It says something about the state of southern hemisphere rugby when a Rugby World Cup can be held in the heart of the northern hemisphere and not one team from the north progresses to the semi-finals.
Maybe it says something about the state of northern hemisphere rugby; this has been a World Cup of upsets, of trials and tribulations.
Yet despite all the results and outcomes that went unforeseen, one thing remains clearer than ever.
The southern hemisphere dominates rugby globally. It has done so for many years, and the expansion of the Rugby Championship to include Argentina has only grown the scope of rugby prowess in the southern half of the globe.
The Pumas are a product of the southern hemisphere system.
In the Rugby Championship they have, week in, week out, come up against the best teams in the world. And more often than not they have ended up with a loss.
In fact, in 21 Rugby Championship appearances, the Pumas have only recorded two victories. Once against the Springboks earlier this year and, perhaps far more relevantly, once against the Wallabies.
This highlights one very salient point – the Pumas can beat Australia in their upcoming semi-final.
I was wrong about Argentina. I said that Ireland would be too much for them in this quarter-final. But again, I think I was one of the many that underestimated the power of the Rugby Championship.
Argentina’s ability to keep getting up off their backs every single week throughout the tournament over the past four years is truly a testament to their character as a unit.
To keep fighting with flair and passion every year as they have done has earned them their well deserved place in the final four.
South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, and Australia, the four semi-finalists. The four best teams in the world.
So for all the upsets, for all the talk about how far the game has evolved globally, I think rugby as a sport still has a long way to go. To have four southern hemisphere teams in the semi-finals proves this point.
The difference between the hemispheres lies in a few simple areas of the game. The speed of the game that southern hemisphere teams appear to play at in comparison with their northern counterparts is astonishing.
The ability to play the game at high speed, being able to handle the ball at pace as well as hit each and every collision and breakdown with a touch more intensity is what has set the two hemispheres apart over the course of this World Cup.
The disparity between the hemispheres has become more abundantly clear than ever.
Despite what this might mean for the state of rugby, I don’t think I have ever seen a World Cup with this much talent or excitement.
Rugby is a capricious rollercoaster and we are all in for the ride of a lifetime.
BigAl
Guest
Didn't Scotland and Wales come pretty close to making the Final Four ?
CA3ZAR
Roar Pro
This only shows what benefits tier two nations if they have matches against tier one nations on a regular basis, instead of once every four years
lester
Guest
"If you don't love it Leave" It seems Reclaim Australia have started following Union then.
Nobrain
Guest
If you like so much the NH rugby and you are nt really happy with what you see in the RCH , pls think of realocating up there. I am very happy down here in terms of rugb.
hog
Guest
Nobrain, I am an Aussie.
Steve
Guest
I'm an Aussie and know that the national team obsession is stuffing the sport -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Nobrain
Guest
What I do not like is you are playing down the RWC because you are out of it, if you guys still in it you will talking otherwise.
hog
Guest
That's great Nobrain, as long as you are happy funding a code through the RCH. The 6 nations will be watched passionately by the people of those nations, last time i checked the TV ratings were pretty good.
Nobrain
Guest
Sorry Hog but I enjoy it every year in the RCH, do you really think that the 6 Nations will attract many viewers next year?
mace 22
Guest
your welcome. it's all very lovey dovey at the moment when it comes to the pumas . But with in couple of years when you have your first win against the All Blacks then you become the enemy.
Steve
Guest
Yay, the Southern Hemisphere has a bunch of bandwagon fans that follow the sport occasionally. Your country doesn't win a World Cup and crowds drop off at pro rugby games. What a horrible situation. I'll stick to riding the highs and lows of my clubs season and just take a passing glance if my national team has success. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
hog
Guest
He was pointing out the pitfalls of the one Team approach of the National set ups. The Wallabies may well win the World Cup, but it won't change the fact that the code is 4th in Aus, broke, stuck on pay TV and grassroots struggling to just exist, all primarily because the system is designed solely for the Wallabies. So it all depends on your definition of success, so yes enjoy the weekend as real rugby will be played and it may be another 4 years before you get to see it again.
Nobrain
Guest
Do as you please, The results are on the table. You do not have to be aggressive to challenge an opinion, but I understand that your anger. Pls entertain yourself during the weekend, real rugby will be played.
lester
Guest
"May be the NH realized that is time to have a truly global schedule and place priority in national teams rather than club rugby" What Garbage, it's not the NH clubs blocking any global schedule. A global season is impossible because the Unions, particularly Sanzar, insist on playing Internationals in large, distinct blocks from the rest of the rugby season. There are too many internationals to squeeze into the year and the NH Club season is already conceding massively to allow players to leave for months. Break the Test games, Tours and 6N/RC across the club season like Football with international breaks and you could potentially streamline the hemispheres. As for priorities, Europe rightfully prioritise club rugby because it is the best model for growth and maintaining interest across a season. Their national results may not be as good but they have far more interesting domestic competitions, the local communities are engaged each week and aren't on their knees for any coin from foreign pay tv deals.
Nobrain
Guest
May be the NH realized that is time to have a truly global schedule and place priority in national teams rather than club rugby. Argentina inclusion has really been the main factor for their improvement but that only is not good enough as the experience of Italy being included in the 6 nations did not have the same results. I think Argentina has used better the opportunity they was presented and is making the necessary changes in-house to deliver the rugby that we have been seen from them in this edition of RWC. Having the ABs in the RCH also helps, the place the stick so high that you must work hard to try to be in contention, that is not the case of NH where there is not a nation to follow or serve as a guide. Ireland took that leadership for two years but that leadership does not remain constant. NH clubs may hire the big guns from the south because their system requires quick results but doing so is not helping the the development of basic skills from the early stages in their rugby schools. France has become the first victim of such a behavior, so much that they have more foreigners in their national than ever before. Despite many efforts England is following the same path. In response to the constant migration of their best players the SH nations has responded by making their nationals their top priority and they managed to develop more player to cope with the constant drain. SA has been the weaker in keeping their players and NZ the strongest, and that shows on the field. Argentina will become a force , by implementing new eligibility rules for player to wear the Pumas shirt and the inclusion in the SR it will give them around 20 games a year for the Pumas to grease up their style before they get to Japan.
Dan Sedler
Roar Rookie
Hi everyone, Argie and Pumas fan. First of all I would like to thanks to AUS, SA & AB for let us to compite, improve and learn from the best. We wouldn´t be here if it wasn´t for you. I also want to add that our improvement wasn´t only due we play the RC. It took a lot of effort and most important becouse we KNEW we are NOT THAT GOOG ENOUGH and we were disposed to learn based on lose in every match becouse we new that was the right way. Now all are talking about the poor 6N and how the Pumas are playing just because we get to the SEMIS??, we´ve been there in 2007 and no one care, we always played with passion and had good games against the 6N teams and they didnt us to join into that competition because they weren´t disposed to let us to be better and SUDDENLY they have realised they were arrogant and they werent too good?? thanks again to SH teams.