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.
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.
Daire Thornton
Guest
Indeed the distances aren't the same. There are plenty of differences that have been touted as reasons for the differences between SH and NH rugby. Weather is a big difference. The NH sides play in winter when it tends to be harder to play expansive rugby week in week out. Maybe travel is a factor for SH sides. I know I wouldnt like to travel as much as they do.
piru
Guest
The Pro 12 is Italy, Ireland Scotland, Wales, the longest trip I'm guessing being Edinburgh to Rome? 2500 odd kms? So around 1000 kms less than the 3500 odd kms the Force fly to play their nearest Aussie rivals in Melbourne?
Daire Thornton
Guest
I reckon its more likely their moves are motivated by money.
Paul Cleland
Guest
That's fine DD but the All Blacks are still winning except for one hiccup in Chicago.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Poth Ale!, I have never been able to comprehend the World Cup as it is structured as the genuine deliverer of the ''best rugby team on the planet" because any old Team at all can win the World Cup, because of the imponderables such as the Draw, Refereeing, Weather, and a host of possibilities that may if everything falls their way lead to good old Georgia (as an example"} winning the World Cup, so I'd just like someone to tell me as to whether the World Cup structured as it is, should be the pinnacle of achievement of World Rugby! If seedings are correct, the only true way of deciding who the best team playing the game, is for the Number 1 Seed going right through the Tournament unbeaten which proves they were the Number 1 side prior and remains in the same position of No 1 after, ~ that's happened three times only and we all should know who that Team is. New Zealand have always gone into the World Cup as the Number 1 seeded team but have only won it three times, so theoretically every team apart from the All Blacks that have won the trophy has had the better side of the ''imponderables" as previously stated. For any Team to win the World Cup is an achievement in itself as it's the one Trophy that all teams strive toward, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're the best team out there! A good example would be last weekends game between the Aussies' and England, if the Aussies' had've won it would never have been because they were a better team because it's a ranked fact' that the Poms' are better than they! ~ Furthermore the World Cup should never be used as a Ranking scenario as like I pointed out, ''not necessarily the best team wins it".so because good old Georgia won it, would that mean they would go from "way down there on the ladder, to way up there to number one spot?" I don't think so!"
Daire Thornton
Guest
I'm sure the players all fly business or first class and have a bed most of the way. Part of being jet lagged is simply not having slept for 28 hours. I'm sure said players get more sleep than regular travellers. Jet lag can be terrible but with the right amount of rest, hydration, no booze nor caffeine it is manageable in reasonably short periods. I flew to Japan last year and was over it in one day.
Daire Thornton
Guest
The difference was 5 hours because day light savings time had happened in Ireland but not yet in the US that weekend. The difference between the two is usually 6 hours.
Daire Thornton
Guest
This isn't something that happened overnight. In the the last 4 games Ireland v all SANZAAR opposition: Ireland v Australia - 3 wins 1 loss Ireland v South Africa - 2 wins 2 losses Ireland v New Zealand - 1 win 3 losses Ireland v Argentina - 3 wins - 1 loss 9 - 7 overall. Ireland has been able to compete with the SH sides for some time now. Regarding travel since you made an example of Irish sides, Ireland teams compete in a multinational league the pro 12 so all Irish players have to travel abroad all the time. There was also a 3 test tour to SA this summer.
Coconut
Guest
That is utter nonsense... I've travelled regularly to Europe for work, and four times to London this year. I live in the Pacific. The jet lag is bad no matter which way you go. Takes me about 3 days to adjust (with use of sleeping pills), and again the other way when I get home. So, I call b.s on that theory bud.
Brendon
Guest
Well, Europe is where the euro and pounds are. There is no such thing as annual mid year internationals in the southern hemisphere like there is in the northern hemisphere with the end of year internationals. 1-2 European teams will tour the SH while the rest get time off. As Super Rugby has expanded and the tri-nations became the Rugby Championships so did the travel as you point out. But when we get to a RWC then all teams are equal. There were claims that NH teams had "narrowed the gap" leading into last year's RWC. Look at how that turned out.
Brendon
Guest
Remind me how many NH teams made the semis of the World Cup last year? Oh, but in a little over 12 months NH teams suddenly improved drastically? Thats a big improvement in a short amount of time. If that was athletics or swimming you'd say drugs were involved. Or maybe NH teams havent narrowed the gap.
Dan
Guest
That's funny. The majority only looked to the RWC as the true barometer of success. And no one bought the story "consistency" between RWC's was the true barometer of success. Why am I yawning at England's current success? Oh wait, wait, its because the All Blacks regularly achieve these string of victories. Yawn again.
Chinmay Hejmadi
Roar Guru
All good points. The NH plays far too many matches.
CUW
Guest
even if NZ traveled to Japan , i think it would not make a lot of a difference - as it is North South travel , rather than East West travel over many time-zones. what Nh lacks in travel maybe made up for by the number of matches the top teams (those in Euro / Heineken league) have to play. the easiest answer to the better performances of NH may be the influx of SH coaches , not just into the national teams but also into the clubs. also at least with argies and saffers , the poor coaching and strategies may be a reason for stagnation / downfall. the other , at least in France and England maybe the big money players can make by better performances. it was said each England player got GBP 22k for the FIJI match. it maybe peanuts compared to what footy players get paid BUT no wonder all want to be in the 23 :)
CUW
Guest
argie strategy is not sustainable. on the one hand they don't pick all their best players ; on the other hand they want to play expansive rugger , rather than managing the limited resources. a more pragmatic approach , like the one used by NZ would have got them one or two more wins. of course geting those very good players in Europe can also go a long way , when u consider for eg. their 2nd rovers barely touch 6' 5" and then two 6' 8" guys are in Europe.
CUW
Guest
yeah , if there was a test series like the one played out by the 7S teams , then one could find who is top of the pops. :) consistently playing each other is important to see who lags or leads.
Derm
Roar Guru
Jeez - excellent stuff. That's one the NH teams can drag out from now on every June We're jet-lagged lads - take it easy.
Stu
Roar Rookie
Jet-lag is a brutal horror and of course not the only factor being discussed here - no-one wants to be stuck in a plane for 24 hours, but jet-lag works dramatically differently for the two different directions of travel around the Earth's rotation (East-West or West-East). If flying from Australia TO the UK against the Earth's rotation, jet-lag is beaten entirely after just one night's sleep, and you acclimatise fully to the new time zone within 24-48 hours - so almost no jet-lag for AUS and NZ teams going there to UK. But flying FROM The UK to Australia/NZ, with the Earth's rotation, it takes at least 2 weeks to fully overcome the horror effects of jet-lag. It's a major drawback for NH teams when long distance travel and short prep/acclimatisation are enforced. Extremely difficult jet-lag for NH teams coming here, but almost non-existent jet-lag for Aus and NZ going there. Any traveller who's done those long-haul 24 hour flights knows the pain is completely different in both directions. Fwiw..
Davo
Guest
NZ are #1 but Ire beat them Ince and Fra ran them close. Eng has beaten us (AUS) 4 times in the trot. This time with a weakened side. SA are now very weak. We need to face it.Northern Hemisphere HAS closer the gap. They should/do rank 2nd and 3rd in world. We should show good grace. Accept it. Stop wingeing about fatigue and b*tching about refs...just makes us look like sore and delusional losers. The gaps is gone - apart from NZ...probably...just...and rugby is better for it. Show some respect
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
The argentineans didn't collapse in November. They played poorly all year.