'Like Sergio Parisse for the forwards, Ma'a Nonu will be the daddy of the three-quarters'

The biggest stat though is that we kept the Chiefs scoreless for the whole 2nd half & basically put them on life support in the final 10 mins. That’s what “real” is bud. Hardly a “fluke”, right.

I looked at the replay because I saw two kids arguing and he also clearly does connect with the back of the head first, so maybe it was delayed reaction and was more luck that he wasn’t injured more.

I wouldn’t say this was a Mo’unga or Frizell situation where there talent only was unlocked after they signed abroad, when Schmidt and Ryan came in respectively. LF was on a good trajectory, and he just decided he has the perfect window of opportunity to go abroad while he’s not first choice, learn and live in France to come back better and have a good shot at the perfect age. I think he recongised that.

Agreed that our rotation has been off the the last decade, players have not been moved on when they should, but I wouldn’t include Rieko in that discussion, though I would accept he is more of a marketing than performance signing.

Also agree it is a strange condunrum that results from the misalligned seasons, where Lester is straight into NPC in the same season almost. When really the ‘start’ of his contract is next year. Is he even going to be on the payroll at the moment? Could it be used as a double dip to encourage players back, a ‘bonus international season’ of match fees.

But they also don’t want them to become anymore common. So perhaps everything is fine? Like I was alluding to with Toko, they would need multiple markers of their own in Top 14 for them to be able to gauge off. As I’ve said in previous articles I’d be comfortable to expand sabbaticals to 2 in every position (yes a huge change), so that the was a core group of 30 of the top players all aligned with the ABs and overseas at any one time. This would ensure there are good markers to correlate levels of performance amongst everyone. This is a very similar setup/size to South Africa. It is like the AB modem in a wider organism, the vets are shipped off much earlier, and the core of next cycle is brought through. No missing out on the JGPs or Aki’s, no the Antonio’s or young Patrick Tuifua’s to france, keeping the Chandler Cunningham-South’s or Roots brothers, evan this Dubious guy from the French team was playing rugby here in NZ and could have stayed with a more ground up focus on bringing players through, not paying them much etc lol

That’s what I like abuot the tour setup next year. I think there are too many games assigned to the ABs for it to happen though, but only haven’t a jersey awarded to the best available player again would be epic imo.

It was (on air here) last year, but not this year. I haven’t seen why, my guess was that it’s because no English version comes out from the “closed off billionaires league” and they couldn’t get an english one. I think they have to get it from the UK broadcasters and maybe that market changed this year?

The quality of it wasn’t my point, purely correlation of those performances to ones at home. He is the only one over there, there was no marker for ABs to valuate from. He wasn’t a solid choice, in that you knew what you were getting, he was still more of a sensation in the All Blacks, and he was playing a different position.

Those are just direct points to counter JBs thoughts. I’m not saying they were used in any way (I think theyd have to be part of why NZR have the current eligibility rules though), this situation was simply a matter of starting at the back of the class if you’re not here. Only vets can earn sabbaticals (which is essentially what people are asking for in this case). There’s no argument this isn’t the right call.

As with the topic in the above paragraph, we could go on and on about it, but I will say I did see after the fact the final was broadcast FTA (no that I’d watch live, still have yet to watch the replay) straight off mondos website (im guessing it was a laggy pos tho), which is/was good. I also wanted to watch Brad Weber and Lester last year (start of the season) so went on line for a few (and tried to catch Max Hicks), that Brad was fabulous, Lester less so. Lester was also less that good in this international window. So I did see enough to know they are very different games, and I can tell it’s going to take him a while to get on his feet here again.

Ps and if your gonna say “well so you were able to watch Top 14”, first, this is not about me and it wouldn’t have mattered if I thought he played better than Jordie, second, I just couldn’t be assed, too easy using a proper product. I gave up on JRLO too because they blocked the Youtube dude (and TVNZ/Spark didn’t have it), and RP was slow in signing a deal.

But Rivez and Havili were crap in the next game, you just got lucky it wasn’t in that game.

Better than dishing out AB Cs, with Ethan Blackadder in the team, against France.

No the Chiefs choked the life out of the Crusaders, again, they just couldn’t knock over the points. Two tries to one.

Don’t bother looking at the stats.

Those often very subtle differences in laws between countries can be critical too.

So say the FFR wouldn’t be able to say “these are the guidelines handed down by WR, we thought that would be an accurate way to put the players welfare first” as an excuse/get out of jail free card? I’m not sure how that would be applied in Britain either.

I honestly doubt there was a cover up like there was in America so I hope the bodies do not get bogged down by the legalities (because that’s what’s going to create overzealous changes). I haven’t been treating the whole courts thing seriously, as it just seems to me players are hoping WR think it’s cheaper to settle out of courts.

TBH I’m just taking say NZRs statement to mean theres no way hes going to be able to prove he’s better than the current stocks during the NPC season, but were definitely going to use him if we need to. It would be a bit much to see the likes of TUJ, McLeod, Springer, Sullivan get selected ahead of him.

I don’t like it. I think they’ve undervalued the NPC for decades now, and if it was good enough back then, it’s still good enough now to select ABs from. So I agree, he should go toe to toe with them during the NPC. Obviously there’s absolutely you would rank his current Toulon form higher than the currents squads Super Rugby form, they are all playing better than him.