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Interesting. Just spit-balling, but to incentivise teams in the 2nd comp, you could have the WRT every 4 years, 2 years out from the RWC with the winner given automatic entry into the RWC as the 16th side perhaps. That creates further questions for the next WRT, but it could work I think. A...

Disappointing performance for me. A crazy number of handling errors and the scrum (while penalised harshly IMO a couple of times) was always inferior relative to England and got smashed a few times which put us badly on the back foot. Our back line constantly found space out wide by using 2nd...

Not a fan of the McMahon promotion. Jones deserved another shot, he played well after those two early turnovers and provides the pack with more size and lineout options. I'd have liked to see Cooper get his shot at 10 but I'm not surprised to see Foley retained there. Even though I think AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)...

Yep. Two players who about 4 years ago I really, really liked and had high hopes for and then thought I was completely done with 2 years ago and now they're the two of the most consistent forwards we have. Obviously they are in the side due to injuries but they've been great recently.

Yeh what's with the non-selection of Fainga'a? Unless he's injured, he's a must in this side atm. His tour has been fantastic.

Absolutely agree. He made those two turnovers early but after that I thought he was very solid and well worth persisting with at 6 against England. Fardy is my first choice blindside given full fitness, but I like Jones a lot. He needs to put some more weight on to compete with bulls like...

GWS won't move to Homebush. They barely fill half of their current ground, they would look heinously bad if they played their homes games at ANZ. I doubt AFL will be at ANZ for a while now. Unless GWS suddenly becomes a powerhouse with a monster following (like that of the Wanderers, for...

3. Saia Fainga'a 2. Matt To'omua 1. James Slipper

So other cultures would use a piece of the Maori culture that has no real signficance to them to reply to the Kiwis' haka? Seems pretty unnecessary and ill-advised to me. I can't imagine the New Zealanders would be particularly keen on that either. It seems like fishing for a reply to the haka...

So Jones and Carter are packing down as locks or Carter/Simmons at lock with Jones at 6? edit: Seen the updated post. I like the look of that side a lot in terms of experimenting and promoting players of interest. I'd still rather see Horwill ahead of Carter and long term I'd have Quade as my...

1. James Slipper 2. Stephen Moore 3. Sekope Kepu 4. James Horwill (wish Kane Douglas or Hugh Pyke were around still but oh well) 5. Rob Simmons 6. Scott Fardy 7. David Pocock 8. Wycliff Palu (loving Ben McCalman atm though, so this was close but Palu at his best is a beast) 9. Nick Phipps 10...

3. Ben McCalman 2. Saia Fainga'a 1. Rob Simmons

France were the better side and deserved the win but the Wallabies did well to get that close. The French side defended really well over the course of the game and Australia looked clueless at times as to how they were going to get past the French defence that kept shooting out of the line to...

This is spot on to me. I played against him at school a little and his size advantage at that level was absurd but he hasn't really developed the aggression or athleticism to make it a point of difference since graduating IMO. Still slow, poor body height making him a weapon at the set piece...

Those ratings, if accurate, are nuts. The American market is such a valuable market, one that rugby needs to continue to take advantage of. Great first step for that happening.

I'd go with the following: 1. Slipper 2. Fainga'a 3. Kepu 4. Horwill 5. Simmons 6. Higginbotham (if he's not fit, McMahon) 7. Hooper 8. McCalman 9. Phipps 10. Foley 11. Speight (unlucky for Tomane, I thought he was fairly decent against Wales but my excitement to see Henry play good opposition...

Kane Douglas leaving for Europe is such a shame right now. He'd be a perfect complement for Simmons to take us into the RWC next year. Horwill is an ideal guy to have off the bench, an experienced, strong head but Douglas' ruthless aggression would be very handy right now.

3. Tevita Kuridrani 2. Ben McCalman 1. Michael Hooper

I have little doubt that 12 months from now when these two teams meet in the RWC, we will be the better side. Some of the defensive errors made today I am happy to put down to Cheika implementing new ideas and growing pains. The Tahs took a while to become the defensive beasts they became to win...

The Spies vs Roussow argument is an interesting one. I've had a similar one going on for a few years about Higginbotham vs Fardy and I always take Fardy. It's off the topic now, but Higginbotham (to me) has the physical tools to be something like a Kieren Read. Not as brilliant as Read but in...