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Believe so. Good decision for both preparation for the Lions and competitive games overall. Might see some salty provincialists, and with 2 tests in Auckland they might have a point, but overall it's the right call, as it will generally let the best players in NZ have a crack, whereas some...

Don't know if there's a more relevant thread but Lions tour 2017 dates announced. They play the 3 tests, 5 Super Sides, the Maori and a Provincial XV. No tests in the South Island, slightly disapointing, but otherwise reasonable tour.

It's about the Euro market being slightly more advanced towards the football stage than the Southern Hemisphere. Stuff like player loaning and release/transfer fees. When Castres were in the box seat to get relegated, they were talking about selling Richie Gray's contract to reduce wages and...

Flicked between that, the ashes and Murray. Ashes was the most entertaining of the 3. Virtually no defence on the part of NSW in the game, compounded with refs who don't have the balls to bin players makes for a very unsatisfying spectacle. While it wasn't the best game of rugby ever played...

No news on the Japanese team. They're all over the place. Eddie Jones is the director of Rugby, they should have a name by the end of the month, and the Japanese season has been modified to finish before the start of Super Rugby season, but nothing on players or structures.

I have no idea. Inagaki isn't listed either.

The fact that there's 10 Toulon boys will probably help with team cohesion when select teams often don't have too much. Other than that, it's a team for which getting steamrolled is very likely.

Wonder if there'll be many Vics signed. We need 2 props, Fereti might get a go as the 6th one. Tuipolotu might too, but he might still be viewed as immature physically. Lots of teams need to recruit a halfback, so maybe one of the rising boys will get lucky and find themselves with a contract...

Think Piutau and Slade will be enough cover so that the ABs only have to take Ben Smith as an outright fullback.

Slade looked down for the count.

Yeah. Opposite of commentators curse. Forumites blessing?

Carter has been somewhat uninspiring. Slade should come on in the next 5 minutes or so.

Few Noirs playing themselves out of WC jerseys. Mealamu and Crotty in particular, but maybe a couple of others too.

Offside is the biggest problem for Samoa, otherwise playing reasonably well after taking 15 minutes to settle.

The white boy who's not a kiwi needs to get over himself. Name escapes me.

Just based on the players we have signed. Would expect at least 1 player in the best 23 at either lock or 8 to be signed, potentially both.

Where's Chisholm at? Bayonne were relegated, I wonder if he'd be a realistic option.

So, now only 2 players are in "limbo". Samo and Inagaki, for whom retirement and Japanese Super side are the logical destination. Assuming that Leafa is ahead of Siliva and Timani stays as a lock rather than switching to 8, this would be the team so far. 1. Toby Smith 2. James Hanson 3. Laurie...

Well, we're more or less locked in until 2020 with Super Rugby 5.0, we'll see what the Saffas demand then and go from there, especially if the articles about the NRC being backed in some form until then being accurate.

Leinster isn't stupid. They've got a quality asset, that under current rules, will be around to play during both the world cup itself and after it, which is important given Ireland can reasonably expect to go quite deep. This isn't Naholo, he'll be much harder to get a release for.