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It sounds like he has played well in Europe and is a like for like substitute for Holloway as both can play 6 and jump well, but also fill in at 2nd row. You'd also think Eddie might have told him to get back sooner than later as he likes him, but that's pure speculation. More competition and...

He's 1.93M (6'4) and lord knows he can jump and has great hands, I suspect also long arms. He wouldn't be Etzebeth up there, but he'd be a viable option. Whether you'd want him stuck in the middle of a maul or not available in the backline: that's another story! I still wish they'd consider...

AAA can reliably go for 55-60 minutes. So you'd think Tupou would at least have the fitness to go for 20 minutes depending on his rehab schedule. I guess the question is whether he can remember how to play Rugby that quickly and at an international standard. He isn't a rookie, but he's also not...

a) the total number allowed might change. b) there could be injuries to other overseas players selected ahead of him (Quade, Kerevi, Foley etc.). c) there could be injuries to domestic players in key positions that necessitates picking an overseas guy (say Frost, Rhodda, and Holloway get hurt)...

Bigger is only better if they can do everything a smaller guy can do. A lot of them can't or you'd just be starting nothing but second row types in the back row and playing Tupou at 8. Even in international rugby you don't have many 6'5, 250 lb #7s. You also need some people that get places...

I guess it depends on if you think that lineup has enough quickness/workrate to hit rucks quickly and get up on defense quickly. Especially if you are playing Skelton. It's basically playing a hybrid lock/6 @ 6 and an 8@7. Which teams tend not to do for a reason. If you do go all bulk then...

If I'm Eddie Jones (and sadly I'm not) and only have 4 games to work with (sidenote: why don't they play a few more tests in July-August to build up combinations? Even if playing against sub-par opposition?) I'm pretty much picking my team/strategy and the only way it is changing drastically is...

There's Kwagga, who you mentioned. Justin Tipuric is smaller and has been good until recently, but that's mainly due to his age (35) rather than his size. Hamish Watson is also a starting 7 in form and made the Lions. None of them are much bigger than Hooper. So that's 4 starting smaller 7s i...

I think NZ are authoring their own decline with their protectionist attitudes towards Super Rugby. As the league diminishes, so do revenues, then you have more players leaving NZ and becoming ineligible for ABs duty, along with a lower standard of play in Super Rugby. If 25 years from now half...

I agree that it is improbable, but if the stars align it is possible. The Wallabies, at their best, can beat anyone in the world. They have done so, just not often. So much depends on health and form. They need Bell, Kerevi, Quade, Tupou to be fit and some players to be in top form at 2, lock...

Agreed, but we've seen him play at a higher level internationally than Hanigan has ever shown and that has to count for something. As much as club rugby and form is important, some players just have the physical ability to take that next step up more than others. Look at Damien McKenzie, who is...

I've got no dislike for Hanigan and he does his job just fine. But I think it's also fair to believe that it is highly improbable that you are winning a RWC with him as your starting six, so I hope that a player with more upside steps up. The main plus for Hanigan is that his strengths and...

Depends on whether Eddie can do any better. He wasn't any better in England.

Proof will be in the pudding. Personally I think Rennie got screwed and he had the team in good shape for the RWC. He blooded a ton of new players and the vast majority looked good and developed under his tutelage. He was dealt extraordinarily difficult circumstances (injuries, overseas players...

I think the recent English 6 Nations squad is instructive. 90% the usual suspects, but the other 10% aren't there if Jones is still the coach. Probably see a similar kind of churn with the Wallabies, although it's hard to know what Rennies first choice even was with all of the injuries and lack...

I'd rate them about the same size wise. They offer different skillsets so it's a matter of preference for Jones and what he thinks he can mold each player towards. Hooper gets more work done around the pitch and Samu is a better ball carrier. Pick your poison. It also depends on who he wants...

I think Eddie is smart enough to take a horses for courses approach. He didn't play that way in Japan as they didn't have the players to use that style. England had massive bruisers so he seemed to use a different approach. Australia have an odd array of talent and strengths/weaknesses so I...

If he follows the England route it'll be Latu.

Can't say I love this as I liked Rennie, but this will be a fascinating experiment if nothing else. If Jones can rejuvenate the sport in Australia somehow (overseas players, improved super rugby teams, league, media IDK) that might be worth it. The North is leading the way in rugby lately IMO...

While suicides after concussions are rare, a new analysis has found that patients diagnosed with concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) had double the risk of suicide when compared with people who did not have brain injuries. The study also found that people with concussion or mild TBI...