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Yeah, we'll probably have to wait a while for the real bombshell revelations about the Deans era - if they ever drop.

As a Bondi resident, I reckon the French are putting a good challenge on for ex-pat numbers. Not as many as the Poms, but there are a bloody lot of them. Whether they watch rugby is a different story.

That idea has some merit for supporters, but I can't see the teams liking it much. It will really privilege the powerhouses, who will get tougher each year by playing the foreign teams.

Wales v SA will be a great series.

It seems to me that a comp across so many time zones has a necessary maximum size and perhaps even an inevitable shelf life. Logistics and competing interests can reach an intractable point. If there really is such player numbers pressure in SA, how long before they want a 7th team? 3 years? 5...

The second lock position is a real problem. In my view, Douglas and Simmons have both been serviceable on average without ever making the jersey theirs. Fortunately, it's not a travesty if either is selected while we wait for Pyle to heal before we see if he's ready for test match rugby...

Sorry, I thought this was another backs row.

Quite aside from the Horne debate, this fact just stuns me. I honestly can't remember Fainga'a doing anything of particular note in his 23 caps.

My guess is that we won't see that structure used as consistently for the Wallabies as for the Reds. If it happens, I reckon it's more likely to be in the Dan Carter style - selectively dropping back at likely counter-attacking opportunities.

From memory, he had one kick go awry and out on the full.

Some signings are about the rugby field, and some are also about selling the game. Izzy falls into the latter category, whereas Gill goes into the former. I think Folau has the potential to help lift rugby's popularity again in the lead up to the RWC15. The talk seems to be that he'll sign...

Any truth to the rumours that Ben Volavola had to change his name to Ben Volvovolvo as part of the deal?

Interesting thought. I could get behind a football-style system. It would make every game intensely meaningful and place a huge emphasis on bonus points. But I do love finals rugby.

Gill has to start. Having an on-ball 7 is essential, especially if Australia is going to have the quick ball needed to play attacking rugby. Hooper should be on the bench, though, as his ability to break open a game is equal to any of our backs. I think we'll see: 4. Simmons 5. Horwill 6...

Of the bottom six teams this season, 3 were from NZ. Note to self: Don't tell anyone the Tahs came 7th.

You just couldn't help yourself, Muttonbird, could you?

Agreed on all counts. I'd like to see Quade selected first up, but I think To'omua is more slightly likely to end up making the jersey his over the next year or so. Obviously Quade and Genia are familiar with one another, but, hypothetically, if To'omua was selected, he and Genia would play 11...

I was there. They were. They were even happier when they won and a more gracious group of winners I have never seen. Singing, playing music, telling everyone what a great game it was. By the team I made it to the car park, I was (almost) happier than if we'd won.

This idea would be fairly good too, although I think the US would really complicate things.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of an Aust-NZ competition. Saffer teams don't pull fans to the ground and for casual fans the RSA away trip is like a rugby black hole. When you add the season being broken up by the June internationals, it makes the competition kind of...