Southern elite playing rugby - but not as we know it

RUGBY:THE SUPER 14 gave us the first clear signals of the new brand of rugby evolving south of the equator, whereas the second half of the domestic season in the Northern Hemisphere merely gave a few hints. But if the end-of-season tours down south were an eye-opener, the recently completed Tri-Nations over the last two and a bit months hammered it home. Averaging almost 55 points and six tries per game, this wasn't so much rugby from the other side of the planet as rugby from a different planet.

It helps, mind, when you have the crème de la crème of the world’s elite professional referees. If the likes of Alain Rolland (“the best referee in the world”, according to Graham Henry and, for all the grief amongst Wayne Barnes’ fan club across the water, who are we to argue?), Mark Lawrence, Craig Joubert, Nigel Owens, and yes, it has to be said, Barnes, were refereeing the Magners League every week, it too would almost seem like a different competition.

Not only super fit, they have applied the new interpretations regarding tacklers releasing ball carriers rigidly, ditto the hindmost foot/offside line and chasers not retreating at least 10 metres from where the ball lands from kicks by team-mates. For all the willingness of coaches and players to follow suit in the Magners League, Top 14, English Premiership and both Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup, if referees don’t do their best to do so then the players and coaches are stymied at source.

It helps too, of course, when you have the crème de la crème of the Southern Hemisphere game. Those of a more suspicious slant may interpret the law amendments – driven very much by the Southern Hemisphere – as having hugely increased the odds on the All Blacks reaching their Holy Grail.

Undoubtedly their players have the skills sets and coaching expertise to adapt to the new game. They have been the first to maximise the potential of doing everything at pace, of working back assiduously and exploring counter-attacking possibilities, whether from counter-attacks off opposition kicks or quick throws and quick taps.

They would now dominate a world XV, with previously, relatively unheralded players such as Mils Muliaina (whose finishing and work-rate on and off the ball are astonishing) and Ma’a Nonu surely now belatedly recognised as the best in their positions.

Wayne Smith and co take a bow, for adding to his leg-pumping dynamism and strength, Nonu has developed an array of passing and offloading skills which he didn’t have even two years ago.

As well as making sharper decisions about tackling low or smothering the ball, counter-rucking or filling a defensive line, every player has to be prepared to stand in at scrumhalf, first receiver or anywhere else in an attacking line. It helps too when every player from one to 15 can take and give a pass, or even break a defensive line with footwork such as Keven Mealamu’s or handling like Brad Thorn’s. Where John Hart, John Mitchell were run out of town for World Cup “failures”, Henry and co were given a second four-year cycle and interestingly, the word rotation has been removed from the All Blacks’ lexicon. You wonder how long more the phenomenal Thorn, Mealamu and their other veterans can keep going, and those of a more pessimistic bent in New Zealand will fear they may have peaked too soon again.

An ageing South Africa appear to have peaked two years too early, but no less than the over-reaction in the New Zealand media to the All Blacks’ losing three times to the Springboks in 2009 (two away, and one a thriller at home) the Boks were always unlikely to repeat those feats. Why? Because in the expanded nine-match itinerary, it was their turn to play two of three meetings with the All Blacks away from home.

The Boks were also obliged to play those two first up, followed by a trek to Australia, and have had to do without the incomparable Fourie du Preez for the entire tournament, as well as Heinrich Brussow, Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira, as well as being without Bakkies Botha and Juan Smith. In the circumstances, they unearthed some new talent, while Victor Matfield remained simply sensational.

This is not to jump to the defence of Pieter de Villiers, whose utterances (not least when absolving Schalk Burger of gouging Luke Fitzgerald on the Lions tour) ought often be a source of embarrassment to South African rugby. But even so Jake White’s blatant candidature to have De Villiers removed and replaced by his good self are a little unedifying.

It seems bizarre that when Australia beat the Boks 41-39 in that Bloemfontein thriller last Saturday week, either De Villiers or Robbie Deans’ neck was on the line. This is probably the toughest rugby competition in the world, out-stripping even the World Cup for six matches of such unremitting intensity and quality.

And how Declan Kidney must envy Deans for having his players exposed to those six games in succession every year? So it is Ireland will host the Boks and the All Blacks this November in their first four-match autumnal programme. But with less resources than Henry and De Villiers, the astute Deans is clearly building a team that will most likely be even better 12 months from now; an ominous thought given Ireland meet Australia at Eden Park exactly a year from next Friday.

In addition to unearthing props and improving their old Achilles’ heel in the scrums, Rocky Elsom has moodily and broodily but impressively stepped into the role of captain, Ben McCallam has emerged at number eight, Luke Burgess’ confidence has been restored and Quade Cooper has emerged as a gifted outhalf, giving them alternate playmakers in himself and Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell is a hell of a winger, and then the likes of Lachie Turner can step in for him from the cold, while James O’Connor keeps improving and Adam Ashley-Cooper has tightened up their midfield defence.

Admittedly Giteau looks a little put out, and his/their goalkicking is a problem. Their defence is far from watertight and can get out of shape more readily than the All Blacks’ – who play the numbers game extraordinary well – they offer chances to counter-ruck and their nerve has failed them in endgames.

But consider this. What odds would you give on Ireland, or any team from the Northern Hemisphere, going to the high veldt and scoring five tries and over 40 points to beat the Springboks?