Southern Hemisphere rugby invasion will be successful
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By Spiro Zavos, 5 Nov 2008 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
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The British rugby establishment is awaiting the annual Southern Hemisphere rugby invasion of the Northern Hemisphere nations with a similar awe and puffed up defiance as the Romans adopted when they tried – unsuccessfully – to confront the barbarian hordes.
There will be the usual accusations of too much overtly brutal play, intimidation and of foul cheating tactics from the British rugby establishment after the Southern Hemisphere wins.
The occasional Northern Hemisphere victory will be acclaimed as an indicator that the rugby culture of the Northern Hemisphere, and its determination to keep the laws of the game as constipated as possible, has been triumphantly and perhaps even majestically (if one of these victories is by more than ten points) justified.
After the Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup Test, The Sunday Telegraph’s (UK) Paul Ackford, a rugby writer I admire, felt impelled to put the boot in by claiming, rather bizarrely, that the unpopularity of local Bledisloe Cup Tests was the reason why the series was moved offshore.
Sorry Paul, the exact opposite is the case.
The popularity of the series was the reason why another Test was added to the series and played in Hong Kong, to a full house, too.
The Usual Suspect insisted that the Wallabies and the All Blacks showed “nothing to terrify the European teams … although there was enough to show any victory will be hard-won.”
Brian Moore in his Daily Telegraph (UK) column reckoned that if England win two out of the four Tests, it will play against Southern Hemisphere teams that “will be an acceptable target, any more will be a real bonus.”
As England are playing the Pacific Islanders, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, with the Pacific Islanders game generally accepted as an England win, Moore expects the home side to win only one Test against the three top Southern Hemisphere teams.
This is hardly a ringing endorsement of the strength and virtues of the English approach to playing rugby.
Lawrence Dallaglio, again in the Daily Telegraph, has indicated that he doesn’t believe England players are fit enough to really feel confident in knocking over all, or some, of their Southern Hemisphere opponents. He also made the point that since the 2003 RWC, the Six Nations sides had played the SANZAR nations 76 times, and won a paltry 13 of these contests (France winning 5, England 4, Ireland 3, Wales 1).
The Six Nations establishment likes to think that their ideas about how rugby should be played (the laws and so on, including refereeing interpretations) and the structure of the game (the various tournaments and world season) should be run entirely according to their dictates. This sort of arrogance would be, almost acceptable, if it were matched by successful practice on and off the field.
How many European coaches, for instance, are being chased to coach in Southern Hemisphere nations?
Another indication of the alarming lack of rugby intellectual and playing property comes from some statistics produced by Shaun Edwards, the rugby league great, who is the defence coach for Wales.
Since professionalism in 1996, Wales has played the Southern Hemisphere super-powers 31 times. Wales is the reigning Six Nations champions, but in that thirteen year period they have recorded just two victories against the Southern Hemisphere powers: against South Africa in 1999 (when Graham Henry was coach) and against the Wallabies in 2006 (when Scott Johnson was involved in the coaching staff).
Wales plays the Springboks at the start of the Southern Hemisphere invasion. The Springboks are coming off a stunning 53 – 8 massacre of the Wallabies.
They have an outstanding side, except for the five-eighth position, and a coach who seems to be rather unfocused. Earl Rose, a slight, flighty and occasionally brilliant player, and Rian Pienaar are being groomed to solve the five-eighths problem.
If this works, you’d have to fancy the Springboks going through their three Test tour undefeated.
This presumes that their long-time inability to win away from home has been resolved after their 2007 RWC victory and the win this year against the All Blacks at Dunedin.
The All Blacks have an incredibly hard tour involving (if one includes the Hong Kong Test) five Tests and a mid-week match against Munster in 28 days.
They start their Grand Slam quest against Scotland, a side they often have difficulty running over.
Scotland has not won a Test against New Zealand ever. But they are the masters of dirty tricks to unsettle opponents. Against the Wallabies a few years ago, they played on the narrowest field possible. Against the All Blacks in the 2007 RWC, they lied to the IRB about their jerseys and the All Blacks found themselves playing in an away kit that was virtually the same as Scotland’s.
And last year, too, they presented a forward pack that was incredibly bulked up. The recent accusation of illegal drug-taking by a Scottish forward has raised some eyebrows.
The Wallabies have, seemingly, the easiest opening match of the Southern Hemisphere invasion with a Test against Italy at Padova. I say seemingly because the last time the teams played, the Italian pack monstered the Wallabies and it was a close-run victory for the Australians.
After Hong Kong, I am not terribly confident about the quality of the Wallaby pack, especially the front row. Italy are coached by Nick Mallett, a sophisticated rugby thinker who took the Springboks to a record sequence of seventeen Test wins.
If the Wallabies can get enough ball and move it around using the width of the field, they should be able to record a strong victory.
If the Southern Hemisphere nations win their matches, I would not expect any praise from the British rugby establishment. There will be the usual accusations and recriminations.
If there are losses by the Southern Hemisphere teams, the boot will be put in about how airy-fairy Super 14 rugby is, how the Southern Hemisphere teams are chokers, and so on.
Unfortunately, the bleatings of the British rugby establishment are as predictable and as boring as the play of their major teams, with the exception of Wales.
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Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 3:39am | Report comment
“There will be the usual accusations of too much overtly brutal play, intimidation and of foul cheating tactics from the British rugby establishment after the Southern Hemisphere wins. ”
Would you care to clarify this Spiro? I don’t recall any of the home nations accusing NZ or Australia of foul play.
“This is hardly a ringing endorsement of the strength and virtues of the English approach to playing rugby.”
Utter nonsense. Moore’s conclusion depicts a nation that is in rugby transition and is coming out of four of the worst years in its entire history. Moore’s conclusion illustrates the general opinion of a nation that is developing a new style of play under a new RFU agreement. No more, no less.
“And last year, too, they presented a forward pack that was incredibly bulked up. The recent accusation of illegal drug-taking by a Scottish forward has raised some eyebrows.”
You are now making implications of substance abuse.
This boring tirade against the NH is beyond sad. Pathetic, weak, cliched journalism. This is the sort of material that creates geographical divide.
Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 4:04am | Report comment
1. If the Bledisloe series is so popular then why have so many Roar contributors noted that the 3N was too long and that they were becoming tired of the same, repetitive formula? I recall Justin Marshall echoing that very opinion.
2. What European coaches have ever coached in the S14 or the SH? Do you not think that has something to do with the tournament being a closed market? To automatically dismiss the coaching of the NH is both misinformed and arrogant. Further, a ‘journalist’ of your experience should actually be questioning why so many SH coaches prosper and develop in the NH and also why so many WANT to coach in the NH. The same applies to the players.
3. If the Springboks have such an outstanding side then why did they finish last in the 3N? That is their 6th wooden spoon since 2000 btw. It seems bizarre then that you would place so much blind faith in a team that also has an appalling away record. Ireland have beaten SA in their past two meets and SA have only once at Twickenham once in the whole decade. And yet you glibly suggest they’ll complete an unbeaten tour?
4. Scotland as masters of deception!? You noted that Wales had an improved record against the SH teams when associated with Henry and Johnson and yet you manage to somehow forget that it was Matt Williams who organised one half of the ‘dirty tricks’ you refer to – dirty tricks being playing on a narrow field and making the ABs wear a change strip… how utterly dastardly. This seems the sort of immaturity that you accused the NH teams of in your 2nd paragraph.
I bet you don’t even know half of the NH players who will be on display over the coming weeks and yet you seem happy to offer this vitriolic, spiteful diatribe. Congratulations Spiro and thanks for the insightful analysis.
Ian Noble said | November 5th 2008 @ 4:22am | Report comment
Spiro
Lets wait and see, because of so many unknowns the forthcoming series of internationals will be more interesting than before.
As for England, if Johnson’s selection against The Pacific Islanders is indicative of the style of play he will follow then English supporters are in for a roller coaster ride. The back line is very inexperienced at international level but with considerable potential. The PI’s are no pushover, the majority of their players play in the NH professional environment and their skills have been honed in tough competitions. Something which incidentially is barred to them in the SH. so much for supporting rugby in the Islands.
I read Stirling Mortlock’s views and he is anticipating a tough series and in many ways the Wallabies are in a similar position to England, new coach trying differenmt combinations, perhaps with an advantage of having played some test matches.
All the nations in the NH want to win but a reality check is needed particularly in England’s case as the main objective will be to build a squad to compete in the 6N’s. If you want bragging rights, so what, the game is flourishing in the UK, whereas in OZ and NZ it is going backwards.
By the way I heard that the drug issue related to a medication he was taking for asthma, perhaps the truth will come out eventually. As for bulking up I read that O’Connor had put on weight I wouldn’t imply anything else otherthan working hard in the gym, as the Scots players did.
Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 4:27am | Report comment
Don’t bother Ian. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. The worrying aspect is that SH fans read this tripe and believe it, whereas the reality is that the majority of NH fans are actually average, pleasant people. Perish the thought.
Ian Noble said | November 5th 2008 @ 5:13am | Report comment
Benjamin
Don’t get worked up by Spiro that is his job and he is good at it.
We know that a number of things are happening on the England front but they will take time. The Elite development programme is beginning to bear fruit and better levels of rewards both financially and in terms of sponsorship are making a professional rugby career to English players as attractive as jobs in the Main Street which was not the case 3/5 years ago.
Whereas before, the cash starved foreign players could earn a decent living compared to home, the salary levels were considered as being insufficient for many English players. The change is already happening with clubs being more choosy about foreign imports as the quality of English players at club level improves. The next stage is who can step up to international level. That is Johnson’s job to identify the international players of the future.
As for claiming bragging rights, it is all rather infantile, but it is only sticks and stones from the school playground and lessens the debate about a very interested series of matches, which I believe wuill have moe postives for the England team.
Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 5:23am | Report comment
Ian, the role of a journalist is to gather and disseminate information about current events, trends, issues, and people while striving for non-bias viewpoint (according to Wikipedia anyhow). All I can see is blatant and unecessary vitriol. There is no real debate and no analysis, so I ask you what is the point?
Anyhow, I agree, after four years of terrifying rugby there are grounds for optimism amongst English fans. I think a lot of people have forgotten how bad England were under Andy Robinson, and to an extent Ashton. If Johnson/Wells can organise the forwards and if Smith can invigorate the backline then there is a vast potential to be exploited. Allied to the RFU agreement, which although limited is nonethless a step in the right direction, there is justification for hope. I think there are similar positives in the Ireland set up also.
Colin N said | November 5th 2008 @ 7:05am | Report comment
I don’t know if Spiro means what he says or that he is just saying this stuff to provoke a reaction. I hope it’s the second option because it shows a lack of knowledge of Northern Hemisphere irugby if the first option is his intended target.
Ian’s right regarding Scott Macleod’s failed drug test, as he has asthma and didn’t put it down he had asthma, so it came up that his prescribed medication contained a banned substance. He was cleared on both instances, one being quite recent.
Looking forward to the AI’s, I reckon England will beat both Australia and South Africa. Really, you may as well discount Italy and Scotland and look at the scores between Wales, Ireland and England and the SH nations to asses where each team is.
Benjamin said | November 5th 2008 @ 7:16am | Report comment
Colin, I wasn’t aware MacLeod had been reprieved on the second occasion, although I was aware the first occasion centred on a change of asthma medication.
I agree about the results. I think England will beat SA and Australia. I’m looking forward to how France and Italy fare, especially Italy v Australia. The French backline selected for the Argentine game looks very, very good. I would have picked Wales to beat SA but I’m a bit bemused by the team Gatland has selected.
I think Hadden has missed a trick by pursuing his Hamilton-Hines supersize second row. With more lineouts, fewer scrums and no rolling maul I think it would have been more appropriate to have at least one lighter jumper: Murray or Kellock, perhaps.
Nick (KIA) said | November 5th 2008 @ 7:59am | Report comment
This is over the top Spiro. We don’t need a Southern Hemisphere S Jones.
I enjoy the Nov internationals as they provide a clash of “rugby cultures” – and the SH teams usually come out on top. I’d rather let the players (and the Roarers) do the talking than paying too much attention to these ‘beat up’ type articles designed to sell papers.
I’d like to pick up on this:
“The PI’s are no pushover, the majority of their players play in the NH professional environment and their skills have been honed in tough competitions. Something which incidentially is barred to them in the SH. so much for supporting rugby in the Islands.”
1) SH competitions (S14) aren’t barred to PI players (in NZ previously, and next year Aussies allowing non-Waller eligible players too). I’m unsure abotu SA.
2) I think NH presence is more to do with the amount of $$ available in the North.
Nick (KIA) said | November 5th 2008 @ 8:05am | Report comment
Actually, I just read what S Jones said about the weekend game here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/rugby_union/article5060840.ece
I actually think that was the most balanced piece I’ve seen by him in a while, and accurate. I agreed with all he said, except selection of Giteau as Man of the Match.