New Zealand will end another stellar year as rugby’s undoubted No.1 team but the gap between northern and southern hemisphere nations has shrunk considerably after a month of unprecedented success for Europe.
Following the northern hemisphere’s humiliation at last year’s World Cup, when they failed to supply one semi-finalist in a tournament played in Britain, the southern nations have been hunted down and picked off with rare frequency in 2016.
The scoreboard between the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship reads 8-6 to the Europeans, with just England against Australia to come on Saturday.
That turnaround does not seem to be a flash in the pan either.
Ireland’s notable victory over New Zealand meant that they have beaten the southern Big Three in the same year for the first time.
England are seeking a fourth successive victory over the Wallabies while Italy and Wales secured historic wins over an ailing South Africa, and Argentina lost to Scotland, Wales and England.
The lesson from Ireland’s 40-29 win over the All Blacks in Chicago was the value of ambition. For 80 minutes New Zealand were harried into mistakes and they buckled under the pressure.
The All Blacks restored order two weeks later by beating up the Irish – some would say literally – in Dublin, but they are no longer the sport’s invincibles and last week France ran them close before going down 24-19 in Paris.
Of course, a clash with England would have rounded the year off nicely, but Twickenham will have to wait at least another year for that one.
More immediately, the 2017 Six Nations looks like being extra-competitive with Vern Cotter’s Scotland improving rapidly after two autumn wins, France gloriously unpredictable as ever and Italy buoyed by their greatest victory, over South Africa.
Fittingly, the two most impressive European performers this year – England and Ireland – meet in the tournament’s 15th and final match in what will be a thunderous atmosphere in Dublin.
Some observers believe rugby’s pecking order has been skewed by Argentina’s entry into the Rugby Championship, which has increased the competitive load on southern hemisphere teams and caused their performances to dip by the end of the year.
Although that did not stop southern teams peaking for the 2015 World Cup, which was played in October, Argentina certainly appear to be suffering from their entry into Super Rugby with their players spending half of 2016 on the move and many taking more than 50 long-haul flights.
South Africa have less of an excuse for poor form after a woeful year in which they lost eight Tests.
Allister Coetzee has the lowest winning record ever for a first-year Springbok coach at 33 per cent and may not survive the fallout from the promised review.
Even with a new man in place, however, it is difficult to see the lumbering and uninspired Boks bouncing back for a while.
Michael Cheika’s Wallabies also have work to do, having seen their grand slam hopes disappear in Dublin after squeezing past a Scotland side who find ever more improbable ways to lose to them.
Memories of their Twickenham demolition of England in the World Cup a year ago will no doubt lift Australia, as will the fighting talk of Eddie Jones.
The Wallabies will have the perfect opportunity to confirm their revival, although they must deny their compatriot and former coach Jones a perfect end to 2016 with England’s 13th successive victory.
Goatee
Guest
'Also the Northern guys never ever dominated the Southern boys from 2001/03 as you say, they got across the line in the World Cup by a drop goal.' The reminder was cruel and unecessary, Kirky... beating the AB's at home in 2002 and away in 2003 (with at one stage, 13 men on the pitch) in Wellington. Again, I say 'Shame on you'. 'England beat the All Blacks in a lead up game which I was at, and I can tell you they should never have won that game as they played rubbish, scored no tries against the All Blacks who scored three tries. Really? You just made that up didn't you? Tell us more about this particular game you 'were at' in 'the lead up' to RWC03...
Fern7119
Guest
Kirky, No thanks mate, once is enough, not sure it'll look too professional if I suddenly start laughing hysterically at work anyway. Cheerio.
CUW
Guest
i am surprised that Cheifs play a foreigner at 8. look at the 8s in super rugger. Luatua with Blues backup Ioane. Leitch with Chiefs backup maybe tom Sanders. Read with Crusaders backup maybe Pete Samu ( who is auzzy ). Squire with Highlanders backup Dixon or Luke whitelock. probably Shields with Hurricanes backup maybe Blade Thompson. it seems the coaching think tank have gone for this year with Squire and Dixon. who knows what will happen in 2017 ?
ClarkeG
Guest
Milner-Skudder takes Naholo's spot not Savea's.
ClarkeG
Guest
If I recall, 'Anyone' applied for the job when Henry was appointed, again when he was reappointed, and also again when Hansen was appointed. Unfortunately for 'Anyone' he missed out on each occasion. Too bad for him I guess.
ClarkeG
Guest
Not all criticism has been sensible however.
Daire Thornton
Guest
Steve Hansen and Graham Henry had extraordinarily average careers particularly in Europe before getting picked to be the ABs coach. If they can do it then pretty much anyone can. They are decent coaches but not on Schmidt's level. Schmidt has more business to attend to in Ireland these days than New Zealand so isn't going anywhere anytime soon, at least until his contract runs out in 2019. His son has epilepsy and is looked after very well in the school that he attends in Ranelagh. I think it would be a huge shift for Joe Schmidt to up and leave now.
Daire Thornton
Guest
The rugby championship they only turned it on for 5 minutes either side of half time and the last half hour of most matches. Was the same for the Ireland game in Chicago where they only played for 40 minutes. For the first time this year they got off to a quick start in Dublin with a sublime passage of play for the first three minutes of the match. If one thing is obvious over the November series its that New Zealanders simply cant take any criticism but even the most ardent New Zealand fan must surely acknowledge that the year they have been an 80 minute side. in the rugby championship they didnt need to be.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Fern! ~Check my post above mate as I can't be bothered to answer all you aggrieved individuals of the English variety, ~ But the Irish are a better side than yours, ~ and there's nothing I like more than putting something up and snagging a Pom or two and it worked!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
CUW, I didn't realise you were a Pom mate, and do us a favour get shed of that terrible terminology of calling our game "rugger" that Schoolboy term went out in Bill W. Ellis' era! ~ rugby it is!! One thing that we all have in this modern World, and that's ''freedom of speech'' which pretty much means you can please yourself what you do or say, and I as a rule stick to that theory knowing full well that if you go too far over the norm' it'll be censored out! So if you don't like my opinion, that's 'stiff bikkies' as I can, as I say pretty much ''please myself" and if you don't like my opinion that's your prerogative. You are correct when you say ''England are a good side'' but they're not a 'very' good side and I form the opinion that from what I've seen of all the games International that I've seen, and I've seen them all, ~ I never said they were a bad side, I used the term ordinary which they are as at this very moment they're almost 5 ranking points behind the Kiwis' and prior to the bad unwanted loss to Ireland they were 97 point 4 ranked and because of that 1 loss they gave up around 4 points, hardly fair, but I'm expecting them to get those points back, 'Correct me if I'm wrong' but your boys haven't moved in the Rankings have they? As far as ''only playing what's put in front of you" it's common sense, innit', but I think I'm correct when I say that New Zealand do not use any Third Tier International sides a la' Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the plethora of NH countries as any ''ranking points'' which means they don't count as 'true Tests' and therefore don't get counted! I know Aussie' does and you England guys do also, so that diminishes that argument doesn't it? England should be competitive till the next World Cup I'm sure even if you do have Jones as a failed Coach everywhere else bar England, but that's not your fault is it? I still hold the opinion having watched the NH teams all play, that the Ireland side is a better side all round than England, but the system of "International Rankings'' in rugby is an abomination and I've never ever been able to work it out because if you look at the top five or six ,you'll see teams that should in a logical way, ~ not even be there! At the end of it all, I'm not going to comment on this topic again, as it's flogged out and you're still going to say that ''your team is better than mine anyway"
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Surely you're having a lend of the Kiwis' mate! ~ Good gawd', the "Kiwis are only a 40 minutes side". where'd you borrow that one from? Jeez!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Schmidt has been in Ireland for a fair while now and I'm sure it won't be too long before he goes back home to New Zealand as he has important goings on in New Zealand that he needs to attend to regularly! I think Joe Schmidt will head back home to NZ, as soon as he can divest his dealings with the IRU whenever that may be. If he aspires to be in the mix for the All Black Coaching possie' after the next World Cup, he'll have to be operating in New Zealand to qualify as the NZRU dictates that the same rule applies with Coaches as it does with players, ~ that is, you must be playing or Coaching rugby in the Mother Country at the time of selection to any International post! I think that Joe would stand a good chance of securing the 'big job' of New Zealand rugby but there is a lot of very good Coaches that will be lining up for that very job who are just as qualified so it'll be very interesting when it comes about.
richard
Guest
So,on that basis,you would go with Squire?Cool.All I know is we need backups for both Read and Kaino.They are not getting younger. Not sure Read will last to the next RWC And I don't see Kaino going much longer,either. Also a good point about Ioane getting game time.Maybe he could look at another soup team.
CUW
Guest
he needs to play at 8 , a lot ! he is too upright in carrying, his lineout work is not that good and he tends to take breaks during play. if u notice REad , he rarely gets penalized for high tackles . also he rarely fails to stop a runner. Akira has both faults. maybe becoz he is young , he trys to dominate rather than meet the goal. he will learn over time that the idea is to play the ball. what he has is same as Squire speed and power. he is more of a Picamoles than a Parrisse. Read of-course has evolved over time. the way i see, Read had skills from a young age, where as Akira has athleticism. he needs a skill upgrade. the issue is he is at Blues and at Blues there is Luatua at 8 and Kaino at 6. that may hinder his development. many people think being an understudy will help u learn and improve. but i come from cricket school : no amount of net-sessions can help u get the experience u get in the middle.
RugbyLover
Guest
I think you are right. The AB record has a good chance of falling relatively soon if England keep playing like they are. Having said that the 6N is a long tournament and Ireland are playing well enough to beat them. Will be very interesting to see how it plays out.
RugbyLover
Guest
dont forget Milner-Scudder. in my opinion a far more exciting wing than Savea. Just a shoulder surgery to get over and watch out world.
Jeffrey
Guest
Agreed, Richard.
richard
Guest
You are wasting your time on this issue.What's the saying "there are none so blind as those who will not see." I,like you am a rabid AB fan - that seems to mean you can't critique them.Tedious and childish.
Jeffrey
Guest
Big ticket items? Our rivals in the RC are well below the standard of England, Ireland and France. I included Australia as well because their play during the RC was nowhere near where there are now The landscape has changed very quickly, and traditionally you measure how the Abs are going by gauging their progress against SA and Aus, not anymore. Ireal and and England are the new SA and Aus. This may change again down the track obviously but for now this is how it is.
RugbyLover
Guest
wow what are you basing that comment on? The way he poorly manages a winning team on-field? Man, you are a tough task master.