Yeah

... and he's, he'll understand that, and, you know, he, he'll be straight back on the horse looking how they, how they improve that for the autumn.

I know- So I also think with that, this is the first time Steve's had any downtime to actually reflect.

He finished the Six Nations, and then there was all the stuff going on.

He needed to interview, uh, new coaches to come in.

There was obviously the, the issue around payments for what the Autumn Nations payments look like.

Whereas now, touch wood, he's actually got some stability.

Scott, does Steve Tandy know his best team now? And if he doesn't, does it matter? Is it more important he knows his best team closer to the 2027 World Cup?

Uh, you've got a few more that you've got on your phone, have you?

Yeah, I think the carries conceded over the first two games was 329.

Meters conceded, 1,192.

Line breaks conceded over the two games, 39, and 73 missed tackles.

Um, yeah, I think, I think the missed tackle's a big stat, isn't it? And the amount of line breaks we created as well is another big stat.

I think we just looked [sighs] slow to most things, didn't we, on, on the weekend.

And, and you look back to that Argentina game, Steve Tandy's first game in charge, there probably are improvements since then, but I think we looked a team, yeah, probably slow or second to everything, and we looked, probably looked like a team who'd had a, a 15-hour flight, tough game against Fiji, uh, one training session.

Two tries.

Um, so there was-- There's obviously something about three test tours that you enjoyed, but on balance, could this be a better option for the game moving forward?

I think so, and it probably simulates a little bit more like the, the Rugby Championship in terms of they have to travel, so they're getting that exposure.

Lloyd spoke earlier around, uh, when you go on a three-test series, you kind of know what's coming next week to a degree, so you can prepare for it.

Whereas they're now going to play different styles of rugby across different, um, different parts of the globe.

But, but as a player, I loved the fact when we went, uh, in twenty seventeen, we played Tonga in New Zealand, and then we played Samoa in Samoa.

It was awesome.

Like, the travel doesn't stick in my memory, and being honest, we get some pretty good travel as well, like, in terms of the flights.

What were you like?

And I know from the players who come in on the weekend, the pathway's working in the women's game, and this, like, under-20s are brilliant, uh, under-21, sorry, and just keeping building that.

I was very enthused by the weekend, uh, for a number of reasons.

I think we've been watching Wales women for three years now, watching a very attritional style, a very conservative game plan, pragmatic, where they try and stay in the fight, and more often than not, they've been jabbed a few times, and they're not really in the fight.

What we saw on the weekend were a handful of athletes, of rugby players, of people with rugby IQ and physicality, and most of them were really young and really excited.

Most of them have been named and checked already by you.

George Iona, the Metcalf sisters, um, the back row, we've spoken about that already.

Bryony King was outstanding, um, carrying that tempo, carrying that sp-speech.

Actually, let's just spell out what the Nations Championship is, 'cause I still think there are a lot of casual rugby fans, Gareth, that maybe, um, well, it's a brand-new competition, there's a new narrative, aren't as familiar with what's happening, um, over three rounds in July and three rounds in November.

Yeah

... order.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So what did you say? You weren't convinced with a B? No, I think, I, [sighs] I just think going off, yeah, the, I think the, the turning point for them was that Connacht game, uh, this season.

But I just think giving them a B is, like [laughs] you're almost, what are they, a B+ then if they finish 10, 10- B, a B- I think a B- Have they, have they had a better season? [laughs] Yeah, I think a B...

I'd go with a B- or a C+, whatever you want.

Yeah, well, we've given them honorable mentions.

Um, there was a moment where you turned to me and almost said, "This is unfair that Cardiff get penalized with a yellow card for Azaratu when he wasn't necessarily infringing, he was just overpowered."

Yeah, he was, and I think if you look at the difference, as Lauren just said, the difference between the top four and the rest is their ability, set piece.

All the top four teams would be the best set piece teams, and that's probably the differentiating factor with Cardiff.

I think if Cardiff have parity up front, Cardiff can compete with any team in this league.

But the reality is, we don't have the funds to secure world-class tightheads.

Now, we have an international tighthead in Azaratu who's, who's doing a good job, but he plays the most minutes for Cardiff in, from a front row perspective.

He's not the biggest of men, um, and it makes it challenging.

It's just, uh, it's that sweet spot, isn't it, Scott? As to how, how you develop them and, and it's, it's quite a unique position in that generally they develop a lot later.

Mm

...

in the, in the playoffs.

'Cause for the South African franchise, it's essential that they play at home in those, in those playoffs, and the Stormers have got nothing else to play for.

The key team is Connacht, because Connacht are two points behind them, so they're a real threat.

But the Connacht have got Lions away.

They did win on the weekend, remarkably, in South Africa.

Mm