TAKEAWAYS FROM A THRILLING AUTUMN —
IT has been a fascinating month of international competition — laced with drama, controversy and some real quality — that gave us plenty to mull over with an eye on next year’s World Cup.
Especially for the southern hemisphere heavyweights. At the 2015 World Cup, the fact the semi-final slots were filled by the Rugby Championship ‘big four’ of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina sparked a spate of doommongering up north and debate as to whether the gap would ever close.
It has — much sooner than anyone anticipated and, even allowing for the end-of-year touring tiredness factor, this month hardened the sense the next World Cup will not be the southern hemisphere carve-up it was last time. NOVEMBER RANKINGS
1. IRELAND PLAYED 4, WON 4
(Ireland 54 Italy 7; Ireland 28 Argentina 17; Ireland 16 New Zealand 9; Ireland 57 USA 14) A SUPERB end to a glorious year for Joe Schmidt and his men. The victory over the All Blacks, and the comprehensive manner with which it was achieved, was undoubtedly the highlight but Ireland got something out of all four wins. Not least the further entrenchment of a winning culture and self-belied established by Schmidt over a run of 17 wins in 18 Tests stretching back to the loss in Wales last year. With the frontliners suiting up and a clutch of understudies impressing around them to keep the heat on, Irish rugby is buzzing and the rest of the world is taking notice. Schmidt may be gone this time next year but his determination to go out on a high bodes well for 2019.
2. WALES PLAYED 4, WON 4
(Wales 21 Scotland 10; Wales 9 Australia 6; Wales 74 Tonga 24; Wales 20 South Africa 11) AMID all the excitement over Ireland and debate over England’s ‘revival’ under Eddie Jones, Wales largely escaped the microscope. That is just the way Warren Gatland likes it (as Ireland know from the 2011 World Cup) and his team cruised confidently through the month, picking off Australia and South Africa to nail down their third-place world ranking. They didn’t play New Zealand but the way Wales are going, Gatland would fancy his chances.
3. ENGLAND PLAYED 4, WON 3, LOST 1
(England 12 South Africa 11; England 15 New Zealand 16; England 35 Japan 15; England 37 Australia 18) THE month began with sections of the English media claiming Eddie Jones was fighting for his job and ended with glowing praise for the controversial Australian and how England are World Cup contenders. Considering their injury issues, it was a good month for England with the likes of Sam Underhill, Mark Wilson and Henry Slade coming through strongly. However, with Jones at the helm, it is hard to judge how this progress will carry through – England’s trip to Dublin at the start of the Six Nations will tell a lot.
4. SOUTH AFRICA PLAYED 4, WON 2, LOST 2
(England 12 South Africa 11; France 26 South Africa 29; Scotland 20 South Africa 26; Wales 20 South Africa 11) THEY may have lost two of their four but, worryingly for prospective quarter-final opponents Ireland next year, there were definite signs of progress under Rassie Erasmus from the shambles he inherited. That keeps them ahead of New Zealand despite an inferior record.
5. NEW ZEALAND PLAYED 4, WON 3, LOST 1
(Japan 31 New Zealand 69; England 15 New Zealand 16; Ireland 16 New Zealand 9; Italy 3 New Zealand 66) THE aura of invincibility is slipping. South Africa started the process in Wellington, then England seriously rattled the All Blacks at Twickenham before Ireland handed out a startling lesson in Dublin. A month where vulnerabilities were exposed but there is time to address them before their three-in-a-row World Cup tilt.
6. SCOTLAND PLAYED 3, WON 1, LOST 2
(Wales 21 Scotland 10; Scotland 54 Fiji 17; Scotland 20 South Africa 26) NOT bad, but not great. The Gregor Townsend revolution is stuttering a little bit but, publicly at least, he will focus on the positives from the heavy win over a Fiji side that stunned France in Paris and a respectable run at the Springboks. However, Ireland’s World Cup pool opponents are still a way off Schmidt’s side.
7. FRANCE PLAYED 3, WON 1, LOST 2
(France 26 South Africa 29; France 28 Argentina 13; France 14 Fiji 21) AS talented and fragile as ever. France were sublime against South Africa at times but contrived to throw it away, were functional against Argentina and then appalling in losing to Fiji. They have the players but continue to lack consistency and decent coaching.
8. ITALY PLAYED 4, WON 1, LOST 3
(Ireland 54 Italy 7; Italy 28 Georgia 17; Italy 7 Australia 26; Italy 3 New Zealand 66) WOULD be ranked even lower were it not for the win over Georgia – vital in terms of justifying their Six Nations place. Conor O’Shea has pleaded for patience but Italy need to show something tangible in the Six Nations or that patience will run out quickly.
9. AUSTRALIA PLAYED 3, WON 1, LOST 2
(Wales 9 Australia 6; Italy 7 Australia 26; England 37 Australia 18) A SORRY mess, with off-pitch scandal, on-pitch impotence and post-match moans all mixed in. Michael Cheika needs to find a front five worthy of the name to have any chance of turning it around — if he is there to turn it around.
10. ARGENTINA PLAYED 3, LOST 3
(Ireland 28 Argentina 17; France 28 Argentina 13; Scotland 14 Argentina 9) AN awful month for Argentina who arrived in Europe buzzing on the back of a decent Rugby Championship showing under the iconic Mario Ledesma. The most-travelled team in world rugby never got going and looked utterly jaded.