London Irish add ex-Italian international van Zyl to their coaching staff

If there was any simulation it was well after that, drawing attention, so fairly irrelevant. It is of course also when you would expect nerves triggers to have made it to the brain, but he’s a hard competitive 7 so I wouldn’t put him past trying anything (not that I’ve seen him do it before).

I feel they also didn’t seem to show the same killer instinct once they were in front, playing it safe on a couple of breaks/momentum carries.

I also don’t really understand why Donaldson on the bench. I would much rather have someone you want on the pitch like Pietsch available in a 6/2 split with Gordon or Wright more than able to cover 10 imo. Tate was wonderful on the wing though. And of course lots more positives also present.

I really enjoyed how they were running onto the ball in close in around the ruck. Wilson was playing a different role I thought, he was more the one out man design for quick ball and he presented it as good as you can get all night. That said, he’s not first choice 8 is he, who is that again? Is Wright still injured? I worry that Joe is keeping him their and its dictating too much of the plan just because he has been given the captaincy role.

Will be interesting to see who he thinks might be work a shot in the first team this week, plenty of options. I watched the first quarter of last weeks midweek game and Tupou certainly wouldn’t be one on that list, might be worth a punt though. Think they have to try and work some plays for Bell too, hes got too much class just to be down on form, give him something to work with and I’m sure he’d be a standout as well.

Also seen enough to know Hunter isn’t suddenly going to turn into a class center, I would definitely stick with Joseph but maybe theres a window to put him onto the wing, despite what I said above, now? I think you also do him a disservice in his defending (like many are), he made the player go outside him. It’s the hardest backline spot, I’d be inclined to use him like a league back row and carry it from 12 more often, if that suits Len better.

Your ‘unedited comments’ also confirm that apparently Furlong is past it, Keenan is broken, Aussie would fire ahead in the first Test and Aussie would prevail 2-1. ALL wrong, so that makes zip from, well, everything! Not a successful tour for icky lad eh…

Like what they have tried with SR the last few years and I’m probably forgetting prev NPC seasons as well.

Sure, they want to build some hype, but slow and steady wins the race.

He’s going for the ball when two Lions players (Morgan and Genge) go to clear out. Morgan leads first but both go off their feet. Morgan even has his hand on the pitch in making the contact with Tizzano so is not supporting his body weight. They’ve sealed him off and both fall on the ball. To complete the seal, Morgan holds Tizzano’s legs when he is prone on the ground to prevent him returning to play. Played him off the ball.

The TMO review even establishes that there is head contact with no clear wrap which is a penalty. Mitigation is only applied to see if it is or isn’t a card and what colour it might be, but head contact is a penalty. In any phase of play.

Itoje’s reaction and dealings with Harry Wilson are arrogant (“Ah, just go way!”) as he attempts to influence the ref. He knows what Morgan did - IRE v ENG in this years 6N involved Beirne holding Itoje’s leg from the base of the scrum which took him out of the defensive line and allowed Kelleher to score. The refs got it right that day and overruled the score.

Such obvious things should not be missed nowadays at this level with the technology available.

I agree by the way on Sheehan’s try. He dives to score but only after jumping to avoid the tackle of 3 players. He jumps before he dives/scores so it shouldn’t have stood.

He also tapped the ball beyond the 5 metre line.

My unedited comments history will confirm this.