"By 2025" - Six Nations statement: Springboks inclusion

South Africa's four franchises – the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, and Lions – have successfully transitioned to club competitions in the northern hemisphere.

Speculation has arisen about the Springboks eventually joining the Six Nations by 2025 following their successful integration into the URC and European cup competitions.

However, Morel asserts that these rumors are false and confirms that there have been no discussions regarding the Boks' participation in the Six Nations.

“There is no conversation about expanding the Six Nations right now, the entire focus is on finding the right solution and improvements to the July and November windows and finding a more competitive narrative for those fixtures,” Morel told the Telegraph.

“Our whole energy of the Six Nations is focused on that. So there’s no conversation regarding anything else. There never has been.

“I can understand that dynamic, but the players in the club game in South Africa needed a competition to play in, which has been an issue on their side.

"There has obviously been some interest, but we are not engaging in any of those conversations.”

One fan wrote: "He had a few good years between 2011-2013 and then he has died down. Hasn't looked good as the commentary teams make him out to be."

Another commented: "George bloody North!"

A third said: "I think it's important to separate the player he was back in 2013, with the player he became once injury and loss of form hit. Definitely overrated though, but I think that's the media's fault."

One fan wrote: "Lazy player with a terrible workrate, decent positioning at times that sees him finish off the good work of other players and get all the undeserved credit. Poor tackler too."

A second commented: ”That man lived off his ‘solo’ try against Australia and managed to get in the England team every time. He couldn’t tackle a crossword! Lacks creativity and only works running a line of a short pass from number ten. Overrated definitely!”

"Maybe he got so many caps as there's been such a paucity of Welsh second rows. Maybe."

"At this point he only gets chosen because Wales Online will go nuclear and blow up Cardiff if he doesn't"

"I really really really don't understand why he is rated so highly"

"H'es been a great player. But he should have been nowhere near the starting jersey for the Lions in my opinion."

One fan argue back, saying: "Maybe he’s got 12 lions caps in a row, won numerous 6N championships, been nominated for world player of the year twice 4 years apart, and is the record cap holder in history because he is one of the greatest locks of all time...maybe.

"If there’s one player in world rugby who has caused more people to have egg on their faces after writing him off and downplaying his rugby ability, it’s AWJ."

"Going to be controversial but Sergio Parisse. Sure he had fantastic skills but he was a show pony and not a work horse and people often overlooked this. He looked fantastic for Italy but that was because he was allowed to do all the flashy stuff but was mediocre in other areas."

"I think Parisse got a lot of credit just for being a leader and a quality player in a poor Italy side and was never rated by anyone as anywhere near world class"

"Consistently made world xv teams on scant evidence."

"Never has a cliche ever fit a player more than overrated show pony for Sergio Parisse"

"Honestly.... by the end of his career Parisse."

"The French forward is a player who jumps to mind."

"His appearance was half his reputation. Whenever he was given the appropriate attention he folded."

"Talented athlete who put in the odd big tackle but when push came to shove he always seemed to wilt away from the physical side of the game."

"Maybe not any more but I think Chabal was always vastly overrated. He did the odd massive hit and good carry but overall his impact on most games was pretty average for a man with so much hype."

"Good 6, terrible 8, even worse lock."