Stuart Barnes is already making excuses for Etzebeth in The Times. We need bullies apparently. So Curry’s late charge and this gouge are somehow a necessary part of the brutality of the game. One of the dumbest articles I’ve ever read.

Peaking between World Cups! The new Ireland?

I switched it off. 21-0 up and in control. This just keeps happening.

Eagles fans delighted. Esp as we somehow beat the Rams

Agreed. Aki has been decent on Tour but for the Tests I’d have gone Sione every day of the week.

And to be fair Aki has been decent on tour. But Sione is a better player. And Aki always a duffer of a game up his sleeve. With Farrell/Aki in the center there’s no chance of getting to the edge when your best center is on the wing. The Lions looked tired. It was time to freshen up selection

Other media outlets saying the tight hamstring was not a factor in selection. So Aki/Ringrose was the intent. Seems mad to me but what do I know…..

But he also picks Ringrose at 13 despite him not even being available. It’s such poor journalism, so easily seen through that I find it soooooo easy to ignore. But it does make me laugh.

Yeah that’s a fair point. 23 is hard to call and there are 3 tests. My main worry is Schmidt knows the Irelands boys v well and may exploit whatever weaknesses they have

Stephen Jones in the Times is at it already. So dull

100% We’ll get “scratch side” “little time together” blah blah blah

He soooooo much better than Mitchell. Speed of service electric. JGP will start but White should be in the 23. Way way ahead of Mitchell. But I suspect that’s not what will happen sadly

While this stuff is irritating ultimately it doesn’t matter. Farrell is listening to none of this. Absolutely zilch. He’s never forgotten the way the English media treated him after the 2015 RWC. So views on players and performance are white noise to him

Mental. 100% fromage