Has GT lost the dressing room?

[Scottish Caley Fan]

I've started this thread now as I have seen LOTS of Tweets especially from journalists that ridiculously think the answer to the above question is yes, they also believe its hard for him to stay on due to it, which again is ridiculous.

I posted in the Scotland thread that it wouldn't surprise me if he was indeed sacked or resigns after tomorrow, probably once the SRU have reviewed the tournament or Gregor has had time to reflect etc

If the answer to the original question is yes then who would you replace him either with: Stuart Lancaster and Dan McFarland been mentioned lots on Twitter and my suggestion (though I say it should be after the world cup because my answer to the above question is no) is Jamie Joseph.

[Torquemada 1420]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

[Big D]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

Lack of discipline throughout the set up. Shows on the pitch and now lack of good decision making/discipline off it.

From what Slick has said it was a bit of a misunderstanding with Price and his best pals in squad celebrating his 50th cap and made a bad decision. In isolation it would be different but it comes a month after Fagerson gleefully admitted to "ripping the arse out of it" after thr England game.

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

To be clear, I am not saying don't have one or two beers but "ripping the arse out of it" and then weeks later heading into town is very questionable decision making.

[Paddington Bear]

He’s getting nothing but inconsistency out of Scotland’s best crop of players in the pro era and on current trajectory they won’t win a 6N in this cycle and will go out in the pool stages of the WC. I’d roll the dice on someone else

[Slick]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

Lack of discipline throughout the set up. Shows on the pitch and now lack of good decision making/discipline off it.

From what Slick has said it was a bit of a misunderstanding with Price and his best pals in squad celebrating his 50th cap and made a bad decision. In isolation it would be different but it comes a month after Fagerson gleefully admitted to "ripping the arse out of it" after thr England game.

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

To be clear, I am not saying don't have one or two beers but "ripping the arse out of it" and then weeks later heading into town is very questionable decision making.

To be fair to Fagerson, he said he went home to his family but some of the lads ripped the arse out of it. Maybe there is a bit of a line between the older and younger guys with the booze - there certainly is in wider society

[Big D]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

Lack of discipline throughout the set up. Shows on the pitch and now lack of good decision making/discipline off it.

From what Slick has said it was a bit of a misunderstanding with Price and his best pals in squad celebrating his 50th cap and made a bad decision. In isolation it would be different but it comes a month after Fagerson gleefully admitted to "ripping the arse out of it" after thr England game.

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

To be clear, I am not saying don't have one or two beers but "ripping the arse out of it" and then weeks later heading into town is very questionable decision making.

To be fair to Fagerson, he said he went home to his family but some of the lads ripped the arse out of it. Maybe there is a bit of a line between the older and younger guys with the booze - there certainly is in wider society

Yeah, good point that's a good pick of on Fagerson. Point still stands though that some in squad went to far, a poor decision.

If it is a generational thing then it is time to start weeding some of them out.

[Tichtheid]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

I don’t think so, we beat England whilst being on the back foot. Lack of belief cost us in Cardiff, we lost fair and square to a good French side.
A couple of late scores took the gloss off a convincing win against Italy.
No one seriously expects us to win today.

The story coming out of the camp is that five players returned when they got the call from Townsend. Finn didn’t, he stayed out til 4am

If true it’s time he went on sabbatical from the international set up until he starts training, acting and playing like a professional

Contrast him and Sexton, can anyone see Finn being driven enough to play in a world cup at 38 years old?
To make the sacrifices and train as hard as the 20 year olds?

[C T]

In fairness I'm not sure this episode suggests he has lost the dressing room.

Feels like poor communication and bad decision making.

Truth be told these lads aren't doing anything that I probably wouldn't have done in my late 20's/early 30's. Though the risk of picking up Covid and screwing over the team really changes things.

5 out of the 6 came back when the error of judgement was made clear, they should have had better judgement in the first place.

Finn though, this has perhaps pushed me over the edge. Representing you country comes with responsibility too, his lake of respect for that is really starting to grate.

[Slick]

In fairness I'm not sure this episode suggests he has lost the dressing room.

Feels like poor communication and bad decision making.

Truth be told these lads aren't doing anything that I probably wouldn't have done in my late 20's/early 30's. Though the risk of picking up Covid and screwing over the team really changes things.

5 out of the 6 came back when the error of judgement was made clear, they should have had better judgement in the first place.

Finn though, this has perhaps pushed me over the edge. Representing you country comes with responsibility too, his lake of respect for that is really starting to grate.

I think for everyone’s sake Finn needs a break. I can quite easily see him being the type of personality that fucks it all off and leaves rugby for a while.

As I said on the other thread it maybe does put the Kinghorn at 10 thing in a bit more perspective. GT obviously doesn’t trust Hastings and below that there isn’t very much - Thompson looks a good pro player to me but not much more, but still very young. Maybe he saw this coming.

If that is the case, everyone needs to get behind Blair and give him the chances he needs

[Jock42]

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

CT you're right about their peers in normal society. The key thing is the rest if the country aren't professional rugby players. Again are the other nations acting like that after a win or a milestone?

[Margin__Walker]

The round one piss up thing is odd and at least part of that must sit with the culture set from the top.

Scotland have the best set of players they've had in years. If you're GT you would be going out of your way to hammer it into the team that beating England is just business as usual. We're a good team, we expect to win these games and it shouldn't be followed by a huge release of energy and focus.

[Paddington Bear]

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

[Paddington Bear]

The round one piss up thing is odd and at least part of that must sit with the culture set from the top.

Scotland have the best set of players they've had in years. If you're GT you would be going out of your way to hammer it into the team that beating England is just business as usual. We're a good team, we expect to win these games and it shouldn't be followed by a huge release of energy and focus.

I posted this after Scotland lost to Wales in round 2 that clearly their side had already emotionally peaked. Fine for supporters but for the crop of players Scotland have to still treat the Calcutta Cup as a cup final is astonishing and is clearly letting them down IMHO.

I know Andy Nicol is an idiot but he made a comment in that game about how the scrums at the end of Round 1 were the ‘greatest ever’. Really? Beating a mediumish team at home shouldn’t lead to a country’s rugby pundits having kittens.

Wales have done this brilliantly, of course it’s a big game but there are bigger prizes, win and move on.

[Margin__Walker]

Yeah, I'm not expecting pro athletes to live like monks. There's a world of difference though between 2, 3 or 4 beers to unwind after a big game and an absolute bender that's going to eat into your recovery and focus for the rest of the tournament.

That's before you even get to a problem like Finn.

Hopefully there's a decent reactiona nd big performance against Ireland

[Slick]

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

[Tichtheid]

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

Isn't everyone's Big Game the one against England?

See the game at Croke Park, the Welsh English games of yore used to be huge fights and the will to win is still there. Then there is Le Crunch.
Italy target us as a winnable game because it is.

[Slick]

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

Isn't everyone's Big Game the one against England?

See the game at Croke Park, the Welsh English games of yore used to be huge fights and the will to win is still there. Then there is Le Crunch.
Italy target us as a winnable game because it is.

Yeah, that's a good point actually.

[Paddington Bear]

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

Isn't everyone's Big Game the one against England?

See the game at Croke Park, the Welsh English games of yore used to be huge fights and the will to win is still there. Then there is Le Crunch.
Italy target us as a winnable game because it is.

This is really my point - everyone wants to beat us but most other sides put it into a wider perspective. It’s too central to how Scotland are setting up, in my view. Wales can, and do, smash us then win well the week after.

[Tichtheid]

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

Isn't everyone's Big Game the one against England?

See the game at Croke Park, the Welsh English games of yore used to be huge fights and the will to win is still there. Then there is Le Crunch.
Italy target us as a winnable game because it is.

This is really my point - everyone wants to beat us but most other sides put it into a wider perspective. It’s too central to how Scotland are setting up, in my view. Wales can, and do, smash us then win well the week after.

Oh I agree, I think Scotland have been so shite for so long that it's going to take a while for us to mature into a side that looks beyond beating England as the main goal of the 6N.

[Paddington Bear]

Isn't everyone's Big Game the one against England?

See the game at Croke Park, the Welsh English games of yore used to be huge fights and the will to win is still there. Then there is Le Crunch.
Italy target us as a winnable game because it is.

This is really my point - everyone wants to beat us but most other sides put it into a wider perspective. It’s too central to how Scotland are setting up, in my view. Wales can, and do, smash us then win well the week after.

Oh I agree, I think Scotland have been so shite for so long that it's going to take a while for us to mature into a side that looks beyond beating England as the main goal of the 6N.

Think that’s fair

[Jock42]

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

Are we blaming Sturgeon/SNP now? I'm on board with that

I knew the rugby team was innocent all along.

[Slick]

No I would say a night out in any of the four is remarkably similar, from my experience

Yes, I've got smashed with the Welsh team in Cardiff, the Irish team in Dublin and French in Paris (or at least they said they were, I didn't know who the fuck they were really). The difference here is Covid I guess.

I find it a bit hard to blame the players peaking for England, it's pretty much bred into us and comes with maximum expectation and emotion from absolutely everywhere - see the FM getting on board for England but rarely hear a peep about other games. I think the solution is to persuade the 6N that England can only ever be our final game.

In all seriousness, it is a cultural thing and it's not going to change.

Are we blaming Sturgeon/SNP now? I'm on board with that

I knew the rugby team was innocent all along.

It's devolved and they have been in power for enough years now to have sorted this out.

[Torquemada 1420]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

I don’t think so, we beat England whilst being on the back foot. Lack of belief cost us in Cardiff, we lost fair and square to a good French side.
A couple of late scores took the gloss off a convincing win against Italy.
No one seriously expects us to win today.

The story coming out of the camp is that five players returned when they got the call from Townsend. Finn didn’t, he stayed out til 4am

If true it’s time he went on sabbatical from the international set up until he starts training, acting and playing like a professional

Contrast him and Sexton, can anyone see Finn being driven enough to play in a world cup at 38 years old?
To make the sacrifices and train as hard as the 20 year olds?

Unacceptable (and this has nothing to do with my ambivalence to Russell) but after his last exile for unprofessional behaviour, I'm in entire agreement with you. He's not 19. If I were coach, he'd be done permanently.

[Big D]

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

The fact that after a win they (some) see the need to get smashed or "rip the arse out it" rather than have a couple suggest some of the players do have a different relationship with alcohol than many professional athletes do.

[Big D]

Back on Townsend rather than the players.

Townsend has been with Scotland, Glasgow and Scotland for 12 years or so and a few key players have been coached by him for a long time now. I wonder if a point has been reached or might be reached where those players may get a bit fed up of him and vice versa.

[Slick]

Scots suffering from over expectation a bit?

I don’t think so, we beat England whilst being on the back foot. Lack of belief cost us in Cardiff, we lost fair and square to a good French side.
A couple of late scores took the gloss off a convincing win against Italy.
No one seriously expects us to win today.

The story coming out of the camp is that five players returned when they got the call from Townsend. Finn didn’t, he stayed out til 4am

If true it’s time he went on sabbatical from the international set up until he starts training, acting and playing like a professional

Contrast him and Sexton, can anyone see Finn being driven enough to play in a world cup at 38 years old?
To make the sacrifices and train as hard as the 20 year olds?

Unacceptable (and this has nothing to do with my ambivalence to Russell) but after his last exile for unprofessional behaviour, I'm in entire agreement with you. He's not 19. If I were coach, he'd be done permanently.

My guess is that this will be it for him for a while now. I think he’s only in the squad because they thought they might be able to cover it up until after the game today

[SaintK]

It is a cultural thing (Scots relationship with alcohol) and it clearly hasn't been kept in check.

Do the Irish have a different relationship (or England and Wales for that matter) with alcohol to us? I wouldn't say so but I doubt they're on it after round 1.

The fact that after a win they (some) see the need to get smashed or "rip the arse out it" rather than have a couple suggest some of the players do have a different relationship with alcohol than many professional athletes do.

The only time I can recall a recent alcohol issue in the England camp was when Tuilangi and Solomona came back to the hotel very late and very pissed after the squad were given an evening off. Both were sent back to their clubs and were made unavailable for selection. Not sure Solomona mad an England training squad again after that!!

[Big D]

I don’t think so, we beat England whilst being on the back foot. Lack of belief cost us in Cardiff, we lost fair and square to a good French side.
A couple of late scores took the gloss off a convincing win against Italy.
No one seriously expects us to win today.

The story coming out of the camp is that five players returned when they got the call from Townsend. Finn didn’t, he stayed out til 4am

If true it’s time he went on sabbatical from the international set up until he starts training, acting and playing like a professional

Contrast him and Sexton, can anyone see Finn being driven enough to play in a world cup at 38 years old?
To make the sacrifices and train as hard as the 20 year olds?

Unacceptable (and this has nothing to do with my ambivalence to Russell) but after his last exile for unprofessional behaviour, I'm in entire agreement with you. He's not 19. If I were coach, he'd be done permanently.

My guess is that this will be it for him for a while now. I think he’s only in the squad because they thought they might be able to cover it up until after the game today

He'd be given the summer off anyway I think.

Up to him to sort himself out now.

[I like neeps]

Back on Townsend rather than the players.

Townsend has been with Scotland, Glasgow and Scotland for 12 years or so and a few key players have been coached by him for a long time now. I wonder if a point has been reached or might be reached where those players may get a bit fed up of him and vice versa.

It has been clear for a while he can't consistently get the best out of the players.

The story is odd - I don't understand how Russell is on the bench if he directly contravened coaches orders. I think the first time the players supported his exile, this time as he's not been exiled it doesn't seem like it.

[weegie01]

It was not just Russell that stayed out after the call from Townsend. Johnston was also named along with unnamed others.

Edit
The person speaking on the audio clip does not seem to know the Scotland team manager's name. Odd if he is on the inside track on this.

[Big D]

Back on Townsend rather than the players.

Townsend has been with Scotland, Glasgow and Scotland for 12 years or so and a few key players have been coached by him for a long time now. I wonder if a point has been reached or might be reached where those players may get a bit fed up of him and vice versa.

It has been clear for a while he can't consistently get the best out of the players.

The story is odd - I don't understand how Russell is on the bench if he directly contravened coaches orders. I think the first time the players supported his exile, this time as he's not been exiled it doesn't seem like it.

Russell wasn't binned for the drinking though last time. He went AWOL after it. They are linked but I think the leaving camp part and going in a huff was why he was dropped last time.

[I like neeps]

Back on Townsend rather than the players.

Townsend has been with Scotland, Glasgow and Scotland for 12 years or so and a few key players have been coached by him for a long time now. I wonder if a point has been reached or might be reached where those players may get a bit fed up of him and vice versa.

It has been clear for a while he can't consistently get the best out of the players.

The story is odd - I don't understand how Russell is on the bench if he directly contravened coaches orders. I think the first time the players supported his exile, this time as he's not been exiled it doesn't seem like it.

Russell wasn't binned for the drinking though last time. He went AWOL after it. They are linked but I think the leaving camp part and going in a huff was why he was dropped last time.

Okay but he went AWOL (not as bad but he was out the team hotel and without explicit consent) again if the rumours are true! I can't see why that time he was ostracised and this time he isn't unless the squad don't think he should be. Or Townsend is a softer touch now.

[Big D]

It has been clear for a while he can't consistently get the best out of the players.

The story is odd - I don't understand how Russell is on the bench if he directly contravened coaches orders. I think the first time the players supported his exile, this time as he's not been exiled it doesn't seem like it.

Russell wasn't binned for the drinking though last time. He went AWOL after it. They are linked but I think the leaving camp part and going in a huff was why he was dropped last time.

Okay but he went AWOL (not as bad but he was out the team hotel and without explicit consent) again if the rumours are true! I can't see why that time he was ostracised and this time he isn't unless the squad don't think he should be. Or Townsend is a softer touch now.

That's true. I honestly think, having thought about it that the senior players and GT are at the point of just being fed up with each other.

[charltom]

I don’t think so, we beat England whilst being on the back foot. Lack of belief cost us in Cardiff, we lost fair and square to a good French side.
A couple of late scores took the gloss off a convincing win against Italy.
No one seriously expects us to win today.

The story coming out of the camp is that five players returned when they got the call from Townsend. Finn didn’t, he stayed out til 4am

If true it’s time he went on sabbatical from the international set up until he starts training, acting and playing like a professional

Contrast him and Sexton, can anyone see Finn being driven enough to play in a world cup at 38 years old?
To make the sacrifices and train as hard as the 20 year olds?

Unacceptable (and this has nothing to do with my ambivalence to Russell) but after his last exile for unprofessional behaviour, I'm in entire agreement with you. He's not 19. If I were coach, he'd be done permanently.

My guess is that this will be it for him for a while now. I think he’s only in the squad because they thought they might be able to cover it up until after the game today

... or is this all invented and leaked to make the Irish complacent?

[Yr Alban]

I think it’s fair to say that Toony isn’t great at man management, and it does seem that it can be his way or the highway (not excusing Russell’s behaviour, it’s just the look of the thing). I think we need either an inspirational coach the players all look up to and can coax them to better performances, or a hard bastard they are all scared of. Scotland were most successful when we had both in McGeechan and Telfer.

I think the comment above that we have been so crap for so long that our ambitions peak with beating England is also fair. The fact that we have had their number recently helps too.

As for blaming the government for the underperforming rugby team… really scraping the bottom out of that barrel now.

[Torquemada 1420]

Isn't everyone's Big Game the one against England?

Errr, actually, every side has saved its best performance for France this campaign (even Italy). I expect England will do the same tonight.

[Slick]

I think it’s fair to say that Toony isn’t great at man management, and it does seem that it can be his way or the highway (not excusing Russell’s behaviour, it’s just the look of the thing). I think we need either an inspirational coach the players all look up to and can coax them to better performances, or a hard bastard they are all scared of. Scotland were most successful when we had both in McGeechan and Telfer.

I think the comment above that we have been so crap for so long that our ambitions peak with beating England is also fair. The fact that we have had their number recently helps too.

As for blaming the government for the underperforming rugby team… really scraping the bottom out of that barrel now.

Ermmmm, that was massively tongue in cheek, I think you should maybe read it again!

[Yr Alban]

I think it’s fair to say that Toony isn’t great at man management, and it does seem that it can be his way or the highway (not excusing Russell’s behaviour, it’s just the look of the thing). I think we need either an inspirational coach the players all look up to and can coax them to better performances, or a hard bastard they are all scared of. Scotland were most successful when we had both in McGeechan and Telfer.

I think the comment above that we have been so crap for so long that our ambitions peak with beating England is also fair. The fact that we have had their number recently helps too.

As for blaming the government for the underperforming rugby team… really scraping the bottom out of that barrel now.

Ermmmm, that was massively tongue in cheek, I think you should maybe read it again!

Sorry - it genuinely wasn’t clear you meant it that way. Probably not your fault, just that I see a lot of people saying similar things who mean every word they say.

[Blackmac]

I've never mentioned this before but after the 2018 win I was on call on the Saturday night and decided to take a drive around Edinburgh. I saw Russell standing absolutely out of his face on the corner of George Street and St Andrews Square about 3 in the morning. I stopped to have a word and realised he was absolutely out of his tits, easily the drunkest lad on the street and hadn't a clue where he was. If he had been a normal punter he would have been sobering up in the cells till the morning and leaving with a D&I ticket in his pocket but I made arrangements for a uniform car to get him back to the team hotel. I've seen and been many a drunk rugby player but I recall thinking at the time that it was a shocking condition for such a high profile pro sportsman to be in and getting the impression that there might be a problem he had to get a grip of. Not quite sure he has.

[Jimmy Smallsteps]

I've never mentioned this before but after the 2018 win I was on call on the Saturday night and decided to take a drive around Edinburgh. I saw Russell standing absolutely out of his face on the corner of George Street and St Andrews Square about 3 in the morning. I stopped to have a word and realised he was absolutely out of his tits, easily the drunkest lad on the street and hadn't a clue where he was. If he had been a normal punter he would have been sobering up in the cells till the morning and leaving with a D&I ticket in his pocket but I made arrangements for a uniform car to get him back to the team hotel. I've seen and been many a drunk rugby player but I recall thinking at the time that it was a shocking condition for such a high profile pro sportsman to be in and getting the impression that there might be a problem he had to get a grip of. Not quite sure he has.

A few All Blacks have been in similar positions. I was there for our gritty win in 2006 and a mate reports a couple of ABs were in the street directing traffic, axed out of their minds. A couple of your colleagues assisted them off the road, apparently.

I've also seen test players on the razz in New Zealand as well. Remember the Tana Umaga handbag fiasco?

I think they all do it, just hopefully not as hard these days.