­
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • British & Irish Lions
  • Videos
  • Supabets
  • Cars
    • Motoring News
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Daddy’s Deals

SA Rugbymag

South African rugby news, fixtures, results, video, interviews, and more. Covering the Springboks, Bulls, Stormers/Western Province, Sharks, Cheetahs, Kings and Lions, as well as schools and club rugby.

Primary Menu Search
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • British & Irish Lions
  • Videos
  • Supabets
  • Cars
    • Motoring News
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Daddy’s Deals

You are here: Home ∼ Collective quality lacking in international rugby

Collective quality lacking in international rugby

Owen Farrell Collective quality lacking in international rugby
Published on December 8, 2020

While Argentina and Australia have been torrid, New Zealand hold a 50% win record for the first time in years, England are treating controversially beating a French C team as a World Cup final and the general state of northern-hemisphere rugby appears dire at best. Some perspective on the state of world rugby please, asks JAMES DALTON.

New Zealand finish the year with the Bledisloe Cup and the Tri-Nations in hand, but with the other ‘achievements’ of having lost to Argentina for the first time in history, drawn with Australia and lost to them, too, and ended the year on a 50% win ratio – having won three, lost two and drawn one. The All Blacks under Ian Foster are not the All Blacks of the past decade, this much is evident. As I said previously, the metric for success was the All Blacks, yet they no longer set the standard.

Who does then?

Certainly not England, who emerged as Six Nations victors against a northern-hemisphere collective whose quality has declined, and robbed France of an Autumn Nations Cup win in extra time.

While France appears the one team in world rugby at the moment to be building something of quality and consistency, under Fabian Galthie, England’s historic competition of Wales and Ireland have fallen drastically from where they were. Ireland, who hit No 1 in the world not too long ago, have dropped to fifth in the World Rankings, while Wales without Gatland are a shell of the side that proved to be the Springboks’ greatest challenge on their road to World Cup victory in 2019.

The Autumn Nations Cup final did even more to expose the quality (or lack thereof?) of an England side that has essentially been clubbing seals this year. With 813 caps among the England players (their most experienced side of all time), it took a try that should not have been a try (England clearly knocking the ball on en route to the tryline) and an extra-time penalty to win in sudden death against a French side with 68 caps in total between their players.

‘We wouldn’t have won that game 12 months ago, we’d have lost it. That’s a good learning for us,’ said Eddie Jones commenting on the fight England showed to come back and win 22-19.

But what does that say about the state of English rugby, if your progression a year on from getting thumped 32-12 in a World Cup final is stealing a victory from a French team without 25 of their best players?

England, by the nature of their results, are considered the best team in the world this year that has played rugby (the Springboks still maintain the No 1 spot in the rankings), and sitting at third just behind them are an All Blacks side beaten by and drawing with a no-name brand, young Australian side under new coaching and lost for the first time ever to Argentina, who drew twice with that same Australian side.

In 2020, as bizarre a year as it has been, no side that can lay claim to being world beaters have emerged, and the Springboks in 2021 are perfectly positioned to defend their title as such and beat the British & Irish Lions.

Photo: Ian Walton/AP

Posted in Columns, James Dalton Tagged james dalton

Post by James Dalton

James Dalton

MPU #1 - (DESKTOP SIZE 300x250 / MOBILE SIZE 320x50, 300x250, 320x100)
← Previous Next →

Ratings: Du Toit one of the few standouts for Boks

The Boks faded in the second half to slump to a 22-17...

Five key areas the Boks need to dominate for first victory

SA Rugby magazine highlights five crucial areas the Boks will need to...

Duhan should be celebrated for his Lions success

Duhan van der Merwe’s achievements should be truly appreciated by South Africans,...

JdV: Boks-Lions have everything to play for

Performing in empty stadiums will be a key factor in the series...

Dynamic Dayimani: Forward to back

While he has been signed as an ‘edge’ forward, Hacjivah Dayimani could...

Boks have muscle memory to rely on

Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber are experts at finding solutions to tricky...

Top six: Best and worst foreign imports

SARugbymag.co.za identifies six of the best and worst foreign players to play...

Column: When context is needed

As highlighted by the Argentina controversy, ‘cancel culture’ needs a spoonful of...

Dark cloud hangs over WP Rugby

The problems at Western Province Rugby are layered, and everyone involved needs...

From the mag: Foreign Favourites

As Vodacom Super Rugby turned 25 this year, JON CARDINELLI picks an...

Bulls rookies to watch

After a massive exodus of players the Vodacom Bulls will be eager...

Analysis: The new suffocate-and-strangle game

For the Boks to emerge as World Cup winners, they need to...

VIEW MORE
  • Team graphics: Springboks vs B&I Lions
  • Boks vs Lions (1st Test): Predict and WIN!
  • Lions team announcement: Duhan to front Boks
  • Teams: SA A vs Bulls
Boks

Why the Boks should be bullish

There is good reason for the Springboks to enter the British & Irish Lions series with confidence, writes MARK KEOHANE in the latest SA Rugby magazine.

  • Watch: Did Gatland’s words influence Jonker?


COVID-19 Corona Virus
South African Resource Portal

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Videos
  • Player Features
  • Subscribe
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy

TOURNAMENTS

    • Rugby Championship
    • Super Rugby
    • Currie Cup
    • Varsity Cup
    • Gold Cup
    • Schools
    • Six Nations
    • Champions Cup
    • World Cup

OPINION

  • Mallett on SuperSport
  • Cardinelli column
  • Lewis column
  • Xabanisa column
  • Borchardt column
  • Superbru

Primary Menu

  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • British & Irish Lions
  • Videos
  • Supabets
  • Cars
    • Motoring News
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Daddy’s Deals
×