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This is getting ridiculous!

These topics seem to always get manipulated, misconstrued and end up with very little to do with the initial point.

Come on, it's not the inclusion of family or team mates, it's the exclusion of national pride which I don't like. Why do you persist in inferring something different to what I have already explained?

Sorry, but my exception to his admission that he doesn't play for his country does not not imply that I don't consider other reasons for playing important and certainly doesn't place them in any particular order of importance either.

Far too many topics to cover there but it seems that everyone is completely comfortable with virtually anything, as long as the player performs on the field. There are still many James O'Connor fans who think it doesn't matter what he does off the field as long as he plays well on it. I...

Great job of editing there ... what about the rest of the sentence where I spoke about him not playing for his country, which is after all, the main point of discussion. You could get a job on Fox News with that sort of editing.

I'm not sure how that is illogical as that is what he said. Unless he means something contrary to what he said, I will take him at his word. Also, I'm not sure what is wrong with being proud of your country and supporting your country if that is what you're implying. That is completely...

Look at Brad Thorn, who represented two countries with distinction. Look at the many players who move OS to get an Test career they cannot find here, or NZ. Yes, I don't agree with what Brad Thorn did either. He never received as much criticism as SBW but he also swapped sports, swapped...

It's up to each of us as fans to make that jersey that he's talking about mean something to us. It's not Clyde Rathbone's job to make me feel more patriotic - that's the jersey's job and I'm happy that he values that jersey and wants to represent that jersey with pride. The thing is that he...

Clyde Rathbone: "As to pride in a Jersey. When I represented South Africa as a junior or Australia at senior level I played for the guys around me, for past players I respected and for my family. Patriotism is often nothing more than nationalism in golden camouflage, I'm not interested in it...

Rupeni Caucaunibuca is the best attacking winger, ever, in my opinion!

Yeah, and only on one occasion was a final won by a team playing overseas. (By my Crusaders :))

Here is some interesting data that I collated for anyone that is interested. 8 of 42 (19%) semi final matches have been won by the away team in Super Rugby. 1996: Sharks beat Qld 1999: Crusaders beat Qld / Highlanders beat Stormers 2002: Brumbies beat NSW 2011: Crusaders beat Stormers 2012...

Yes, I haven't put any thought into a possible, better alternative, although there surely must be one, but it does strike me as particularly biased under the current system. There should certainly be an advantage to those teams that finish higher on the table, no doubt. It is just the extent to...

Yes, possibly, although it doesn't change the fact that, for whatever reason, unless you finish 1st or 2nd, it is virtually impossible to win the competition. This has only been accentuated through the changes to the playoff system. I agree with the number of teams in the playoff series, but I...

It is just too hard to win the Super 15 without finishing 1st or 2nd on the table. I have looked up the statistics and during the 15 years of having a Top 4 playoff system, only on 1 occasion did a team not finishing 1st or 2nd, actually win the tournament. Now we are in the 3rd year of having a...

If you are yet to choose a favourite team, may I suggest Canterbury! We have won the tournament the last 5 years in a row (everybody loves a winner! :)) and last year scored an incredible 51 tries in the 10 round robin matches!

I agree, it really is the best way to be able to judge players in comparison to others. I watch all games except those played in SA. Far too late/early to watch live and I can't watch replays! Regarding the squad, 40 is a huge amount of players to have. You're more likely to be in it than not...

I agree but unfortunately I have noticed that players seem to be arguing more than they used to with referees about their decisions (at least that is my impression). Ali Williams was an absolute disgrace this Super 15 season. He actually behaved like a Soccer player towards the referees. I...

Thanks for sharing all that information! Very interesting!