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If he debuts, I for one would prefer to see Ala'alatoa cover the LH side on the bench in place of Tom Robertson.

Rob Simmons will need to improve his strength in contact to make up for Coleman's loss. He is the experienced campaigner and has to step into the leading lock shoes, not someone having his first or second start for the Wallabies. That means he has to show some dominance in his tackling, his...

I think the constant in the improving performances over this year has been the improvement in individual skills; passing, catching, running at gaps, support play. I believe the benefit of bringing Mick Byrne into the coaching setup is starting to be realised.

KOB, Enever is more like Philip than a a dour lock in the mold of Simmons (which is my interpretation of that description). While he will be willing in his hit ups, I don't think he would be as effective as Philip in that role. Seems odd to me that he would start when Philip has been in the...

DB, I enjoyed watching ML in his very few appearances last year. Much better than Phipps and more rounded than Gordon.

If he were to follow Elise around to watch her games, he would be spending a whole lot more time in Aus than in Blighty.

What happens to the IPRC if RWA is wound up. Is there a bit of whiteanting going on here?

I reckon Lawes has been the outstanding lock for England over the past twelve months. The matchup of the second rows is fairly heavily in favour of the poms I believe, especially with Coleman's injury and his probably early exit. Should give Matt Philip quite a bit of game time I think, so...

Must have been enough for the ARU to claim they faced bankruptcy themselves if they had persisted with five teams. I'm sure that was a reason for the axing.

Agree MST. I suspect the full impact of the loss of players to the NH will not be felt until 2019. Players who feel they are excess to requirements or not getting satisfactory game time in the temporarily expanded teams in 2018 will have no domestic options available to them, unless of course...

Hmmm. Not many left on the market as far as I'm aware.

Scrubber, the front row is precisely where I think the Rebels will be found wanting next year. Ainsley looks to have a lot of potential, but otherwise they are either yesterday's men or not yet up to Super level imo.

I think you've hit the nail well and truly on the head TOCC. Somebody needs to come clean.

And is that all right with you BH? I daresay you would be as eager as most of us to get to the bottom of the shambles that is the ARU or to clean up the dire mess of the financial services and banking industry, but it doesn't come across in your many posts that seem to be presenting the...

Well, perhaps a banking royal commission might free up some of their otherwise overworked and underpaid investigative staff?

Real deal was your terminology FP, so I'll throw that question back to you. As TOCC says, the franchises would be obliged to offer 50% of the ARU valuation and they, the ARU would kick in the rest, as they committed to for all ex-Force players for 2018. If an offer had been made, it would by...

Yeah, I think I agree Derpus. Jonah Lomu would have to have been the closest to best player in the world, but wingers generally only have limited and sporadic involvements. The real work is closer in and that's where the real heroes are to be found.

Since when did incompetency become an acceptable excuse for poor conduct? Sure, blame incompetency as much as you like, but then hold the culprits accountable and demand change not just pass it off as being excusable.

Again we have that mythical player Philips in the team. Maybe we should pair him with Rob Symonds for consistency?

Why should SA be given that sort of preferred treatment? Have any other bidders in the history of RWC had a guaranteed backup if they failed to perform?