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I think the current English team is leaps and bounds better than the 2007 team which almost won the competition.

The problem with a Super Rugby system is that you would have to significantly reduce the amount of imports. If you reduce your talent down to 5 teams then that is only fine if every team has an English first-five. If 2 have a foreign first-five then you only have 3 first five's to pick from. It...

Thretton Palamo had a great game but the American kicking was shocking.

Barrett/Slade were always going to be on the bench though. Slade hasn't started for the All Blacks since 2011 and he seems to be going.

I highly doubt Sevens is going to lead to direct success in 15's for the USA. Did any of their current 15's squad get their start in 7's? It seems that most of their 15's players had gone through the youth system rather than the 7's system. Even in New Zealand sometimes we say that certain All...

In 2011 we had: - Canada beating Tonga - Tonga beating France - Ireland beating Australia 3 decent upsets there.

The only criticism they gave of Piutau was that Piutau is going overseas. I think that says enough for me that Piutau should definitely be going.

The problem is that there needs to be a mechanism to make a Tier Two country a Tier One country. In 2007, Argentina came 3rd in the World Cup. That was a bit of a golden generation for them with their team a lot stronger then, than it is now. Between 2005 and the start of the World Cup in 2007...

Piutau was MotM in the last test match he played.

They need to be playing at least 5 games a year against Tier One opposition. So, no, that isn't what I meant.

I don't think things will change much any time soon. There are six teams in the Six Nations but Scotland and Italy are generally rubbish. Neither side has a great domestic set up and neither side seems to be improving at the youth level. The four Rugby Championship teams are always up there. The...

Slade and Barrett are different players but have been doing the same role for the All Blacks. They have both been good players off the bench but neither has been at their best starting. Obviously we will start with Carter and put either Barrett or Slade on the bench. Slade has the goal kicking...

Agreed completely. Even if Naholo was fit then I don't see why he would be going to the World Cup. Given he is injured, he surely has no chance? I think it is just the media making stories up.

Proctor plays 13 for Wellington so will be picked there before NMS. There is also Laumape who we just picked up from rugby league. I don't have a clue how good he will be.

Nope Barrett has announced he isn't playing 7's.

Savea was one of the best players in the world last year! Then he had a good Super Rugby season. Now he has had two indifferent test matches. Surely the lesson we should have gleamed from last night is not to be so reactionary?

Patrick Osbourne, Cory Jane and Tevita Li.

Piutau was probably the best player for the AB's in the last game he played! If he doesn't go to the World Cup it will be because he is leaving next season and because they want Dagg's boot. No way is Osbourne going.

Dropping Savea would just be silly. He was the best wing in the world last year, plays one game and people want to get rid of it. Some people need to get a grip. The performance last night was just absolutely pathetic. Australia were very, very poor too apart from their loose forward trio...

I read an interesting thing somewhere about Boston Red Sox. They went 86 years without winning the World Series. The fact Boston never won almost become an excuse for their every day life. The team itself was almost the city's punching bag and there was sort of a culture of defeatism amongst the...