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We keep reading the All Blacks are on track on 16 to break the world record for the most consecutive international rugby wins in history, which stands at 18 and held by Lithuania.
What? How absurd.
How can the 36th ranked side in the world hold such a prestige record?
But the facts are worse.
Lithuania between May 2006 and May 2010 won 20 on the trot.
And they played such rivetting opposition as Hungary (ranked 85) four times, Latvia (29) three times, two each against Andorra (62), Norway (93) and Austria (84) plus one each against Bulgaria (79), Switzerland (52). the Netherlands (47), Israel (56), Serbia (73), and Slovenia ranked 81.
The 20th success was against Armenia which has an international side, but is not a member of the IRB and therefore has no official ranking. Jot them down in the 80-plus.
By comparison the All Blacks’ 16 successive wins have been against three against the Wallabies (ranked 3), Ireland (7), and the Pumas (8), two against the Boks (2) and France (5), and one each against Tonga (12), Canada (13), and Japan ranked 16.
Lithuania’s standing is that company is an IRB embarrassment. Fix it.
Only top eight ranked countries should hold world records, despite who they play, as the only ones with a chance to win a Rugby World Cup – however slim.
Outside of the eight – none and Buckleys and are recored in a secondary category.
The same torch should be applied to Daisuke Ohata’s world record of tries.
Japan’s favourite son has touched down 69 times in 58 internationals to tip Wallaby David Campese’s 64 from 101 out of the top spot.
Just as absurd with Oharta playing against the same countries as Lithuania, most of them in the 50-plus rankings.
The top five are Oharta 69, Campese 64, Welshman Shane Williams 60 from 91, another from Japan Hirotoki Onozawa 51 from 74, and Englishmen Rory Underwood 50 from 91.
The list should show Campese, Williams, and Underwood as one-two-three with the two from Japan in the secondary category.
There are times when you really wonder what the IRB is thinking.