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Southern comfort Lads below the equator favored in World Cup semis
Posted: Tuesday October 26, 1999 11:24 AM
Geographically speaking, the world consists of a northern and a southern hemisphere. In the rugby union world it's different. You see the northern hemisphere hardly counts at all. But South of the equator? Now that's a different story altogether. Three of the four nations contesting the rugby World Cup semifinals are from the southern hemisphere. The fourth is the north's sole representative France, who had the easiest route to the last four. Had England, Scotland or Wales had the French draw, they would be in the semis instead. To phrase that another way, any team that avoided Australia, South Africa or New Zealand in the group and quarter final stages was in with a far better chance of making the semis than if they had to confront the might of the south. The north is playing host to the World Cup, but the southern visitors cared little for their hospitality and once again rudely reminded them of the gulf between the two rugby zones. And apparently it is growing. This is the first time in World Cup history only one northern hemisphere team has made it into the semis. No team from the north has ever won the Word Cup. But should we be surprised that South Africa dismissed England, Australia cast aside Wales and New Zealand dominated Scotland in the quarters? England coach Clive Woodward thinks so, saying there is no quality-gap between the two hemispheres. But in Woodward's 28 matches in charge, England have met Tri-Nations teams 13 times and won just one of them. They drew two others and lost 10. This hardly speaks volumes for their hemisphere considering England were considered the best northern bets to challenge for the World Cup. Wales coach Graham Henry is calling for a major overhaul in European rugby to prevent the gap widening, calling for the equivalent of the south's club event known as the Super 12. "There has to be a stronger bridge for players between club level and the international team, " said Henry. "The Super 12 has benefited the game enormously and their players have developed. Our players have to be exposed to a higher level of intensity, meaning and skill week-in, week-out." Scotland's new coach Ian McGeechan agrees, saying: "We have to look outside our own boundaries and create a level of competition which will allow us to move forward. ... We have to strengthen our competition." Fitness isn't the key, nor the size and power of the forwards, nor even the skill level. At least according to former England prop Jeff Probyn. He claims it is all to do with tactical know-how -- or lack of it. He suggested England were "out to lunch" tactically in losing to the Springboks. England center Jeremy Guscott, whose career ended during the tournament because of injury, remains optimistic about the future. "When we get over the disappointment and look at the state of our international game," said Guscott in his column in the British newspaper The Express, " we can look forward with increased optimism rather than pessimism. I am convinced England will be among the World Cup favorites in four years." Funny. That's what the same kind of optimists said four years ago.
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