80+ column : November 20

WRAP OF A WRAP

I try to keep tabs on the amount of pod appearances my contributors have made over the years so technically I had two relative “newbies” helping me wrap the Argentina test in Jay Long (13th) and Hugo Gordon (3rd) but you certainly wouldn’t know it as they gave excellent insight to even that dodgy second half.

ICYMI click here to check it out on Spotify or you’ll also find it on Apple and most major platforms.

FRONT FIVE

A selection of eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the rugby media landscape

IRISH NOMINEES

If he is picked, he would become the fourth Irish winner of the top World Rugby award

Caelan Doris nominated for World Rugby player of the year alongside THREE Springboks

Mark Donlon – Extra.ie

BREAKAWAY LEAGUE-AL?

Would World Rugby sanction the competition, and would their authorisation be required?
Would players remain eligible to play international rugby if they joined the breakaway league?
What would happen to players’ existing contracts?

Rugby’s Breakaway League: A Legal Perspective

Ben Cisneros – Rugby and the Law

Harpin appearance by Ben C as mentioned in video

1ST NATION NOT 1ST NOTION

“It was a matter of how do we will pull those ideas together to make a very special game in a massive tour?”

Lions could play indigenous Australian team for first time on 2025 tour

Rob Freeman – The Independent (UK)

WINLESS WARREN

I don’t know why everyone is looking for the one right answer and the one right question that makes the headline. Is that what we’re looking for?

First odds released on Warren Gatland successor as he’s tipped to go after Saturday

Tom Coleman – WalesOnline

THE IRFU-MINATI

While the ultimate decision about who will be Ireland’s No 10 on a long-term basis lies at the door of Farrell, you can be sure that the man who owned that shirt for the last decade is having an influence.

Andy Farrell is preparing the ground for the Sam Prendergast era

Rúaidhrí O’Connor – Irish Independent

HARPIN ON…THE IRISH COACHING SETUP

For this week’s bonus chat the panel has a quick look at the overall Irish coaching setup, how it looks now and how it might operate when Andy Farrell is away with the Lions.

TROLL PATROL

Now it’s time for Troll Patrol where we ‘detain’ a social media commentator and charge them with gaslightery and general online mayhem.

As you’ll see in the Front Five video, there’s an 80+ column first this week as the same article wins both the Clickbait of the Week Award and Troll Patrol. Rúaidhrí really goes the extra mile with the message in his tweet sharing the article, throwing even more fuel on the fire he’s creating by suggesting Sexton is some shadowy figure in the back pushing an “only Leinster players should wear the Irish green” agenda.