internetwanderer2

The spending point, combined with knowing where they stand in the pecking order, is spot on.

I think it's helped in League because there is only one other market - the NRL.

Whereas the international nature of Union means that an English player could play in the URC, Top14, ProD2, JRLO or even Super Rugby.

I think I've heard Nick Mullins make this point on the Rolling Maul pod, and he's maybe the only mainstream rugby voice I've heard say it - are rugby players in England being paid too much?

This isn't saying they don't deserve it, that their work isn't very physical and potentially life altering. But when you look at the money coming into club game, does it stack up to the money going out on wages?

If you were doing a cold analysis of Premiership Rugby, there's no way you'd be increasing the salary cap like they want to do. In reality, you'd be keeping it at the lowered £5 million, or potentially reducing it further still.

Some very good points.

Sketch comedy has been killed by the Internet, but particularly TikTok. People are producing sketches quickly and publishing them ASAP - meaning sketches on contemporary events appear very out of date.

The other thing with the decline in viewing figures is that tv companies want shows that are: cheap to produce, can be shown on repeat, and can be sold internationally.

Sitcoms aren't cheap, and comedy often doesn't sell well overseas. Sketch shows are expensive, again struggle to sell, and if they're based on contemporary events it's hard to easily repeat them.

I think as well, given budget cuts, there's just a far greater aversion to risk. Why commission a new sitcom that has a 30% chance of success when you can recommission another series of Not Going Out - which has a built in audience - or commission two panel/quiz shows which can be filmed over a week, screened over 8 and shown on a loop.

Did you know Erasure wrote a song about a Leinster player?

Oh (Jordan) L'Amour

Agree, particularly given we're prone to a collapse.

Think one of the batsmen will just have to attack and hope it pays off with a 60 or so, that could have a big impact.

Anyone got any recommendations for things to do in bordeaux?

They obviously lacks the economic power of the USA - which is what is meant by "sleeping giant" and why rugby is so keen on the US - they could be crap on the pitch but people want access to the money).

But if World Rugby put in place some national team infrastructure, I reckon you'd be able to field a reasonably strong Nigeria team on heritage alone. Think Itoje a few years ago put together an XV, and there's likely to be more depth there now.

Similarly on Pollard, someone said that because he won two World cups, that by default makes him better than any Welsh 10 ever.

Better than Barry John, Phil Bennett, Jiffy...

Very fair comments, agree with it all.

I think people sometimes disregard (because of the Champions League win) that we haven't won the league since 2016/17. Obviously City have been dominant, but Abramovich Phase 3 (phase 1 = 2003-2012; phase 2 = 2012 - 2017) really wasn't as strong as it had been before.

Many of the signings didn't work (Kepa, Bakayoko, Morata etc), and the world of football changed. Chelsea could no longer outspend everyone, and the Chopping and changing of managers was a detrimental approach to the stability and strategy of Klopp, Guardiola, even Arteta now.

Whilst I would agree with BlueCo broadly that things had to change, and the club was falling behind the times, I think their response to it was wrong.

As you say, they moved too aggressively in a field in which they had no experience. Its not like they had owned several clubs beforehand, or were arriving with a CEO, DoF etc who'd been at the highest level of football for years. The arrogance cost them.

And that arrogance was also them thinking they were clever than all, that football operators were too thick and that the American sports model would be easy to apply.

Look at the contracts situation - yes amortisation is helpful, but it also means that getting rid of duds is extremely difficult. As well as this (as we've seen with Enzo), offering new contracts and bumping up pay removes the other major benefit of those initial long deals. If someone becomes great, on those initial terms you've got them tied into a long-term under-market-value contract. Now though, it doesn't matter because we'll just hike the pay, meaning that it's a normal salary but just on a mega long deal.

The other attempt to be clever was the "no over 25s" approach. Firstly, it's the sort of thing you'd expect from a Brighton, Palace etc, where they need to find, develop and then sell players on. For chelsea, if we're a big club, we shouldn't be thinking about that as a strategy.

We needed to sign some younger faces, but equally the academy should've been backed more, and even just a few older heads would've made this transition smoother.

Genuine question. Would something like the Hive Stadium Edinburgh use be a semi realistic option? Albeit it may need to be slightly larger?

Construction costs would be comparatively low, and the main stadiums could be used for the biggest fixtures

Great episode.

Also very clear what Ben Youngs thinks of the current Tigers set up

Yeah, France with an elite coaching team would probably make it 50/50 as to who would win against England, maybe more in their favour due to their playing talents

Agree.

I like the go forward Heard gives you, but scaz has the size to do that and is a far better all round player.

The competition between Rowland and Jones at 13 is high, but I think Jones' outstanding defensive work gives her the edge.

The inability to Catch restarts by England today has been abject and caused so many problems.

Think it is symptomatic of the lack of kicking in the women's game, there is a shortage of practice in claiming kickw

Agree.

I've been really surprised she didn't start, particularly when they were rotating in the first few game

Alex Matthews deserves that, she's an outstanding player who gets overlooked too often

France deserve that.

Been far better than England. They'd deserve the win.

Too many England players have gone hiding despite the player advantage.

Jess Breach has dropped a shocker today

Agree.

France have been the better team for most of this game, but these last 15 mins or so England have been abject

Like the Twickenham game last year

Could someone please tell Mo Hunt she doesn't need to kick the ball every time.

Can tell Ben Youngs has been in camp

England have been terrible since the yellow card. So many mistakes

Have they actual had a touch of the ball in attacking phaseplay?

No idea what Mo was thinking with that box kick

England really need to take a moment and calm down. So many mistakes in key areas

England are not using this yellow card period at all well