The massive compliment Joe Marler paid to a teenage Sale tighthead

The worst example was Strategic Finance. Once again nothing is said about the best fraud in New Zealand History and it’s NZRU connection.

Strategic's failure affected approximately 11,000 investors with a loss of $383m.

Average loss of $35k. Mum and Dad investors, who believed the company run by

NZRFU chairman had to be an “good investment”

Players will have to choose between International Rugby and a consistent playing career in European Clubs.

Hopefully the Players Association will replace NZRFU.

Maybe the NZRFU can run the regions. That way they won’t be able to “embezzle all the funds or take Bribes for “jersey naming rights” E.g. ALTRAD and other back handers.

I thought that Tomos sped the play up when he came on and his passing was very sharp, but Argentina found a way to counter it.

They can show no form at all for years, and yet look at the squad every season, and there they are. As per their NZR contract it seems.

Frankly, all the Rugby Championship nations should thumb their nose at the French and take on other nations tours instead, and if they want to play them in France, then the SH nations should field C-teams as well. Show them an equal amount of disrespect.

In my opinion, it seems like the French business model has flourished, with the JIFF policy strenghtening the positions of French talents and less foreign players, the financial health of French clubs dominating the NH, the revigorated national team with what could have been 4 6Nations titles (the 2020 and 2021 were super close) and the emergence of top players in every positions, with arguably the best current rugby player in the world.

On the other hand, Covid has dismantled the financial basis of many federations, the departure of SA franchises from Super Rugby has weakened the competition, NZ are not the reference anymore, SA is dominating the test match competition, with Ireland and France pushing hard, although the Irish seem at a crossroads.

But again, why would it be France’s fault that NZ problems exist?

Is the French team responsible for structural problems in NZ’s rugby?

Nope. But it’s probably easier to blame the French to not give it all in terms of marketing with superstars coming, live on past glory, to cling on the view that until Dupont doesn’t tour SH, he cannot be seen as the best in the world.

Sorry, but most of French fans don’t really know NZ players.

They come in to see the French team against the All Blacks in the Autumn Tests.

And I don’t think anyone in NZ came to see Doumayrou, Parra, Belleau, Teddy Thomas or even Serin or Fickou in 2018. They came for the mighty All Blacks, the Barrett brothers, Savea, Whitelock, Aaron Smith…