The Borthwick verdict on naming Courtney Lawes as an England sub

Whilst I think Lynagh and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips have it in them for a winning Schmidt team and a future Kiss team, I’m not so sure about Creighton.

I think the reasons why Kiss let him go and Mackellar wanted him are the same. He, like Lolesio is good at passing the ball and kicking, but doesn't create things. As he showed last night, Creighton is also good at backing up (and a great flick on pass), but leaves the creativity to others.

When they do click, the Waratahs rely on counter-attack from Jorgensen, Kelleway and Sua’ali’i…plus other bits of brilliance from Jorgensen and Sua’ali’i. Same style as the Brumbies I’d argue, and same style as Rennies team after Cooper.

They (the Wallabies) really need someone to set up others, or they be too predictable v the Lions,…and going forward after that.

I am not so sure about Les Kiss, at least in the way they are touting him now. Certainly not with all his Qld staffers moving with him, and a job share with him remaining head of ops in Qld would be difficult.

It would be wrong for RA to invest in him too heavily right now. He needs to win something with the Reds.

I get frustrated that TMOs have so much influence on the game when they are far less qualified than the Ref. A lot of technology but still no cigar. The TMO ‘might’ be able to be an AR but no where near the standard or experience to replace the Referee on the day & then there are the even less qualified assistants advising the TMO.

Your have it right with Harry McLaughlin-Phillips.

He is one of 3 #10s showing some form. The others are Lynagh and Donnalson.

It’s not unusual to have the best players in a particular position from the same side.

(Queensland also have two of the best halfbacks on form too)

As Rennie found when he (or his coaching team) didn't know how use the five eighth after Cooper was unavailable, simple pass the parcel five eighths don’t work v good opposition.

Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Lynagh and Donnalson may not be world beaters, but they can create something some of the time.

Re Kiss, he HAS to be the main Wallaby coach, and yes, it’s totally possible for him to have a Reds role as well. Right now too, it is essential for Schmidt to continue a role after Kiss takes over.

Dmac was woeful, head didn’t seem to be in the game…perhaps a good wake up for him and the team that there’s plenty of rugby still to come this season.

I thought Jacomb and DMac were playing completely differently to how their partnership worked in the few two rounds. Jacomb was in total control this time, Dmac was only seen wider out. I think a clear strategy around working on Jacomb role/game.

The worst was him skidding into the takclers imo.

Yes of course. One particular one was that he looked to be uncomfortable and lacking confidence when in France, judging by the way he cam across in the videos. So that was one reason why I liked the idea of him growing further closer to home (now that’s an English saying, don’t pull me up on that one too), growing a bit more as a man first, where he may have made progress in recently.

But if you’re using logic and putting two and two together, which is all I was doing after reading this article, you’ve got him wanting to return home and get himself amongst the Hurricanes stars, and now months later, ‘family’ being reported as the reason he’s decided against that now.

Sure, anything is possible though GD if that’s how you want to think in life. But back to your comment, you incorrectly assumed that if their were indeed shackles in place, that he wouldn’t have returned. Can you work out logically how this is a false statement? The simplicity of it will be quite striking when you realise.. it implies that this situation - him deciding months later to go to France - would be impossible if he returned to NZ.

Dmac probably shouldn’t have been starting at all when you’ve got someone like Scooter they tried so hard to get back (they’re hanging out for some good/fit wing stocks though?).

Wrampling didn’t know what to do, so he rose with him and Jo wasn’t fast enough to get away. I fully expected it to be a red but the ruling completely matched my perception so well done.

I didn’t watch the second half but thought Feketi’s dissalowed try was a good square up for scoring off a forward pass for their first. There was also no way Jacobson passed that ball forward, it only travelled forward about a meter despite going all the way to the sideline while running at full tilt. Great to see the loyal crowd getting incited and behind their team though.

While the two Canes midfields started the season pretty rusty, and I thought in Sullivan’s case especially, well out of form, they have started playing very well together as Peter suggested on TV last night. Still though, their is some class to come back, and if Roigard can sort out his game and actually provide some impact, and Laidlaw can get things right at 10, well that’s a very dangerous side if that front row start getting into gear. Dissapointed Kirifi didn’t quite bring the big game like Lakai did. Missing players like Rayasi and Moorby from last year for sure.