Neil Francis
Neil is a former Ireland rugby international who is a regular member of the Setanta Ireland panel.
Covering the RBS 6 Nations and the Magners League, the giant Dubliner is well placed to give his views on the game.
During his playing days, he was a formidable lock for his country and Leinster, and he is not afraid to tackle the controversial issues even though he has hung up his boots.
De Villiers' changes were shocking
Neil Francis is shocked at South Africa coach Peter de Villiers’ substitutions in the First Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.
Peter de Villiers might have thought that with twenty minutes to go that the 19-point margin would be enough.
Nobody knew whether if there was trouble or not as regards the players out on the field. Any of the players that he took off, most of them were smiling as they came off.
They weren’t crying, they weren’t huffing and they all had been playing well at that stage.
He took off his enforcer Bakkies Botha at the spine of the scrum. Scrummaging is a unit skill, and he is the power from the second row. By taking him off, suddenly their scrum is depowered.