Only Ireland can stop this dazzling New Zealand juggernaut
Thomas Castaignede
November 27, 2006 12:45 AM
Putting together a top 10 of world rugby after this year’s autumn internationals is both easy and difficult. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out the first two places but among the rest of the nations the hierarchy is less easy to establish.
There isn’t much more to say about this All Black side. They are in a class of their own, one weekend after another. Watching them play is like listening to a Mozart concerto: clarity of execution, brilliant creativity, ambition and a willingness to take the initiative. Playing them is like the Romans trying to take on Asterix and Obelix.
Their scrum is now the best in the world and the lines of running they can produce on turnover ball are simply incredible. And the world should note their reserves as the World Cup approaches. When you see Daniel Carter’s No2, Nick Evans, come on and produce a 40-metre break and a stunning pass to Luke McAlister, that is worrying indeed.
Ireland are the only nation who can live with the All Blacks in the three-quarters. They’re producing some attractive rugby, they are doing it consistently and this autumn’s scalps - Australia and South Africa - are worth having. My only worry is their scrum, which can’t match that of the All Blacks.
Their performance against Australia was worthy of New Zealand, especially given the weather, and although it was a pity not to see them meet the All Blacks it keeps us in suspense. Eddie O’Sullivan is finding new players in key positions, such as Isaac Boss at scrum-half.
I’d rank Australia third, but like the rest of the nations apart from Ireland and New Zealand they are a work in progress. They are experimenting in key areas and they badly missed George Gregan this autumn. But they showed fight in Ireland, and against Scotland and Wales there were some attractive things going on behind the scrum, which is a contrast to the monotonous stuff they were producing a year ago.
In fourth place I’m keeping faith with France, who have recovered a little after being stunned by that incredible defeat in Lyon, although they still have one knee on the ground. In a match billed as a test for the World Cup, the 47-3 margin really hurt. In the second Test they simply refused to let New Zealand play - the score was closer, but the gap between the sides was huge - and then they showed well against Argentina before resting on their laurels in the second half. Bear in mind the wins away from home against South Africa and Wales and the picture isn’t that bad.
Argentina deserve to be rated fifth after beating England at Twickenham and almost taking France yet again on Saturday. Of all the teams in the world they have recently progressed the most and they deserve a place in a major tournament.
I’d put South Africa sixth, for what they promise for the future and what they delivered on Saturday. They were a team in trouble last season, but they overcame the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations and England at Twickenham for the first time since 1997. There are new guys coming in such as Francois Steyn at full-back and Kabamba Floors in the back row and they will go home with their heads high.
Wales appear to have taken their potential to the limit, in seventh place, although on a good day they can still beat anyone apart from New Zealand. They have incredible resources in the backs, new guys such as James Hook coming through, but they are losing important games at home, which does not bode well.
England, in eighth place, are in huge difficulties but I’m sure the future is not that bleak. There have been mistakes, although I don’t think Andy Robinson should be held responsible for everything. They need key men to come back - just think how their confidence would turn if Jonny Wilkinson were to be fit in February.
Italy are worth ninth after big games against Argentina and Australia, both of which they might have won. Like Argentina they are progressing well, truly a nation on the rise, whereas Scotland were disappointing against Australia this weekend. Still, the Scots did for both England and France in the Six Nations, which backs up my original point: behind New Zealand there’s not much to separate any nation on one given day, although Ireland now have a head start on the chasing pack.
My league of nations
1 New Zealand
2 Ireland
3 Australia
4 France
5 Argentina
6 South Africa
7 Wales
8 England
9 Italy
10 Scotland