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The real reason for the closing rugby gap

Ron Lucock new author
Roar Rookie
2nd December, 2016
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The key numbers in the Lions tour of New Zealand. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Ron Lucock new author
Roar Rookie
2nd December, 2016
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2945 Reads

Much has been made in Europe of the so-called closing of the gap between the northern and southern hemisphere rugby teams – but there’s more to this story than the Europeans would have us believe.

A review of the travelling schedules strongly suggests there is no narrowing of the gap – rather, there is a fatigue factor hampering the southern squads.

Using Ireland and New Zealand, two of the better performing teams, as examples, consider the difference in travel from February 2016:

Up to and including June Ireland had only two Six Nations games away – one each in London and Paris. The team spent a total of five hours in the air, including two time zone changes.

In June the team travelled to South Africa, a total trip of 14 hours and 30 minutes and two time zone changes. Irish players then had a two-month lay-off until Pro12 started on 2 September.

In October and November Ireland travelled to Chicago and back, a return journey of 15 hours and 40 minutes across 14 time zones. In this two-month period they played three top-tier tests, an average of one test every 19 days. Their final two tests were played at home.

Compare this with the All Blacks.

In the same two-month period they played tests in Buenos Aires, Johannesburg, Chicago, Rome, Dublin and Paris, racking up 71 hours 21 minutes in the air – plus multiple stopovers worth at least another 20 hours – across 38 time zones to play an average of one test match every nine and a half days.

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In the lead up to all of this, from February to July, New Zealand SuperRugby teams travelled to Buenos Aires, Japan, South Africa and Australia –this is multiple times the travelling done by the Irish club sides in their local competition, in which a two-hour place trip to Italy is the maximum.

Further, players from the Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders endured additional airtime to assemble in Auckland for All Blacks duties.

November 2016 marked the 10th straight month of rugby for the much-travelled New Zealand sides. For Ireland it was only their third.

Faced with such a travel burden in 2016 it is not surprising the All Blacks were not at their best for the autumn tour. What was outstanding, though, was the way they came out for the second half of each of these matches still up for the fight.

Finally, as an aside, Ireland of all teams should know about fatigue – think the third test in Hamilton on 23 June 2012. The All Blacks dominated Ireland 60–0.

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