Jeff Ace

This feels like when Stephen Jones blocked me on twitter. I've overstepped the mark.

Your position as one of the top rugby pundits on here deserves respect, but that's bollocks.

We've got to recognise that, notwithstanding all our fundamental problems, Tandy selected poorly in backrow and centre and exacerbated our weaknesses.

Cardiff softies need clearing out.

It's reasonable to assume a Wainwright, Cracknell, Reffell backrow would have been more competitive (possibly with Morse on the bench).

2nd row is a worry as neither Fender, not Rhys Davies have stepped up a class and no other clubs produce locks. Christ Tshiunza when fit maybe?

Is Ben Thomas on a hat trick now? Could add excitement to the French game.

Even if I was put in sole charge of selection, we'd still be a weak international side. Much better, but still weak.

Battle flattened maybe.

I'm sometimes accused of being harsh on Llanelli players but, in fairness to McLeod, he should have been nowhere near that squad in the first place.

Our advantage is that we're now battle hardened, whereas France are still untested.

Could Matt Williams come in as a stop gap maybe? Knows the culture.

Exactly. Can't we just enjoy their demise for a bit without this desire to analyse everything?

It was when Irish rugby was loved around the world (though you were still massive cheats). Let's hope we go back to those simpler, happier times.

It's a bit awkward that neither Mann nor McLeod would get into the Ospreys team. Wainwright might, if Jac's still injured.

All the Cardiff players are massive softies unfortunately.

Mee is potentially an international standard player if he moves clubs.

How good is Jac Morgan if he could win a Lions series alongside these Irish players?

You've only got a season and a bit before the WRU decrees that rugby is not for the likes of me. Fill your boots.

Cardiff players are massive softies, but I tend to agree with this. Cracknell better than both, obviously.

Slipped whilst giving Reddin a kicking?

Is it the concept of players under 30 that you're struggling with?

We're confident that 'Loughman' will dominate the scrum.

This needs a trigger warning that it might cause a great sadness, almost a hiraeth for things lost.

It should have been a speech.

We have decided to stake our entire international future on Llanelli, Cardiff, and, checks notes, Dragons.

Non rugby areas like north Wales and, checks notes, Swansea will have an occasional women's game or something.

Every team that's announced looks pretty good at rugby. Hopefully our selection will show our key point of difference that will make us stand out in the tournament.

The quality of France's play is so variable it could almost be they're two distinct teams. I wish there was a simple phrase to emphasise that.

It's great that we can watch Ireland again without worrying that they might win something.

They're not trying to merge us, they're trying to close us down.

Both Cardiff and Newport have had ownership difficulties and were supported through them by the WRU. It's odd that the issue is seen as unfixable in our case.

If they close us down, you'll have to shoulder the full burden of Irish week. You can't expect anything useful from the Gwenters or the Y11 Blues.

Oh god I hope so. Ospreys have been under threat for a while, but I hadn't realised how awful it would feel now it's crystallised. Wouldn't wish this on any set of fans, not even Llanelli.

Yes, I think the WRU are no longer thinking about 'fixing' Welsh rugby, they're focused on cutting to three because they said they would. Three is now their proxy measure for success.

They're a fascinating study in how not to do corporate strategy and improvement.

Assume there'll be a Sheen, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones buy out consortium that will return us to greatness. And Rhys Henry will become a Hollywood heartthrob.

With Ireland in chaotic free fall, France making weird selections, and Scotland being Scottish, it's wide open.