MichaelRobartes

It doesn't happen often. Keith Wood would be another exception but there's been nobody that I can think of since Sexton. We've really missed Donnacha Ryan and Simon Zebo but the threat of international exile has definitely kept the vast majority of our top players in the provinces. I'm pretty sure that Phantom is right. I don't think Nonu played for NZ again after the 2015 World Cup final. I think that he went to Toulon immediately after the tournament.

Ireland don't pick anyone who plays outside of Ireland irrespective of caps and I don't think that NZ do either. Can't think of many English guys who moved abroad and stayed in the side either. The only Irish exceptions that I can think of are Geordan Murphy who benched for us fairly regularly during his long career at Leicester and Sexton during his brief spell at Racing.

Truly bizarre. Even more baffling than when they vandalised the Heineken Cup a few years ago. Tough draw for Bristol but it was always going to be. The Connacht matches in particular will be something. Happy enough with our draw. Nothing to fear from Quins and we are due revenge on ASM. It's probably too early in our cycle to think about winning it but it would be good to reach the knockouts. Would have liked to draw Bristol but maybe next year.

Well done to Bristol, by far the better side tonight. I thought Toulon had it at half time, especially after the two butchered tries for Bristol but they were awful in the second half. Very enjoyable game. Hope we draw Bristol in the Heineken.

It is when the ref isn't penalising you. I think that Brace has had a good game. He's been quite consistent.

Really good defensive set. Toulon should have scored from that position.

Mad game. Brilliant play from Bristol. Shame about the forward pass.

Poor enough. Dropping the ball over the line after a maul like that is almost unforgivable.

Some game already!

Bloody hell. Shocking from Toulon.

Great try. Try-scoring pass was brilliant.

Brilliant kick from Randall. Perfect sin bin period for them. Really good game this.

Bordeaux bleeding penalties now.

There we go. All from an idiotic Bordeaux penalty. Second half will be interesting.

Bristol can be fun to watch but they're shooting themselves in the foot here. Unless they land a few Hail Mary plays it's hard to see how they win this without a drastic change in approach.

Brilliant from Jalibert.

You can't have a non front-rower at prop or hooker in the professional game. It would be extremely dangerous and is rightly not allowed. As for the comparison with replacing a goalkeeper with an outfield player, when goalkeepers have to start scrummaging you might have a point. As it is, you might as well compare peas and oranges while you're at it.

There aren't many club sides in the northern hemisphere at least that wouldn't want to employ Lam if the opportunity arose. He's been lucky to be backed by huge investment at Bristol, but splashing the cash didn't help them much before. Anyone who can win a league title with Connacht has a lot going for them. Bristol are very lucky to have someone of his calibre. I think that he might have been coaching Ireland by now if he'd stayed in Galway.

Strange that they both got the same. Piatau absolutely deserved his 3 weeks but in my view Kitchener should have been given 6-8.

You can see here that Piatau lands a punch. Strange that he wasn't red carded in the game. He and Kitchener should have a few weekends off after that.

For anyone interested, Pat Lam (as well as others) will be on The Loose Head's podcast in the coming weeks:

That's a hell of a win from an Ireland team that are still in transition. I think that only Kevin O'Brien is left from the 2007 team. Chasing 329 against England in England is no mean feat.

Hopefully we will bat better on Saturday. Couldn't have a much worse start anyway!

Good effort from us in the end. England should win handily enough but to make a bit of a game of it from 28-5 isn't bad.

No wonder Lansdown is against the cap being reduced! It's an exciting team on paper, it'll be interesting to see how Lam fits everything together over the next couple of seasons.