive for 60 mins in games - the issue is the final 20 and that is where it comes to bench strategy 5|3 vs 6|2 and how to find that right balance between starting back row and finishing back row (as the game speeds up with the opposition bench).
Hopefully that gives you a few different thoughts to consider but he’s part of the solution but where to play him and who to play him with feels like the bigger conundrum for the AB coaches.
Bath & Saracens will spend every penny up to the limit.
Leicester & Northampton will usually be approx £300k short in case a player becomes available they want to sign but couldn’t in the previous contract period.
Bristol, Sale & Exeter previously were at cap level pre Covid and will likely have £1m headroom to the cap based on the wider financials they disclose (total club salary spend and how it changes).
Gloucester were probably £1m short last season and will be £2.5m short this season.
Newcastle were about £3.5m short of the cap last season (and were rumoured to be operating at half the cap level).
I’ve just sent you another reply explaining what I saw and why we are explaining it as such a poor play. You will have a better understanding of my comments and logic when you have read that. 👍
Nail meets head.
Your protectionist attitude means you never see things clearly either inside or outside NZ.
You are quite unable to compare rugby outside the country with the rugby played inside it.
No, Nick. Going from being the top carrier on the wing to top carrier at center is called a position change.
Haha yeah that first test was quite a pleasant surprise!
And that thought aligns with my idea that you don’t understand NZs situation, so you are coming to incorrect conclusions about how they perceive ‘outside’ rugby.
It sounds at lot more spot on that your takes SB!
I feel like you’re being trolled for posting the polar opposite views though I’m afraid.
He probably would have been playing 12 at the Crusaders, I don’t he would have dislodged Ennor at 13. But their is still time before 2027 to do that.
I think Bath were a bit lucky this weekend vs Exeter.
It was the first time we have played our first choice backline with Muir returning, they switched Arundell to the right wing and dropped Cokanasiga, with Carreras at full back.
However we played 5 current Academy players in the 23 (all forwards) - Sela, O-G, Kirk, Tuipulotu & Green.
I can’t work out if I am concerned, excited for the future, or both. 🤣🤣
If Razor starts going 6-2 (which is overdue - France showed the benefit of 6-2 in 2024 in Paris) then there will definitely be room for Papali’i - in fact going to SA he will be needed especially with 4 “mid week” games.
The Chiefs have a potent pack and good attacking backline. I am hoping Ah Koi will develop into another bruising lock / flanker hybrid - the ABs are going to need them this year. And yes it would be good to see what Jono can bring. I am actually hoping all the NZ franchises step up this year - we need to go next level in prep for the international season ahead.
I had expected more
I would have thought more. Bit surprised.