The Rugby Union Society

I disagree - Hook plays brilliantly at centre for Wales. His skill is in clever passes and runs that break through the opposition's line, something few in the world are anywhere as good at, and he can do that from the centre almost as well as from #10. Tbh, he's a bit of a risk as a #10 IMHO, since he doesn't have the consistency you need from one. Plus he'll never make the Wales team at #10, so he'd do well to get more experience and improve as a centre.

I don't agree that he'll never make the Wales team at 10 - it looked a year or so ago that he was going to usurp Jones permanently. I don't think he's not a good Centre, just that his attributes are substantially more suited to the 10 role - whilst playing centre he doesn't have the opportunity to use his fantastic distributive skills so well. Also, the way Ospreys and Wales play he'd turn up alternatively at centre on second phase ball, so that would allow him to run his brilliant outside lines.

Wales have difficulty in this position because they simply have so many options - Ospreys play Hook at 12, whereas Wales play him at 13 - Roberts is arguably the better centre, although I would personally like to see him at 13 to keep him away from the flankers. This, I think, would give Hook a consistent role and allow him to improve inexorably.

How are you these days anyway will? Long time since we've talked properly...

Point taken, I've always thought he'd be better at 12. Though you really see him as a legitimate rival to Stephen Jones? I know after the Six Nations many were hailing him as one of the best fly halves in the world, with impeccable kicking and an ability to control the game. Personally I was more impressed with Dan Parks, but I still got the impress that Jones' place was pretty safe.

I'd actually quite like to see Hook try at scrum half for a bit - great use of his distributive skills and his turn of speed and hand off could grab quite a few shock tries. I always used to think scrum half was a very different position, but seeing how Harry Ellis, Ben Youngs and Morgan Parra play, and indeed Ben Foden when allowed to, I think there's a lot to be said for a quick, strong runner at #9 who also has the distributive skills.

Sadly not so well - I was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago (Hodgkin's Lymphoma), though I'm most of the way through treatment now and it seems to have worked. Though apart from that, I'm doing ok - Helen and I are living together and my job's been going well (when I was there pre-illness). How are things with you?

It was horribly close wasnt it?

Leeds are talking of aiming for top 6 next year.

Ah well. Next year I suppose. Like last year was 'Ireland's' this year appears to belong to France.

Fair effort in the first half but completely imploded in the second. No Howlett, Dowling, POC, Leamy, etc. so can't really complaing.

I thought Jean de Villiers, Alan Quinlan and David Wallace were outstanding btw.

And at Flannery kicking the frenchman, who dived like the best of them. Tbh if he hadn't dived so ridiculously, Flannery would have been yellowed.