When one watches Schalk Burger charging down Daniel Carter just before he offloads the ball to Mills Muliaina, the adrenaline rush is there for all to see. It is like two bulls at work, tearing each other apart and leaving the grass to suffer the worst.

This is the way that the founding fathers of the game imagined it to be, except being played that way at Twickenham or the Stade de France. However this rugby is now the bread and butter of the southern climes and the prime exponents of these are the three giants involved in the Tri-Nations.

So supreme a level is that competition that, in the realms of force and pleasure, it ranks above the World Cup. It is a different breed and is almost a different game to the one played in the north.

The reality, stark and unbelievable, is that the northern teams just don’t play contact rugby any more. Their bread and butter has become the kick rugby that has been outrun – pun intended – by the power and pace of their southern counterparts.

The backlines in the north are flat. They do not offload the ball quick enough because they are waiting for a kick into touch. In contrast, the players in the southern hemisphere not only offload the ball much quicker but it is done with the recipient at full speed.

The game is played with absolutely no imagination in the north and the subtle bits that characterise the southern game make such a huge difference when it comes to games. And out with it is the passion. The southern sides fight for honour becomes the game there has not been influenced by the money and threats of strikes and the ilk. The stars there play for the badge before the money and when they are offered fat contracts it is based on performance.

And finally it is the outlook of the teams down south. From looking at the way the Super 14 was played you could see that the game was being led in a different direction and this was carried forth into the national team. In short, the clubs are given a national direction and they develop their players to that form. This form is always dynamic, meaning that changes will always be made to the game.

So the next time you fall asleep in front of a Six Nations match, don’t worry too much - a few months more and the Tri-Nations will be here. With some matches starting in the early hours, you'll need all the sleep you can get.