Load of bollocks statement tbh. All the SH teams are after a long club & SH season. This is a Money collecting jaunt & nothing else.
1 Like
June and November international matches can serve as an incomplete guide, but ultimately the World Cup is the only real proof of where the balance of power lies between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres as itâs the only time international teams from different hemispheres go head to head against each other where it really matters equally to both teams.
1 Like
He will be one of the best forwards in the world in a few seasons. Best Irish underage player iv ever seen
3 Likes
So why did Australia and South Africa used to be so competitive and New Zealand just swat most teams aside? Genuine question btw
Because the NH teams are improving
Occams razor
So if this Ireland team played the South Africa of 5 or 10 years ago theyâd beat them by 35 points? Likewise with Scotland and Australia?
Sigh
Is that a yes or a no to my questions?
Youv gotten two answers now from two different posters that you dont want to accept so what can I say to you?
Best ignore the flute.
1 Like
Australia have a consistent history of raising their game when it matters. Only a fool would disregard their performances against New Zealand this year. They have the potential to win the World Cup. But they canât maintain the extended peak that New Zealand can.
South Africa can still be competitive enough too when they want to be.
Two years ago the last four in the World Cup was New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina. That isnât very long ago.
From the Northern Hemisphere, only England have a realistic chance of winning the next World Cup.
France have fallen off a cliff, Ireland and Wales will always come up short when it really matters and while Scotland can produce an occasional very good performance, they arenât even at the level of Ireland and Wales.
2 Likes
That seems to contradict what @gilgamboa was saying. It also doesnât answer my question about why Australia and South Africa are getting hammered now when they used to be competitive in the November games
South africa won 2 of their 3 gamea on tour. They got hammered once by a good team who regulalry beat them nowadays
Probably because the game is now so physically punishing that the gap between a really committed and well prepared team and a team who isnât quite as committed is exaggerated.
I think you see this in GAA too to an increasing extent.
South Africa have additional problems in that their coach doesnât seem to be much use, but heâs likely for the chopping block in the near future and they still have plenty of time before the World Cup.
Australia are well coached, while itâs always hard to gauge where Argentina really are. Realistically one would think theyâre on about the same level as Ireland and Wales with little between the three.
It would appear to me that a big problem South Africa and to a lesser extent Australia have have is that European rugby is taking some of their best players away from domestic teams, therefore they are less competitive at Super Rugby level and it makes it more difficult logistically to keep their international teams regularly competitive.
New Zealand donât have any of those problems - if you donât play in New Zealand, youâre out.
1 Like
New Zealand have been quite lucky here so far against Wales
Best is a passanger again.
Good man sid. As I was originally saying and your post backs up, it seems like the Southern Hemisphere teams are much worse than they used to be
Sexton Ffs I rest my case