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He did what he needed to and a little more. Let’s see if he can back it up. If everyone did what we need them to do in each 23 the RWC would be ours.

You can only play what’s in front of you. The disappointing aspect of the weekends game was that we did not turn a 21-3 scorline into a 40 or 50-6 scoreline. We are going to need to find that edge and to maintain intensity for the full 80. These are the games to practice it.

I watched the game again yesterday and Donaldson did not put a foot wrong outside of a couple of missed tackles. His positional play was flawless and his kicking very good for the most part. He was right there to score two, almost three, tries, saved another certain try and showed a very good...

Most likely Gleeson starts at 8 against Portugal. He needs to be fitter and go longer but he has enormous potential. So does Valetini and after a few years in Super Rugby he is shining at the highest level. Agree re McReight too. He is a special player and will only get better. In fact our whole back row...

I mean if he is chosen at 10, which has been suggested. Occasionally he will have to be defending in the line even from 15 if there. Gordon and he will be seen as the weakest links. Thats where the big Fijians like to run. And no, not all 15s get brushed off like he was on the weekend. He needs...

We are going to need to control the pace of the game and keep the Fijians out of their rhythm.

We will need a presence at the breakdown and early so surely McReight stays

Donaldson is going to need to work on his tackle technique as the Fijians will seek him out. I would start Kellaway at 15 with Donaldson on the bench to replace Gordon if he is not on target.

I think in Kerevis case it is so he can play off him. When he gets the ball flat footed and deep he is a much easier target to stop. When he comes off the hip of a 10 paying flat he is at pace and into gaps getting us up over the ad line. Its similar with Petaia albeit out wider

Looks like it. We are passing back 20 yds to kick 30-40? Better to kick off your 9 and we have the chasers out wide in MK, Marky and Petaia

Both Kerevi and Koreibete to a lesser extent look a little out of sync with the play. Its a completely different set up to what they are used to and both are damaging runners. Kick, chase and defend will not work for us against anyone in the top 5-6. Kerevi needs a 10 who plays close to the line...

I thought McReight was good again. In a big pack he gives us presence over the ball and his running lines are good. Gets through a mountain of defence and his experience as a captain of the underage teams gives him more experience than his years. It would be hard to justify replacing him with...

We neede to have Frost on the bench, or Philip if Frost not available. There was too much indiscriminate kicking, just punching the ball back straight to the opposition. That looks like the plan, to play without the ball. I’m not sure our defence is up to it, particularly late in the game. Both...

Improvements, improvements improvements………..

Thats the spirit

Its really not very funny

Aside from Frost this is our best possible pack and Arnold is no chump. Georgia‘s strength is up front. We should be able to get on top there reasonably easily.

Goal kicking does win test matches, particularly tight ones. These days there are usually none tighter or more under pressure than World Cup knock out games(assuming we get that far). Choosing a squad without a single established test kicker is just………..I don’t fucking know, but whatever it is...

And therein lies the issue with not selecting a second specialist 10. Lolesio, Foley, Cooper, Hodge, O’Connor…….whoever, it doesn’t matter. Someone who can play 10 at test level and kick goals reasonably well.

Not much could or would surprise from this point on