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And I think they are. I expect Reds and Tahs to be 1/2 with the Tahs missing the playoffs to the fourth NZ team by a whisker. But I think the Force is a real danger game - early in the season, everyone still rusty. Remember that the Hurricanes lost round one last year.

That short-changes the Force, this year they could be anything. They might be semi-finalists, they might be bottom four. But they have recruited very very well! TPN will make a huge difference to their scrum and to their midfield work. I still rate him as the best hooker in Australia, bar none...

I was not claiming the Tahs had a hard draw; just debunking the claim that the Reds had a tough one. For me, its a neutral draw - maybe on the easier side. Hardest thing is getting the Hurricanes at home after circumnavigating the globe. The Rebels, for example will probably be 0 and 6 and...

Had to miss the telecast. They've taken down the game now, anyone know where I could look for it on replay?

Just a warning to potential fantasy players: given they are playing some games on a Thursday the cut-off time for teams will be potentially disastrous if you don't watch out.

I am a realist, based on all those years when we had it won in January only to have lost it by February. 2014 was such a surprise that I could barely believe it happened. I was still sitting in my seat ten minutes after the game, absolutely gobsmacked that we had won. Realistically though, the...

We have Folau, you have Kerevi. We have Foley, you have Cooper. We have Hooper, you have Smith. Only Kepu stands alone. You have Slipper/Moore, we have Robertson/Latu. You have Simmons/Douglas, we have Mumm/Skelton. Backrows are roughly equal. Which pack is stronger? In 2018/2019 I expect the...

First game hasn't been played and already the Rebels look like a basket case. Anyone like to guess how many tight head scrums will be conceded by week 11?

Lets just look at this "tough" draw. The two best NZ teams you have at home. You play 3 NZ teams away. You should win 2 from 5 and only the Hurricanes game looks a write-off. Reasonable expectation would be 2 NZ wins but 3 would be very possible. Five easy conference games. The team you must...

That's a handy draw in a tough pool. If the selectors can refine their squad to the best 15 and second best 15, then they can play the best team in games 1 & 3, eight days apart, and play Samoa with the second best team. The finishers from the first game obviously start in the second game...

I'm pretty sure McMahon is out for the first few weeks of the comp.

CMS = centimetres? I'm with Scrubber 2050.

I'd be more impressed if Reg disliked this, but there's only the like button.

But maybe it would be better to start Horne there and bring on Simone as a finisher for several weeks to see how he goes. He has immense potential, but would be better eased in to the game - especially as game 2 & 3 are in SA against the Lions and the Sharks, probably their two best teams.

I watched most of the Scotland - Ireland game and about half the England - France game. As an observer without any allegiance, except that I don't like England, I was pretty unimpressed by the impact of the "power" game on the overall quality of play. The power forward one out run, often with a...

Agreed. But given that it was the back-up players who went really well, I reckon that I'm a whole lot more confident about our back-ups being able to slot in if required. Some of those back-ups are going to put huge pressure on the starting 15 by the look of things. The most obvious player who...

That would suggest that the Americas could support five good second-tier teams - Argentina (first tier), USA, Canada, Brazil and Uruguay. If we can get two teams out of Argentina by 2020 then that's the fourth Super Rugby conference tied up

Looks to me like the Brumbies might be in for a long season: Cubelli's badly injured, possibly an AC. That's a disaster for them. Two tries from rolling mauls and if there's been a Brumby half linebreak I've missed it. Toua's lost possession after a good run twice! The defence seems pretty...

At a rough guess he has gone to the english expression classes run by Michael Cheika. At these classes there's a lot of emphasis on rucking - rucking this and rucking that.

I reckon the IF point has already been reached. Sad to say, the guy had huge talent, but its nine months since his last injury and he's still not right. That says he's still suffering physical damage that has not yet been repaired. Worrying for his long term health.