Slim pickings from across the ditch
WYNNE GRAY IS A FORMER SENIOR RUGBY WRITER AT THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD.
If that meeting was convened, the selectors would have to find a place for David Campese, Tim Horan, George Gregan and John Eales who showed an ability to mix it and dominate their roles throughout their lengthy careers.’
HONOURS BOARDS FOR Super Rugby and World Cups have a number of engravings from Australian sides and the Wallabies since rugby endorsed the move to professionalism.
In a tick over two decades the Wallabies have claimed the 1999 World Cup title, been runner-up twice and also finished third, while the Brumbies, twice, the Reds and Waratahs have captured Super Rugby crowns.
The Brumbies have lost three finals and the Waratahs have suffered that same fate twice.
By any measure that’s a fair clump of success in a country where rugby has always trailed Australian rules, rugby league and soccer in methods used to measure the spectator, playing and commercial popularity of winter sport.
Administrators brought significant clout to the global discussion tables where they were admired for their insights and vision.
When Super Rugby began life in 1996, the All Blacks and New Zealand rugby was in another boom period.
That test group had many whose ability would compare comfortably with the skilled players who wear the national uniform these days.
The Wallabies weren’t too shabby either. They were stitched up in Wellington where they were spooked by dreadful conditions and strange instructions from coach Greg Smith then taken to pieces by an extraordinary display from the All Blacks, but they gave a much better display in the return test in Brisbane before losing 32-25.
This was an All Black side who created subsequent history in South Africa then went through the next season undefeated with a roll call of golden talent from captain Sean Fitzpatrick in the front row through to Christian Cullen at fullback.
Many from that side always figure in discussions about the best to have worn black. The quality was astonishing and for those who dismiss that as a foggy reminiscence, look through the team who played the Wallabies in the Athletic Park sludge – Christian Cullen, Jeff Wilson, Frank Bunce, Jonah Lomu, Walter Little, Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Zinzan Brooke, Josh Kronfeld, Michael Jones, Robin Brooke, Ian Jones, Olo Brown, Sean Fitzpatrick, Craig Dowd.
That’s some collection of talent who built on the style they showed at the 1995 World Cup and brought a hardcore edge of constructive foundations topped by inventive and daring interplay between backs and forwards.
The Wallabies, like every other team in the world, were up against it but they had some exceptional players who would make it into a combined trans-Tasman side.
If that meeting was convened, the selectors would have to find a place for David Campese, Tim Horan, George Gregan and John Eales who showed an ability to mix it and dominate their roles throughout their lengthy careers.
Flick forward to the results of Super Rugby sides and the work of the Wallabies since they were beaten by the All Blacks in the conclusion of the 2015 tournament.
The ARU has struggled to grasp the multi-layered needs of their sport and that slide has manifested itself in the sagging standard of players and Super Rugby results.
Patchy development and selection programmes, coaching, administrative and financial issues, players leaving for overseas deals leaving a lack of depth to sustain five Super Rugby sides – the picture seems to get murkier by the week.
Arrange another trans-Tasman selection meeting to pick a combined side and it would be one-way noise.
The only murmur would be an inquiry about the indefatigable flanker Michael Hooper and perhaps loosehead prop Scott Sio but they would be token offerings in a discussion which would quickly become a chat about the best All Black XV.
There are a handful of more complete openside flankers in New Zealand and enough props to knock back any Aussie notions.
It is a delightful subject for proud and playful New Zealanders to take into a social environment but for Sanzaar and rugby authorities across the ditch, the landscape is becoming more and more fraught.
As New Zealand holds their standards, there is a drop in quality across Australia, which combined with a time difference and dwindling interest about South Africa spells future problems.
Indifference multiplies when results are predictable and that is a growing byproduct of the dominance New Zealand sides have shown against their Australian neighbours in the last few seasons.
Seeing one of those teams rewarded with an automatic finals berth because of their nationality rather than ability puts another dent in the tournament credibility.