Ethan Blackadder returns as Crusaders name team for quarter-final

Something changed in the Six Nations and we totally changed our style (literally overnight) and played some really good footie, which finally felt like positive rugby for a change.

Genge has regained his pore-Covid form and is looking back to his best and is head and shoulders above Porter.

Chessum has had a good year and hasn’t played a poor International game this season.

Tom Curry was outstanding in the 6 Nations but they have been playing him at 6, wheras he is better at 7 and is lethal at the breakdown.

Tom Willis was brought into the starting team at 8 and has been one of the best England players over the last year, who should have been on this Lions tour at 8. Earl had his best game since 2020 last week - not sure 1 game warrants Lions selection over a poor combination side and he is certainly second choice for his club 7 country behind Willis.

Pollock will be a good player but like all young emerging players, he is inconsistent and can go quiet in games, which is why Curry should be the starter at 7. He brings energy to games, which is why he is good from the bench but there is an argument to say he is the 5th best England openside (Curry x2, Underhill & Earl are currently better) but will improve over the next 5 years. We just need to stop the media building him up for a fall, let him play and develop and you will see a sensational Henry Pollock for the Lions in 4 years time.

Lions will be too powerful over 80 mins, so doesn’t really matter who they pick. Just please don’t put too much hype on Pollock. His 20 mins of International rugby going into this tour were positive but the media caused a frenzy and no other player would be selected on this basis.

Let’s enjoy the rugby and give Pollock the space and time he requires.

And don’t forget to add the Boer war (which I paid for a couple of times in games in the Eastern Free State) where the farmers showed the poms up in how to fight until the latter (to my extreme embarrassment as an immigrant from Mud Island) proved their disgraceful nature in the concentration camps and the scorched earth policy.

As you say JOC is a positive sign but Joe is rigid and I think he will continue down the same track.

Apparently Taniela may be on the outer and miss out on the 23.

But I think the coaches may be finding it hard to accept the England model of three natural open-sides starting as it’s alien to them.

I reckon if Wiggy had his way he’d ahve the three of Pollock, Earl and Morgan starting and Conan playing Tom Willis off the bench!

”Yes he makes me nervous, and he makes his team mates nervous, but nothing like he makes the opposition nervous.”

A cracker, great quote.😁