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Front foot ball is as valuable as ever. It is just harder to achieve and teams need a game plan which both achieves it against rush defence and mixed play up when you can’t. The point of my post remains - the current forward pack, on paper at least, gives us the best chance we’ve had to achieve...

I’d imagine Bennett would be happy to provide an introduction.

I think it’s realistic to expect more go forward from our pack then we’ve seen for a long time. Pretty much any combination of the forwards chooses, with the possible exception of Liam Wright will be more physical and better at the gain line then any of our packs for at least the last 4-5 years...

Likewise, didn’t he drop Beale last year as well. I’ve had issues with Cheika’s selections, but I don’t think that he has had that many options banging down the door. Even now, I think Leali’ifano & Banks will be unlucky if they aren’t in the first test line up, but I don’t think you can say...

It is funny that we still equate running rugby with entertainment when most of the most entertaining sides over the last decade, at least, have had a very strong, well executed kicking games and all of the most successful ones have.

I dunno - I reckon our skill levels have improved significantly in most things apart from kicking. The problem is that they were pretty bad previously. I only really have a peripheral view of this, but from what I could tell, for a a long period there was next to no focus on skills at junior...

I don’t care when they announce them, so long as they are signed. They may be able to fill out a squad spot or two from NRC, but that is about it.

We tried just retaining the ball and running it for a while. Problem is if you can’t clear effectively it makes it too easy for defence.

Yeah, look - I do too. But he is in there so I hope he can come good. Personally I would have though Latu had burnt up his last chance, but Cheika seems to like, even encourage the rouge element, and Latu definitely has some attributes like his strength over the ball that are a real point of...

That is the one I struggle with the most. Hopefully Latu repays the faith shown.

Very true. If the Tahs are paying him they should be able to direct his movements. But I am a bit unsure why they wouldn’t want him to play in a Club final campaign. Surely that would be a good thing for his development?

I don’t really like his selection, but if TK goes down in a before a WC knock out game I reckon Cheika would like to have AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) to call on above whomever else may have been playing 2nd fiddle to TK and who will get minimal game time between now and then.

Not sure he has as much testosterone. And, yes, I am referring to their female swim team.

I would have thought the squad was relatively controversy free. There will always be some lucky inclusions and unlucky exclusions, but for the most part it is a group of the guys who are fit and performing best in their positions, with a couple of gambles taken on guys in key positions where...

Beale’s a Classic Jekyll & Hyde. At his best he is very good at unpicking defences in broken play. At his worst he kills attack and gives all the advantage to the defending team. Unfortunately he has displayed as much or more of his worst over the last 12 months.

Haha - well, I was almost going to give HJH (Harry Johnson-Holmes) the 1 point - partly because he had a cracker of a year and partly because I love the thought of a half crazed ginger headed prop giving it to much more fancied opposition. (But it would have been a bit rude to give points to someone from the Tahs who...

I wouldn’t have had Liam Wright in the frame at all, but he is quite tall for a 7 and a good jumper.

I dunno. Is that based on inside info FP or just your view? To me To'omua has been underwhelming, both at the end of last year and in Super Rugby. I’m not sure Cheika’s selections did him any favours but, in any case, there was an opportunity there and I don’t know he has grabbed it...

Some baffling selections there.

3. Samu Kerevi 2. Rory Arnold 1. Isi Naisarani