England left fearing the worst as injuries tarnish victory

You do realise that not all changes work well and some can leave your organisation weakened forever?

Being an AB is different so I appreciate most of us NH folk don't get what they're giving up with a test jersey. They aren't just careers.

I was over there in 2010 during the old Tri-nations. Carter, Conrad Smith, McCaw and Muliaina where coaching school kids in an open session on a day off. It was astonishing how they conducted themselves. Every one of the kids looking up to them.

That's the standard but there is perhaps an argument that their current policy is holding them back?

Petty insults aren't what I expect from South Africans. Sure you have a GOAT generation of forwards and genius coach who have made selections from overseas work for you these past seven years with two world cups and two rugby championships. Us, England and Ireland are in a very different situation and just because the policy has worked so far for you doesn't mean it'll work for us.

I understand it's not simple either way. I mean Jordie has been electrifying but we have’nt seen yet if it bounces into the upcoming AB tests. Even then, by the end of their test season, he will have been playing basically for 12 months.

I think the discussion is back in the spotlight because of Richie though. The game is currently a little quiet on the world class 10 front but that guy is on a different level.

There's is no other 10 in open play that is even close to him.

It a huge drop off between the next best group of standoffs.

Yeah, maybe a case of beating what’s in front of you. They did enough against the Scarlets but did Glasgow both sides of the ball. I thought it would be much closer yesterday.

I got sorted in the pre-sale this morning. I'll take the auld fella down to it.

I see they were selling tickets for the hill for twenty euro! I hope there'll be a crowd up from the north just for the day out. Anything close to a sellout would be a big ask but Croker is a wonderful setting for the occasion.

In all honesty I can see a very good game at the weekend. Bulls have been very consistent all season.

Surely though the crucial development is that they allow these European sabbaticals now. It does seem a bit pointless to dwell on past policies when the future is what has to be decided.

Chch great at producing rugby teams and boy racers, that’s about where it stops from the sounds of it.

Nothing I can say to change that unfortunately.