@rotated said in Why this feels different...:
@pakman said in Why this feels different...:
The sad thing to contemplate is that the way money is influencing things a combination of NH getting its player base together and the increasing player drain is making staying near the top an incredible challenge.
It's ironic though, the drain is supposedly much worse now but the second gut punch in 2007 was realizing that McAlister, Hayman, Mauger, Howlett, Jack, Masoe, Kelleher etc had all played their last test (at least for a while); and over the next few months Collins and Evans firmed up as leaving too.
This time only Read from the starting side is off and it would be hard to argue Smith or SBW left too many test in the tank either.
One thing which really upset me about 2007 was that we were by far away the best team there.
In 91 and 99 Oz were tops. In 2003 England was no 1, just. Being at Ellis Park in 95 and seeing what it meant for the nation was the ONLY time I've ever watched the ABs and thought, 'It wouldn't be so bad if we lost this', and after all it was a draw by normal standards.
Saturday for me felt as though we played the final a week early. That said, no guarantee Poms will get up this week.