England ‘more of a threat than Boks’

The burning question in local rugby circles as to why the Springboks have fallen so far behind the All Blacks is one that simply won’t go away.

While the Springbok management have raved how Argentina have become a world force, the All Blacks have simply kicked on and for them it was business as usual as they annihilated Australia last week.

The All Blacks seem to have run out of competition, irrespective of how many listening devices one plants in their team room.

And while the Boks are labelling their battles as a work in progress, the All Blacks have lost legends in captain Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith but they seem to be even more ruthless.

It has gone that far that somebody like former All Black coach Laurie Mains recently stated that England have overtaken the Boks as New Zealand’s closest rivals and that the Boks have lost their aura as one of world rugby’s powerhouses. Mains also mentioned the transformation issues facing South African rugby.

The secret probably lies in the fact that All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has been in charge for four years but he was involved for eight years previously with former All Black coach Graham Henry and the continuity in their coaching system and national contract system have been crucial to their recipe for glory.

The All Blacks haven’t lost at home in 41 Tests and the last time they were beaten at home goes back to 2008 and 2009 when the Boks won there and also when they lost to France. That’s seven years they have been unbeaten at home, which is simply incredible.

Another stressful time is on the cards in Salta tomorrow night, no doubt.