#SHIT Gregor Townsend. How did the man who led two consecutive soft as shite World Cup showings get a new deal in 2025 while finding a way to have a bit on side with Newcastle?

#GOOD Stuart McCloskey for Ireland before his seemingly inevitable injured

#SHIT Paul O'Connell and the Irish lineout. So bad that Paul O'Connell must be close to taking up smoking again

I think we've identified it (trying to progress Bolton and Ward off the back of decent provincial stuff), but it might not be there other than Stockdale for lads who are currently in the squad.

Yep. The problem with Fogarty is it's so clear we don't even attempt to scrum legally that refs are instantly punishing us. The whole coaching ticket looks stale. Barring Goodman, they've all been there 6+ years and Goodman hardly looks to have brought anything fresh to the table.

I've been forcing to listen to me having that conversation for at least 12 months now (see also, John Fogarty).

We've had two good last 30 minutes since the 2024 6 Nations. It's what happens when you can't retire anybody and your defence has real Jonny Bell vibes.

Honestly, I think we might be shite. No attack, no set piece on a fairly regularly basis now, but hey, we'll barely change a thing

#SHIT The mystery of how the hell John Plumtree hasn't been sacked yet.

#GOOD Finally having some hope with Ulster. A deeply unserious team with a bad team, but at least we are fun again.

It's just miserable that the evidence of the last 12 months of test rugby and Champions Cup knock out rugby from certain players is ignored as loyalty and cohesion is more important than players who can physically play test rugby.

This is at least a 15 point wind (unless France are permanently stupid for the full 80).

I've never been to Bristol, so looked at Google Maps and just lol'd when I saw how out of the way it was.

Probably Curry for me. I knew he was good and important for England, but my word, he has to be really good at both the big, obvious moments and also the nuts and bolts ugly stuff cos I've noticed that Earl is basically a highlight reels player.

I turned it on after 52 minutes, and on the basis of the 28 minutes I saw, I reckon the best version of the currently rancid, miserable, infuriating Ulster would have beaten Wales.

Gibbes was fine as a coach, but was another example of Bryn's being exceptional at office politics. He created the dynamic of three jobs for the workload of two people, and yet he survived and became more powerful than he had been after Kiss was sacked, and Gibbes felt undermined and wanted out.

10 years in the job, and I think there's been two good coaching decisions (Peel and Payne), and one of those was basically an accident through circumstances. You could maybe include McFarland initially, but his people skills were that poor, Bryn looked like a compassionate figure.

You'd almost think appointing bad coaches is a deliberate feature, not a bug, of Ulster Rugby. Yet, some would have you believe that it is IRFU diktats forcing us into this when every other province has been able to go big on coaching hires rather than individuals protecting their personal fiefdoms.

The Stormers were the 2nd biggest exploding clown car of a team I saw at Ravenhill this season (Ulster were obviously the biggest).

It'll be the first competition in any sport I can think of with a gap in its honours list for a reason other than COVID. Such an unserious plan.