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The ERC have appointed Canadian barrister Graeme Mew as an independent mediator in the dispute about the future of the HEC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24182644

Got another question. Generally the NH looks to the SH big 3 to learn lessons. What do you think the SH can learn from NH in terms of rugby, structure, fans etc.?

Does he feel he has all the support staff/coaches in place that he needs?, if not will those he needs be drafted in the near future? So far how has International coaching differed from club/franchise coaching? Has he had to adjust his approach to training and preparation given the limited...

The 2 Italian teams had a great night last night. Zebre recorded the very first win in their history. They did it in style by beating Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park and scoring 3 tries. The final score was Cardiff 25 Zebre 30. That's some result for a team only formed last season to replace...

In Ireland clubs aren't officially supposed to pay players anymore due to huge debts rung up by clubs over the years. There is still some under the table payments but if caught these are severely punished. Here's a good article that touches on this and also gives some background to the club...

Maybe it's in one of the other threads but haven't seen it posted on the site. Leinster have signed Lotte Tuqiri on a short term deal. No details of how short terms yet though. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24149796

So nice of Edward Griffiths (Saracens CEO) to say that Pro12 teams would be welcome to join the new English/French competition. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24151800 The more I hear about this new competition, the more I hate the idea. It's basically turning rugby into soccer...

Nick Wood got 8 weeks for his stamp on Burger's head. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24154608

For all his antics and attitude JOC (James O'Connor) hasn't been that bad this year and most people would produce a pretty long list of worse performing players before they got to him. Even a mark of just above average is pretty good given how most people would rate the Wobs as a whole this year. I'm not...

On your 2 questions I'll answer them separately as I think they have very different affects: Foreign players Here in Ireland I don't see a problem as the number of foreign players are limited at the top 3 provinces, Ulster, Munster and Leinster. Those 3 teams are predominantly Irish and...

Thought it would be a good idea to have a thread for general discussion of Northern Hemisphere rugby each year rather than having unrelated discussions in thread for specific tournaments like the 6Ns and HEC threads. To kick it off here's the Ireland training squad announced from next week's...

To those who say it wouldn't work in the modern game I'd point to a number of teams who play a similar style but adapted to take account for more structured modern day defences. Teams like the ABs, Leinster, Harlequins and most of the NZ franchises play some form of this game plan. The...

2 big things that stand out to me compared to Aus rugby teams today are: 1. The kicking was of a higher quality and the committed kick chase by multiple players created danger. Today kicks are often inaccurate and even good kicks are generally not chased with such commitment leading to counter...

It's strange to see the conflict happening in the 2 major club competitions in both hemispheres. On one hand you have the fracas about SA potentially leaving super rugby that looks likely to result in an expansion of the competition. This looks like it will be to the long term benefit of rugby...

I think a very important lesson Link and many other national coaches can learn from is when Ferguson talks about observation. So many national coaches assign themselves a responsibility better left to a specialist assistant. I prefer a situation where the coach can stand back and observe the...

Genia on top form would walk into any test team in the world. However on current form alone, most Tier 1 nations would have him warming the bench and the rest wouldn't have him in their 23. If he does start the next test I hope he rediscovers some of his form as he's a great player to watch...

Here's an article on the reaction of Richard Cockerill to the new scrum laws. You can always rely on him for a bit of drama. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23888263

I'm beginning to think that the last few pages have been a clever ruse Link. Link obviously pays attention to G&GR to keep his finger on the pulse of Aus rugby fan opinion. By the time you guys figure out this isn't a bad referee or cheating ABs thread the Wobs will be on a 4+ game unbeaten run.

It's an interesting argument. The important thing for Earls is to stay fit for an extended period. I'd place him along side Fitzgerald as someone who has yet to consistently fill their potential due to injuries. I hope Schmidt picks on form and starts with a blank team sheet. No one should...

For me it will be interesting to see if Link and the Wobs decide to focus on either finishing as high as possible in TRC or developing the squad. For me, Link needs to figure out who the 25-30 guys are that are his panel. The same way the ABs know who they can call on when injuries strike...