If this is the first article in the series you have read, then I suggest checking on the first two before proceeding!
You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.
A whole week spent in a wardrobe. Should have scraped the mushrooms growing off the top of the peaches prior to consuming. At least it was a COVID week gone quick, although it’s hard to explain to the distraught family and missing persons that I had been on a rugby tour in Narnia!
But let’s put front row centaurs aside and turn to the subject matter at hand.
The professional years: 2011-2019
Crouch, touch, pause, engage. It could be the phases of rugby fandom. Just when you are feeling disillusioned and disconnected from rugby along comes the World Cup with all its glory and drama to ‘engage’ and drag you back in.
If the rugby didn’t entertain you, then the sideline attractions of (standard) French player mutiny – ‘dwarfgate’, ‘harbourgate’ and any other ‘gate’ – did. We also saw a return to the winners circle of a more pragmatic New Zealand and a first-time hosting in a non-Tier 1 location, Japan. A truly electric event that, random red card mania aside, breathed some much-needed life back into the sport.
Winners
New Zealand: 2011, 2015
South Africa: 2019
| Country | Total score | Appearances | Aggregate | Avg place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 5 | 3 | 1.7 | Final |
| South Africa | 12 | 3 | 4.0 | Quarter-finals |
| Australia | 13 | 3 | 4.3 | Quarter-finals |
| Wales | 16 | 3 | 5.3 | Quarter-finals |
| France | 18 | 3 | 6.0 | Quarter-finals |
| Ireland | 24 | 3 | 8.0 | Quarter-finals |
| England | 26 | 3 | 8.7 | Pool |
| Argentina | 28 | 3 | 9.3 | Pool |
| Scotland | 40 | 3 | 13.3 | Pool |
| Japan | 44 | 3 | 14.7 | Pool |
| Fiji | 48 | 3 | 16.0 | Pool |
| Italy | 48 | 3 | 16.0 | Pool |
| Samoa | 48 | 3 | 16.0 | Pool |
| Tonga | 48 | 3 | 16.0 | Pool |
| Georgia | 48 | 3 | 16.0 | Pool |
| Romania | 36 | 2 | 18.0 | Pool |
| Canada | 56 | 3 | 18.7 | Pool |
| Namibia | 56 | 3 | 18.7 | Pool |
| United States | 56 | 3 | 18.7 | Pool |
| Uruguay | 40 | 2 | 20.0 | Last |
| Russia | 40 | 2 | 20.0 | Last |
New Zealand with two titles are head and shoulders above the crowd. The darkness after a lengthy period of introspection, team rotations, strategy and selection errors and they finally shake the monkey off with a nervy win at home against old nemesis France. They then doubled down four years later in a far more dominant fashion before being unexpectedly usurped by England in the 2019 quarters.
The points gap between first and second shows just how dominant New Zealand have been. It also demonstrates how inconsistent the rest of the pack have been. South Africa (first, third, quarter-finals) and Australia (second, third, quarter-finals) are the front of the peloton that also includes Wales and France.
The big surprise is the ascension of Wales to be the leading light from the northern hemisphere – though perhaps it’s not such a surprise when it also coincides with the Warren Gatland coaching era and its numerous Six Nations titles and short stop at the top of the global rankings.
Risers and fallers
| Country | Semi-pro to pro |
|---|---|
| Ireland | 5.33 |
| Wales | 5.33 |
| Japan | 4.00 |
| New Zealand | 3.33 |
| Tonga | 1.33 |
| Namibia | 1.33 |
| Italy | 1.33 |
| United States | 0.00 |
| South Africa | 0.00 |
| Samoa | 0.00 |
| Argentina | -0.33 |
| Australia | -0.67 |
| Canada | -1.33 |
| Romania | -2.00 |
| Fiji | -2.67 |
| France | -2.67 |
| Uruguay | -4.00 |
| England | -5.00 |
| Scotland | -5.33 |
While Ireland shows a large improvement, its significance is less impressive for a country that has reached the pinnacle of the world rankings but has still not managed to advance past the quarter-finals. They were hammered by Wales in 2011, Argentina (again) in 2015 and New Zealand in 2019.
The big winners are really Wales and Japan. The Welsh made the semi-finals twice and were a Warburton red card away from a final in 2015. Never to forget a favour, France paid it back in 2019. Such gentlemen.
As for Japan, an incredible first visit to the quarters at their home event, topping the pool by beating Scotland and Six Nations champions Ireland along the way. Further icing on their Brighton cake!
On the other side of the northern hemisphere coin, abject performances at their home event and quarter-finals exit in 2011 see England fall hard. Scotland’s diminishing returns at each event are also laid bare.
(AP/Peter Morrison)
North versus south
The overall gap pretty much remains constant between both sides of the globe.
| All | Total score | Appearances | Aggregate | Avg place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | 364 | 29 | 12.6 | Pool |
| South | 298 | 26 | 11.5 | Pool |
In the Tier 1 nations, the north remain fairly consistent due to fall of England and rise of Wales. The South gain 0.8 points due to the improvement of Argentina.
| Tier 1 | Total score | Appearances | Aggregate | Avg place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | 172 | 18 | 9.6 | Pool |
| South | 58 | 12 | 4.8 | Quarter-finals |
Across the Tier 2 nations the south slides back due to the ongoing struggles of Samoa and the fall of Fiji. They’re still good enough, however, to overcome the gallant charge of Russia and Georgia.
| Tier 2 | Total score | Appearances | Aggregate | Avg place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | 192 | 11 | 17.5 | Pool |
| South | 240 | 14 | 17.1 | Pool |
That rounds out the professional era.
Best performing nation
Those beached as long white cloud wizards, the magnificent multifaceted Sir Richie McCaw-led All Blacks.
Most improved
The triple Six Nations champions Wales.
Hemisphere of champions
Yawn – southern hemisphere again across all tiers.
Best fans
Has to be the Japanese with their adoption and turnout for visiting teams.
In the final part of the series I’ll look at the overall leader board, the trends across all events and crown the best team of the world cups.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
All so very true.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
I would say the biggest difference is the spelling on the engraving actually mate!
RiggySmalls
Roar Rookie
Your AB's were caught with their pants down... Agreed, NZ was the better team during that opening match with the Boks. But go a bit further into the Cup, and how teams developed their play during the Cup, and you will come to the conclusion that NZ simply weren't good enough. Have a look at some really great analysis by Wibble Rugby (England v NZ) and Squidge Rugby (South Africa throughout the Cup) on Youtube and you will see that tactically, these teams were one step ahead...and well prepared for NZ come finals. It's always hard to see your team lose (even harder if you, much like most of the world, expected them to win), but chipper up and be a good sport mate...NZ will bounce back and we have some really good rugby to look forward to.
oomtas
Roar Rookie
Well BIB The RWC is the pinnacle of world rugby . As is the Olympic games . The Olympic champion is the one who gets it right on the night. SA built and built into this RWC . NZ were showing signs of weakness in the preceding 2 years, losing to Ireland, SA and drawing with the BIL. Now if you talk about refereeing in that one BIL test we can speak of Jouberts paltry effort in the RWC final v France in NZ . Not to do mention Bryce Lawrence's contribution to NZ in the SA v AUS match . At the end of the day , even if you scrape in to the Olympic final and win the 1500m free from lane 8 you are the champion .Take that away from Perkins will you . NZ beat SA in the opener but in the final that S.A. side would have put the ABs to the sword . The NZ team which turned up at RWC 2019 was a team in decline . And that is why they never made the final.
It doesn’t phase me, if it does you then get over it, nothing is going to change mate.
BackInBlack
Guest
3 luckiest World Cup winners in history = 1. 2019 (SAF) - DAYLIGHT - 2. 2007 (SAF) 3. 1999 (AUS) Two out of three sounds pretty lucky to me CVV. Tell me I’m wrong
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Fantastic delusional comment........upsets and fortune.....is that not what life itself always throws up ?
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
BinB, you saying the Boks were not worthy winners in 2019 ? AB’s slaughtered in semis by England, and then Boks ended the final all over England. Good thing AB’s did not have to face the Boks in the final, IMO.
Your obsession with devaluing the credibility of the 2019 win by SA at every article is achieving nothing, it simply shows your bitterness. Try to get past it, and go on with your life. There is more in this world to live for than perpetuating hate.
BackInBlack
Guest
Watch the opening group match between the Springboks and All Blacks. The highest level of rugby South Africa were able to play in the tournament was this in this game and the All Blacks not only handled but crushed them with terrifying ease. As for the final it was obvious England emptied the whole tank in the SF against the All Blacks and showed up a spent Force. To add insult to injury, the French side were looking fantastic in their QF against Wales only to be red carded out of the contest. South Africa were winners only because they were dined out on an unbelievable sequence of upsets and fortune. I’m sick or explaining the obvious and the proof will be in the massacre next time they meet ????
Phil
Guest
So,apart from your obvious bias,BIB,can you please explain why the 2019 winners were not worthy?Your mighty All Blacks were demolished by England who then got demolished by SA,so does that mean the AB's were also the best in 2019? Taking another look(albeit a highlights package)at the 2015 final,if only for a bit of Dan Carter magic,you may well have been runners up there to my woeful Wallabies!
Rusty
Roar Guru
BackInBronze You don't have to be the best team - you just need to be the best at winning the 3 games that matter. Qtrs, Semi and Finals. Thats the beauty of the knockout format As for the 2019 champions - for such a poor team, its amazing that they are the only (non Lions) side to get results against the ABs in NZ since the French in '09. Unless of course, you are saying that the ABs are not a quality side either?
Rusty
Roar Guru
ISO got you down and grumpy?
Still pouting and as entertaining as ever :silly:
Clyde
Guest
What’s the point of this hodgepodge summary magic numbers. The only thing that counts is Gold Medals, Silver Medals and Bronze medals. So it is for all World Cups 1. NZ 2. SA 3. Aus 4. England 5. France Daylight 6. Wales The rest is meaningless noise unless you actually believe these fake numbers.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Sorry, I might have been asleep, did France win the 2015 RWC? Bugger all this time I’ve been dreaming.
BackInBlack
Guest
France only won best Eye-Gougers of the tournament (Rougerie MOTM in the final)
Kane
Roar Guru
France lost two pools games but were deserving winners :laughing:
Android-angler Cartman-brah
Roar Rookie
Best deserving 2011 winners France. I see you still cannot get over our Boks win hey.
BackInBlack
Guest
Q) What is the difference between the 2011/2015 winners and the 2019 winners ?? A) The 2011-15 winners were worthy world champions and the best (even in just in the top 3) team in the comp