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It’s hard to decide which rugby governing body out of the Six Nations Committee and SANZAAR has the most egg on their faces.
In 2000 the Five Nations Committee decided to invite Italy into the fold to join England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and France.
Dumb call.
The Italians only make up the numbers to drastically lower the overall standard of the northern hemisphere’s elite tournament.
Not only are the Italians the most penalised country in world rugby, but by far the worst performers by the length of the straight.
Check out these stats.
Played – 90 games,
Won – 12
Lost – 77.
Drawn – 1.
Points for – 1289.
Points against – 2993.
Difference – minus 1604.
Wooden spoons:
Italy – 13.
Scotland – 4.
Wales and France – 1.
England and Ireland have avoided the embarrassment.
By any standards, those are disgraceful numbers for the Italians, with precious little chance of any improvement.
Even worse, the Italians don’t give a continental.
Down south, SANZAAR keeps shooting itself in the foot.
Whatever possessed them to add the Sunwolves from Japan and Argentina’s Jaguares to the Super Rugby format, defies description.
To compound the mistake, South Africa was given an extra side, taking them to six, while the stronger countries New Zealand and Australia remained on five apiece.
SANZAAR explained their decision as promoting and expanding rugby to new areas.
Antone who believed that crap should see a head shrink immediately, if not sooner.
That split 18 teams into four groups, but after two seasons of such stupidity and extra travel, SANZAAR is about to cull three of them.
South Africa’s set to lose two with the Cheetahs and Kings the prime suspects, and Australia to lose one – either the Force, or the Rebels.
For starters, the Sunwolves and Jaguares should never have been admitted.
In two seasons so far, the Sunwolves are the Italians of Super Rugby.
Played – 21.
Won – 2.
Lost – 18.
Drawn – 1.
Points for – 459.
Points against – 749.
Difference – minus 290.
The Jaguares have fared better, but still not good enough to be there:
Played – 21.
Won – 8.
Lost 13.
Points for – 552.
Points against – 539
Diff – plus 3.
The sensible decision would be for SANZAAR to admit to major mistakes and dump the Sunwolves, Jaguares, and the Southern Kings to go back to 15 teams by a different, and far more realistic, route.
There are two problems with the obvious.
Firstly, SANZAAR is a bloody-minded dictatorial governing body that will never admit, under any circumstances, to being wrong.
And secondly, South Africa has far too much say in SANZAAR, and it’s hard to comprehend why New Zealand and Australia haven’t taken stronger action against them.
So which governing body is the worst?
I’ll give that ‘honour’ to SANZAAR.
The Five Nations Committee made only one mistake by inviting Italy into the fold, while SANZAAR has made three glaring errors, and are about to make three more.