Kyran Bracken writes in City am …. Northern hemisphere rugby has a lot to worry about because on the basis of this World Cup the Six Nations appears to be a long way off the Rugby Championship.
The brilliant final between Australia and New Zealand wasn’t just settled by penalties or drop goals but also included five tries from two of the world’s best teams. It was a great way to cap off a fantastic tournament.
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But I think the northern hemisphere now has to do a lot of soul-searching to answer why no side made the semi-finals for the first time ever.
For me, it goes down right to the way teams in the southern hemisphere approach the game – the emphasis on tries, the emphasis on actually evading people not running over people. I think sometimes we see it as a war of attrition to try and batter your way over people but it’s proven that against a good defensive side that doesn’t work.
England were completely outplayed against Australia who play a completely different game to us and I think the whole northern hemisphere should look south and learn.
As far as the Red Rose is concerned, we seem to be lengthening the time it takes to realise that we were a shambles.
We’re conducting an investigation
run by the same people who appointed those currently under review – it’s a bit of a whitewash and it’s embarrassing. There has to be change, there’s absolutely no way they can continue with the current set up after such a losing streak – four years without winning a Six Nations and then not qualifying from the World Cup pool stages. But nothing will surprise me with the way England are dealing with the failure.
You need a head coach who’s got form, who’s done it before. Michael Cheika has worked wonders with Australia, but he’d had success wherever he’d gone before. He’s been able to come in and lay down the law to suit his side and get the likes of Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell – playing club rugby for Toulon in France – into his side and look how important both were in getting his side into the final.
We need real leaders now to step up and make a difference.
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England were completely outplayed against Australia who play a completely different game to us and I think the whole northern hemisphere should look south and learn.