But if we, you know, we take that as a given, do Wales need to change things tactically, particularly in midfield? Let's start with that partnership.

I think you look at the first two games, and the center partnership probably hasn't fired as we hoped to after the promise they showed, uh, towards the end of the Six Nations.

Um, there was a few missed tackles.

Um, so defensively, they haven't-- Th-th-there's been gaps in defense.

You know, teams have been able to gain ground on us quite, quite easily.

So I think Ben and Max were obviously the preferred center partnership, uh, way back in the last November, um, and they get an opportunity.

Um, do I think it's the right choice? I don't, but, um-

Because of his size?

But I guess results have-- speak for themselves.

Yeah, but saying that, I, I, I'd be a lit- I'd be a little bit frustrated as a, as a Welsh player, uh, to be not at le- at least half selling that in terms of, you know, the way they sort of, I guess, progressed for Six Nations and where, where the team have been and where they are now, you know, within 18 months is quite incredible really.

You know, they couldn't buy a win.

They were, you know, forty-- They were conceding hundreds of points to now they're actually, you know, competing.

Like, we, we were losing that Fiji game, like, last year, weren't we? Or the year before.

So to get to a point where we are competitive and winning, and on your doorstep in Cardiff City Stadium, I know it's not quite as easy as to get to Principality, and people have got, you know...

But the tickets weren't mental expensive.

Yeah

Back to back, yeah.

And it was al- always very different.

But obviously y- y- they're, they're flying to South Africa.

You know, e- any away game in South Africa [chuckles] is brutal, let alone going to Ireland or, or Italy or so forth.

So, you know, to ask Cardiff to go back up mentally knowing that they had to win to then back it up again now away, it, it, it asks a lot, isn't it, mentally?

He's got an X factor about him

... it's not like he's working on his aerial game.

And I'm not saying his aerial game is poor either.

what would actually happen to rugby in that particular area, whoever goes?

Yeah, I think whatever decision is made, and speaking to around the hierarchy in terms of the union, around this process about one of the ownerships buying the other team, the tender, which they call it, they pull up the tender down in West Wales, which will be... that there will be still a fight for the Scarlets and the Ospreys or anyone, apparently.

This is the wording from the union.

So this is where they've struggled.

There's too much uncertainty around what's going on, which is why the relationship probably with the public and the union is not that strong at the moment.

There's not much trust.

So if you take that into consideration, What's best for Wales long-term? I don't think it's to get rid of a region, especially if you think you'd say, for example, you take away the Ospreys.

And I want to ask you both this, but Alex first, it is three defeats so far in this year's Six Nations, but could you see encouraging signs, particularly in the performance against Scotland?