Wallabies 55 points, Ireland 55 points, but Ireland win the Lansdowne Cup

Sad would not be the right description for you, bluesfan, and I apologise if I gave that impression. Provocative in a stirring way might be more appropriate IMO. so those players you are naming are representative of my country – my own greater family have Samoan, English, Scots, Dutch and even Irish (my daughters if they want can obtain an Irish Passport) heritage. Good point and if you care to trace your family links further back in your genealogy, you might find links to a common ancestor with the people currently living in Ireland and elsewhere. Even Derm McCrum might even be a long lost relative ?. If I may be presumptive, I'm sure your lovely daughters would view Bundee of Joy as Irish and Polynesian like themselves. Beautiful.

Come on Aki went to an irish club specifically because thats where his international chances were. We all knew before he left he would play for ireland. He didnt ‘turn out’ to be good enough he was good enough before he left, and still is. That you struggle with that is your problem, downplaying his efforts, saying it took farrell to set him right blah blah. Geez youd think we were dumb or something. Whats wrong with admitting the obvious. Aki plays for irelamd, that was set in stone the day he signed.

Yet the reality is thats how our rugby is structured. Northversus south. Happens twice a year after each has their own independent tournaments. North vs the north, south vs the south. The structure says its north vs south, not me.

Lucky Neil has never written anything incorrect on the Roar to bring his intellect into account. Didn't realise this was an IQ test.

Actually I'm not the sad one - because at least I know that the people pulling on my countries jersey are representatives of my country. In regards Akari's statement - NZ around Fitfita and Fritzell. PI's are representatives of NZ - In NZ 9% of our population have Island heritage - Maori make up around another 14 odd % - so effectively 1 in 4 persons in NZ have Polynesian heritage - so those players you are naming are representative of my country - my own greater family have Samoan, English, Scots, Dutch and even Irish (my daughters if they want can obtain an Irish Passport) heritage. I don't recall however, ever seeing anything about the Lost Polynesian tribes of Ireland? Maybe remind me how Bundee Aki is representative of modern day Ireland? Feel free to beat your chest with Ireland winning and I do enjoy watching them as they are a great team - though unlike the AB's who are representative of my countries demographics - Ireland (along with England, Wales and Scotland) are a touch Nth Hemisphere Ba Ba's for my liking. Mmmm H.Parkes, S.Matland, B.Teo, B.Shields - list goes on and on...

Thanks Derm. You'll have to give us some insights on the 3 by around November in case we forget to do our homework ?

Bluesfan wasn't always like that, Derm, but I noticed that he has been overly sarcastic in his observations this year. Of the current ABs squad for the June series, Vaea Fifita and Shannon Frizell were both born in Tonga while Waisake Naholo was born in Fiji and all were recruited as college kids on merit (which is a great thing for all three and their respective families) and were very quickly identified as future rugby stars in the NZ schools system. I applaud NZ colleges for their astute scholarship selections as all three may never have been discovered and developed to possess the rugby skill levels that they have today. Rugby is all the better for it. This is why I applaud Bundee and Stander for making the move when they did. Again, rugby is all the better for their sound decisions. I just love watching all of them run on in all games and triumph in their own respective way.

Taylorman: normally enjoy your insights but this one defies reality. Did we lose to the Scots with a kickathon, or the Pommies in the 3 tests last year? The Poms have lost their way under Eddie which is par for the course, but they have learnt a lot, Ireland is a well drill outfit and you cannot say the same about us at this time. NZ has and does set the standard for the world and only Rod McQueen and Alan Jones to a lesser extent have outthought them. Your argument seems to be the NH has lots of money and have employed SH coaches and players, what would you do differently to them? Also, I would love to know how many of our players were born in NZ or the Islands? I was born in the UK but have been a wallaby supporter for 40 years, and we have been OK but not great for 15 years. It has been a long time and we are still poor in some of the basics, but as you say we are improving.

Who really gives a rats about SH v NH test match Rugby is country v country. I don't get off on NZ winning RWCs due to where they are situated below the equator.

Springboks have a lot more depth than the Welsh. It was a weak Welsh team trying to move away from Cementball.

Bluesfan. You’ve had this explained many times on here but choose not to acknowledge it. The IRFU don’t incentivise players to become Irish qualified players. Munster needed a backrower fo their squad, Ireland didn’t. IRFU only allowed Munster to give Stander a two year contract. Connacht don’t have project players. They have a very small local pool of domestic players. Lam brought in Aki along with Heenan, McCartney, etc. Aki turned out to be good enough to warrant national selection after his contract was renewed. Heenan and McCartney haven’t been selected. There’s no “guarantee” or incentive to these things. You’re also aware that the IRFU has been developing a lot more domestic players and bringing in IQ players into all the provinces. But you persist with your “it is sad” schtick because you don’t want to acknowledge this.

Bluesfan is sad about these things, Bakkies. You won’t be able to cheer him up.

Yea i do and would note that none arrived as fully paid up professional players as did Aki/Stander. I have no issue if people arrive at a young age and then go on to play for their adopted country, I more have an issue where the Irish Union has "project players" - which is where they identify a weakness in their playing strength and then go into the international market and effectively incentive a player to become " Irish qualified" after the 3 (now 5 year) residency rule. So people like the Vuniopola's/Carberry etc- zero issue, representing their country proudly. Aki/Stander - re-located to Ireland as professional players and recruited with the idea that they could play for Ireland. Why the No.2 ranked country needs to do this I'm not sure - I understand why Japan does - but let's face it, they are unlikely to ever win the WC. Ireland however - are World No.2 and could easily move to One or win the WC next year. I don't think they need to do it (per current rankings) and think it devalues their teams achievements.

Congratulations Ireland ! Well done guys. Wallabies , we need to have more than one game plan.

Anything any other SH side does is a bonus, same as when Samoa beat Wales in the last 8. That Argie, last in the Rugby Ch, thrashed Ireland, the 6N champs, in 2015 quarter made it that much more embarrassing. These are the sort of results the NH sides need to avoid. Only England, as in 2007, and France, play above themselves. Both those sides were embarrassed in pool play yet made the final. Ireland, Wales, Scotland have always exited when or before they should, so have much more to prove. And seven cups out of 8 to the SH3 confirms dominance if this tournament. The NH have a long way to go to get remote parity there. But include Argie if you wish to make the NH look better by all means but Ill continue to call that putting lipstick on a pig.?

In league you do get more than 6 weeks for a dangerous spear tackle, and a shoulder charge to the head would get you time as well. I have always defended union over league until now. And the Origen game 2 was an amazing spectacle that left any rugby game this year for dead to be honest. I am a QLD supporter and i have no problem with the 50 50 calls in that game. Its a mans game.We are not playing tiddly winks here. If you prefer reffs destroying games then you are entitled to your opinion. But that rubbish wont wash with the Australian public.

Neil - I wrote "Maybe you have a later update from the weekend, but if the Eng win did put them above Aus and SA, then it shows how close they are in the rankings" You wrote "Pinetree, your views are outdated, as is the table you refer us to. Not wanting to be too unkind but your intellect is also in question – that table is clearly marked ‘Updated: 18 June, 2018" Thanks for your assessment of my intellect, and Tman's, but as you can hopefully read, I acknowledged that it was maybe updated, and was going by what I knew and wondering where you got a more updated copy, as on the first page on google, none of the links were updated. Call me outdated if you want, we all know the Arg do not have the resources that the five big NH and three big sH teams have, but if it makes you fell better to include them, go hard.

Pinetree, your views are outdated, as is the table you refer us to. Not wanting to be too unkind but your intellect is also in question - that table is clearly marked ‘Updated: 18 June, 2018’. Here’s another tip. If you find yourself arguing the position of posters like taylorman throwing childish rocks, you need to find a better use of your time and ours.

Same officials just in different roles.

' League has introduced new laws but with far more common sense.' You can't even get sent for a spear tackle in league or cited for a shoulder charge to the head so I don't know why you are using that as a reason to promote them as example to use.