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"Mmmm. It's not just a rumour that it sends you blind".

Pretty much. Never flash, great vision, quietly goes about oiling the cogs. He's been a huge loss.

Absolutely true. Benetton are far and away the best, most professional club set up here. Always have been. Back in the day, as Treviso, they dominated club rugby, winning the comp something like 15 times so the heritage is there. Zebre, on the other hand, based in Parma, are an outfit created by...

More a case of Crowley being a very prickly, very stubborn individual. His philosophy was attack, with defence, structure and game management never priorities. Quesada has made the necessary amendments and is unlocking the potential. Actually, Nick Mallett's influence shouldn't be overlooked. He...

Probably Dewi Morris. Did the main commentator have an Irish accent? Mark Robson, usually a painful enough experience. But for cringe-making calls of England games nothing beats the BBC's radio coverage. They take bias to unbelievable levels.

Now we just have to get the Italian commentators to get his name right. They're generally pretty good with the non-Italian names, or at least they make a big effort. But Ly-nag leaves them with work to do.

Come to Italy! :D Every match covered, the Italian commentators' joy and enthusiasm is wonderful.

Fear not, there are young locks coming through. Did you see Tuilagi? 19 years old and a monster. As my mate in Paris says, strength in depth has its limits. They were missing Dupont, Ntamack (now also Jalibert out for 2 months), Alldritt, Flament, Jalonch, Willemse. You're right, the step down...

Crowley was prickly in the extreme. Italian rugby is an admin minefield at the best of times and he burned a lot of bridges. Angry at being replaced and let it be known. He did serve a purpose: brought in young players, encouraged adventure, but at the cost of common sense. He was...

Garbisi has owned the error. French only advanced after the ball came off the tee and then retreated. The bigger picture, though, is Quesada's influence. Defence wasn't a Crowley priority, they shipped countless unnecessary points. Their first-half defensive organisation and execution was...

Italy U20 knocked off France U20 after pushing Ireland U20 to within a point last week. Arguably the best pack in the comp, a fizzing 9 and stout defence. Promising for the future.

In today's Guardian online: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/feb/23/state-of-rugby-in-australia-success-wallabies-super-rugby-2024

Offside on the kicks and miles in front of the kicker with restarts. On the ref's blindside but that's what assistants are for.

Negri and Cannone are big losses. Italy U20 pushed Ireland U20 to the absolute limit last night. Big effort after last week's ordinary effort.

Disney are in financial doo-doo, not just with ESPN, as are Warners with Discovery. They've been struggling post-Covid with numbers down after big investments now unsustainable. This looks like a bury the hatchet, let's not commit joint suicide thing.

Lucu is poo at Test level. Pedestrian flatters him. It wasn't the forwards' fault, he's just slow and predictable. Ireland weren't that flash, they just did the simple things well courtesy of France's peculiar lack of organisation and intensity.

Yup. It's going to be a test of France's depth.

France will be sans Dupont and Ntamack.

The injuries are piling up. Ollie Lawrence now out. Slade is fit so he's probably 13. Northampton's Dingwall seems to be a debut option at 12. Looking forward to seeing what Gonzalo Quesada brings to Italy post-Crowley. Crowley was a positive in many ways, promoting youth, but his...

Yes, he makes the rest sound ordinary. Which, to be fair, they are.