The Freddie Steward message for France, and his most feared No10

They seem to have come around though.

There’s simply no debating the Prem has a much weaker model to the URC, and funds to the Top14.

Certainly there has been a lot published, like every other league, about growth after COVID, the question really, which they hide the answer to, is where they have been at before. I think it will work for them, and these currently vocal owners are just over negative, or lacking judgement.

Aspects like promotion and relegation are interesting, though it doesn’t sound like they have got it quite right, it might give the incentive for the Champ sides to change they perspective on going pro. As I’ve said about rugby in the SH, their has to be a plan and a foundation to allow it to work. Is the Super Rugby model what’s needed to combat France? How will the Premiership reduce and focus all the talent into those half a dozen elite teams? How if and when rugby booms again can they move back to two tier model of clubs rather than franchises?

I really like the idea England produce Franchises or mega clubs, some sort of representative and meaningful county system (or whatever they call it there) to take on those in the rest of Britain. It’s just gotta be done right and time right, to coincide with Europe and Africa. SK or Wayneo brought up some great information about how the area is a target for growth.

CWL is a 6/8 hybrid though, he is in the bruiser (not the cruiser) category of 6 though (the 8 six), like Grace, who was the preferred 8 over CWL until the swapped in his second year at the Crusaders.

When I’m looking at a bruiser 6, they are players the tackle hard and run straight, CWL is in that category, 8s tend to be more athletic/dynamic with the ball. Absolutely a good option for the bench.

Lakai is in the same camp, but he is that athletic/dynamic 8, just with the slightly smaller frame of a 7, he has more dominant, explosive carries, but doesn’t do as well on the other side of the ball as CWL.

These are the type of glue players that fill out that squad, it’s likely to be one or the other, and someone like Sotutu far more likely to be selected as the 8.

Personally, I think they will require some injuries before that is required.

He always seemed like a career man out of his depth at this level. With the massive Silverlake liability to pay each financial year, NZR are playing a very different game now.

Like test rugby is a different game to club rugby, taking on expensive money from a private equity investor is a different sport to the amateur one the previous management team were playing.

They need someone with a proven track record in building entities to thrive financially, while somehow halting the decline of domestic rugby. Otherwise, the SL bill will come back to bite them - sooner or later.

Absolutely the issue isn't going away so long as people in the media need content to fill their columns and programmes every week! There's only so many things to talk about.

Remember, NH countries like England and Ireland have the same policy. Ireland only became consistent winners after they brought their players home and England are a rising force.

Other countries have only moved away from the policy because lots of young or in their prime first choice players were leaving. That's not happening here.

With sabbaticals to Europe and Japan, I don't see how the policy is holding us back. Our main weakness is players leaving the game in their teens but that's less newsworthy.