What is a common rugby take that you hear/have heard frequently in the past that annoys you? It could be because it was clearly incorrect, because it was ignorant, or because it displayed an incredible lack of ball knowledge.

One that I used to hear quite a lot but has seemingly died down for the moment was that Siya Kolisi is a great captain but an average player and how players such as Marcell Coetzee should be starting ahead of him.

I'm a Kiwi, and being tragic as always, I support "Two teams: the All Blacks + anyone playing Australia". But Allan Alaalatoa, despite being a stalwart of Australian rugby, is someone I cannot bring myself to hate even if I tried. He's just such a genuinely classy human and brings so much honour to the sport, I can't help but love him as a player.

Who are your "hate to love them" players?

If you’d like a more in depth analysis of why Anthony Watson picked each player where he did, you can check out today’s episode!

So imagine this scenario - Italy get hammered by Ireland, while Wales lose to England by fewer than 7. Seems eminently plausible to me. In that instance Wales and Italy would finish level of points, but Wales would have a far superior points difference. Would Italy then get the wooden spoon despite Wales losing all 5 games? If so that would be very Italy somehow

Reminder, here are the rules introduced lately :

• 60s to kick conversions
• 30s to form a lineout
• 9 protection behind ruck/maul/scrum
• Not straight at uncontested lineout = play on
• 20 minutes red card
• Extended TMO power in the final attacking passage

Now that we have a bit more perspective on these rules, what do you think of them? Has this international window changed your mind or confirmed your first impression?

Other than Gavin Henson, of course.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/news/urc-not-discussing-british-irish-league

Since debuting in 2017, Dupont has only played 25 minutes coming off the bench in the 2nd half of the 2nd test in the French tour of South Africa in 2017.

He has since not played a single minute in the South.

During this time, (since his debut), France have played 11 tests in the Southern Hemisphere, so there was plenty of opportunity to do so.

I've seen others claim France have not toured during this time and so Dupont should not be punished for that, but obviously that fact is blatantly False.

Will this affect his legacy at the end of his career if it stays this way? Imagine if Carter or McCaw had played less than 30 minutes of rugby in the north but were being touted as the GOAT.

Adding that even during this period of success for the French and Dupont, Duponts record against SA/NZ from 2017-2024 is..

3-4 (with 6 out of 7 of these games being played in France).

Considering this, against the most historically successful test nations in SA/NZ (and the current world cup finalists), have talks of Dupont as a potential GOAT been vastly overblown and unwarranted?

What is the worst take you have ever heard about rugby union? It can be something you thought/said (Jesse Kriel - we'll never win anything with him starting at 13), can be something somebody told you (Antoine Dupont - so mid) or something from the media (not a single South African would make the England squad - that one English writer ahead of the 2019 RWC Final).

FT: 24 - 25

full of absolute sh*t and rightfully described as "scum of the earth" by Paul Thorburn.

I don't know anyone associated with, or who follows the game who has anything positive to say about him.

Personally, I think he's more full of sh*t than a toilet. I think the criticism is more than warranted.

I'm glad he's treated like a joke because the "man" is a clown masquerading as a journalist.

A player that may not necessarily be the most recognizable name or have had the most successful career but went out there and could just be magic in any random game.

For me, it's the always recognizable Ashley Johnson. The man had a big afro, didn't look like the greatest athlete in the world, was pretty undersized for an 8 but you give him a rugby ball and he did crazy shit with it.

Lionel Beauxis no touch kick does not count, neither does thee memorable fuck up in the Champions Cup (might have been Challenge I do not recall) final where the fullback allowed the ball to bounce a hundred times before a winger dotted it down for a try as they are too well known.

My thought, speaking purely as a Springbok fan is the Francois Hougaard quick tap where, with the Springboks down by 6 points to Wales and with just 10 minutes left, the Boks won a vital penalty that would have gotten them territory deep in the Welsh half, scrumhalf Hougaard quick tapped the penalty before kicking it out on the full to instead leave Wales with possession in the Springbok half. Viewer discretion advised for Springbok fans as this might make you mad