Aaron Cruden explains the reason why he turned down Ulster

1. The NH unions would miss out on big gate takings every other year. They would block it.

2. With the Nations Cup it will soon be moot (although I am yet to be convinced that France will send full strength teams to the SH leg in July - but this will annoy WR more directly, so perhaps…)

The June tests were moved to July to accomodate the top 14 so this sort of thing wouldn’t happen. That was an action by the SH unions to accomodate the French and their season. So what happened? “Thanks for that, can we have some more?”

Ps I presume the ‘JOKE’ part was the late addition edit…😉😂

PPS just checked…and IT WAS!!!!!!!🤣🤣🤣

If Hansen had begun the 2019 season with 4 Retallick, 5 Whitelock, 6 Barrett, 7 Savea, 8 Read as he should have and they got 5-7 tests together before the RWC knockout rounds, you could have had a very different outcome.

But he choose to be tricky and keep it a secret. Mistake.

Thus Va’ai has been moved to blindside where he has had two good tests at while learning as he goes.

The BIL teams are (aside from Ireland) A/B teams - still with many A team players. I would rather the England team touring Argentina be playing the ABs than this French one.

France could have reduced the complaints and the grounds for such if they had still picked the best team from those eligible/available. But they haven’t even done that. This, plus the playing of silly b@ggers with team selection over the three tests is just a big middle finger to the ABs and the NZ rugby public.

One of the key reasons this is an issue is the revenue sharing one. Home teams keep the ticket revenues. If the July tours are devalued to development larks then the crowds will not show up (why go watch teams featuring names you’ve never heard of?). This costs the SH unions. The NH unions on the other hand get the advantage of bums on seats from full strength SH teams touring in November. If the NH doesn’t want to play ball by touring full strength, then pay up and share gate receipts. That would be fair, and would reduce the grounds for complaint from the south. This has been suggested, but the NH unions want their cake and eat it too. And now, apparently, we are not even allowed to complain about it?

Finally - no one is expecting France to do things the way NZ or SA do. We oddly don’t really mind that it probably makes them less successful at RWC than they would otherwise have been. But a bit of willingness to find a solution other than “lump it, we’re French” would go a looonnng way.

In what sport?

The difference is that when healthy Blackadder performs very well for the Crusaders and Lord does even less than Finau for the Chiefs.

Galthie looking more Yosemite Sam than ever.

You got to stop believing what Jeff Wilson, Mild Muliaina and Stephen Donald tells you on the Breakdown.

James Parsons and Bryn Hall are far better analysts on their show.

How utterly unusual and unheard of.

Keenan lost almost 10 kilos of water weight due to recent illness. He hasn't looked fully fit.

Kinghorn is not fully fit either.

Bringing 4 full backs would have been a touch indulgent.

With Sititi at 8, now that Savea is at 7, Va’ai is clearly the best 6 if the other options are Finau, Parker, Blackadder, Jacobson, and Papalii.

JOKE!

I like coffee and I like sugar but I don't like sugar in my coffee. Just one of those weird things. I've also been quite disgusted at some of the disrespect thrown at the Aussies.

Privately I think most of us have a soft spot for the underdog.