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Nope - my comment was about last year's finishing Academy players (who are now 20 and no longer in the Academy), and too old for Colts. In the UK the Clubs (England)/URC Sides provide the Academies - that means more players are in structured environment - but it does mean they are pretty brutal...

Last year's Academy players are now 20. They can't play Colts anymore. Grade is around what you say, agreed. We seem to be missing some transition opportunities for these 20 year olds who can't make the step up to Grade immediately.

Would be more useful to see who is on the Train and Trial Contracts (i.e. the backups to the Super Rugby Contracted Players). A good number of those Academy players may drop as they compete with later developers in Colts. Not sure any of the Waratahs Academy players from last year will make it into...

Would be an elegant solution - the T2 nations then get dragged up in standard playing better teams.

Maybe they simply expand the U20s WC to 24 like the RWC, and have more and larger pools.

That would be very disappointing - the NH sides probably won't suffer as much as us, given they play a 6N U20s Comp.

Australia @2.45 and with 2.5 point head start - the former is a good deal I think.

The BackRow match-up will be interesting - England have Pearson, Pollock, Willis. All play for Gallagher Premiership Clubs - more teams, more opportunities to play top level. Interesting also that England A have the same coach as England U20 (Mapletoft) - good pathways continuity.

Interesting that Australia A are 7.5 with a 16.5 point head start. Haven't seen the England A line-up yet.

Sadly EJ (Eddie Jones) picked him at #7 and he was horribly exposed against Wales. IMO he is a 2nd Row who can cover #6.

Uni need it - last year's Colts good but not Grade Standard.

Wales were just beaten by Fiji in Cardiff - I'd say that is pretty woeful. WBs are rightly favourites - I expect a 20+ point margin at the final whistle.

That'll drain their salary cap in one game!

Hahaha - which team ;-)

"Yes, Lawrence came back and got him but once he was beaten initially..." Sleighthome made the tackle on Ikitau - Lawrence was beaten and Smith was caught in no man's land. Irrespective - Ikitau's break and slip pass was sublime, and a joy to see - that won the game for the WBs ultimately.

That last try, as noted above - doesn't matter how experienced you are, there's always a temptation to step in because you don't trust your inside man. M Smith found guilty, and Ikitau exploited with a sublime slip pass. Ikitau was actually tackled by his man, and Smith allowed the offload to...

Agreed - beat Wales and Scotland, and who knows vs Ireland the upward trajectory is there.

Agreed - they blew their chances, while ABs and WBs took theirs. #12 Ikitau man of the match, IMO.

That win helps the upward trajectory!

"The demise of the Rebels is an utter fuck-up." Which is why we need more teams not fewer teams for our players to develop and show their talent.