Henry overlooks Wales in World Cup reckoning
GRAHAM Henry has ignored Wales as potential challengers for the 2019 World Cup and stressed South Africa and Australia are improving ahead of Test matches in Cardiff next month, writes Delme Parfitt.
Former Wales and Lions coach Henry, who masterminded New Zealand’s lifting the 2011 World Cup, also said the All Blacks continuing to dominate union would be boring.
Wales face the back-to-back world champions, Australia, Georgia and South Africa next month with Gatland back at the coaching helm following a successful sabbatical with the Lions.
Henry praised the improvement of the new-look Springboks, who were pipped by New Zealand last weekend in a sizzling Test, and Australia during a Rugby Championship which nevertheless saw the Kiwis emerge unbeaten.
“South Africa may have played the better game, but got beat by a point. I don’t think the gap is too big, which is great,” Henry told the media in Dubai, where he was a guest at the Emirates Airline Rugby Long Lunch.
And he stressed: “It’s what rugby needs. It doesn’t need one team that’s unbeatable, because that’s boring.
“The World Cup is two years away and I was pleased to see Australia and South Africa improve a little in this Rugby Championship series.
“It was pleasing because Australia and South Africa have fallen away pretty poorly in recent times. Their last two games against the All Blacks have been great contests with superb rugby.
“It’s obvious the culture of the South Africa and Australian teams are becoming stronger and I think that’s good for rugby.”
Henry doesn’t believe it’s a given the All Blacks, who were held to a drawn series by the Gatland-coached British and Irish Lions before the Rugby Championship, will become the first country to win three World Cups in a row when the 2019 tournament takes place in Japan.
“Going into the next World Cup, for sure I think teams can stop them. England are on a bit of a roll and have lost just one game since Eddie Jones took charge,” he pointed out.
“The All Blacks will be favourites I would imagine, along with England, Ireland, Australia, South Africa ... the usual enemies will all be out there!”
Joe Schmidt’s Ireland ended New Zealand’s Tier One world record winning streak last autumn to make it a hat-trick over the southern hemisphere big three in 2016, also accounting for the Springboks and Wallabies.
Wales haven’t beaten the All Blacks since 1953 and have only disposed of Australia twice, in 2005 and 2008, in 27 fixtures since defeating them to finish third at the inaugural World Cup of 1987. But they have won two of their last three meetings with South Africa to break the psychological stranglehold the Springboks held over them.
However, Wales haven’t triumphed in the opening match of an autumn series since accounting for Romania 40-3 in 2002 and were blown away 32-8 by an explosive Australia on Bonfire Night last year.
They again kick off their campaign against a dangerous Wallaby team that drew twice with South Africa and did the double over Argentina after losing a thriller with New Zealand in Dunedin 35-29.
Henry says rugby has changed “immensely” in the six years since he was last a head coach with Steve Hansen’s All Blacks being the initiators.
“They’re inventive,” said Henry, before explaining: “They didn’t score a try from their own ball initially against South Africa.
“They scored from two turnovers and an intercept, whereas South Africa had to build their tries.
“Their ability to take advantage of opportunities is probably their X-factor. And once they see the opportunity, they execute it.”
Henry said that was the step fifthplaced Six Nations finishers Wales, who had a blunt attack last season and only scored 20 tries in 11 internationals, and the rest of the world must take if they are to challenge the All Blacks for supremacy.
And his assessment will be tested by Gatland’s charges against Australia on November 11, Georgia a week later, New Zealand on November 25 and South Africa on December 2.