Olde England has many comparisons to the current All Black vintage. Clive Woodward and Martin Johnson geared years towards receiving ultimate glory.  Results were most important.  The year of the last World Cup, England sent full strength and in-form squads to New Zealand and Australia.  Woodward stated that the goal was to win in enemy territory and send a message to their strongest competitors.  This message was sent. 

After defeating a Wallabies team that played far above its weight in the 2003  World Cup Final, England reflected in their glory and were honoured by the Queen.  The nucleus of the squad set off for calmer pastures in retirement. England thought incorrectly that they had done what they needed for ultimate world domination. 

This bubble was burst immediately, as a weak English side was hammered by both the All Blacks and the Wallabies. They have not challenged for the Six Nations since last winning it in 2003.  Jonny Wilkinson has missed over 30 games. Woodward, by now Sir Clive,  tried to recapture that winning feeling as head of the British Lions, but at that point, the All Blacks were clear on laying their own mission statements - much like the English had years earlier. 

'England thought incorrectly that they had done what they needed for ultimate world domination'


The resulting four years have been the worst  World Championship defence in modern sport.  England have been woeful, yes, woeful considering that they are current world champs.

Australia revelled in their performance. They had hosted the greatest World Cup ever.  They had not played magnificent rugby leading up to 2003 - yet almost won a third title. The ARU coffers were bulging with some reports estimating that the Wallaby pockets held a near $20million surplus.

Since then, both coach and the ARU head have been replaced - neither in the most diplomatic manner.  The national team has suffered with its identity and playing style.  They had a disastrous 2005, starting a near three-year losing sequence against arch-rivals New Zealand. They have introduced almost no new stars, with the Australian back line man for man the same fielded in 2003.  In the provincial ranks they still seem to suffer, with the Australian Super 14 teams playing inconsistently (well, did any threaten the title?) and precious few players bar Kurtley Beale coming up through the thin playing ranks.  There is now talk that millions are unaccounted for from the ARU, and continued brawling in the corridors of power.

What has happened to the smaller unmentioned nations of world rugby?

People continue to remark that these minnows playing are a waste of time. Why? Do we want the game to only be contested by at best 10 to 15 nations?  Les Bleus, Wallabies, Springboks and the mighty All Blacks.  These are marquee names, flagship teams.  They only get to play like talents, where not only the game, but the pocket is lucrative. New Zealand and Australia may well play a game in Asia next year "to grow the game internationally".  But they won't play an Asian team.

Without the World Cup, these tiny nations will never get a chance to play the world's premier guns. The All Blacks to tour Portugal or USA?  It's never going to happen, but at least this tournament shows that developing nations develop better with exposure to the world's best. I have watched Georgia, Namibia and USA all acquit themselves with pride. Sure, I'd prefer to watch the bigger nations.  But I would otherwise never get to see such a nation play our great game.

Let's enjoy it, just like these teams of amatuers/semi-professionals do. It's a simple equation, watch them more, and then they get paid fully to play.  Then they will be full professionals, and eventually the game will be global.

Argentina, obviously with their result over France, are global players - now ranked fourth in the world. Yet they are continually snubbed by the big-nation partnerships.  SANZAR recognised that South America was a soccer nation, and that the effort to incorporate the Pumas into the Tri Nations would not yield the return that the venture would cost.  Over the last four years, Argentina have not had the game time their playing ability demands.  Why are the IRB squandering this great playing team?  Make Argentina the last frontier, and have more top teams tour there, and televise accordingly.

New Zealand are passionate supporters of the All Blacks, and of the game. Over $20 million was given to the country's rugby communities to continue the growth of the game at grassroots level, and their new Air New Zealand Cup competition seems to be thriving.  By being the Tiger Woods and Roger Federer of world rugby, they unwittingly grow the game like no other nation. 

They have their major provincial championship broadcast worldwide, and New Zealanders haunt the ranks of all world rugby.  They were the major catalysts in the Pacific Cup - where a Junior All Blacks team plays the Pacific Islands teams - which in turn grows their rugby.  Australia, who also have a representative team in this competition, were initially reluctant to do this.

But win or lose this World Cup, what happens to the All Blacks? Lose and New Zealand will be depressed. Ultimately, it will mean another team pulling off another once-in-a-hundred years performance to beat them.  Another nation will be crowned world champions, but the game will jolt worldwide as the shock of the All Blacks losing dominates the news.

Win, and all the rotating and the reconditioning will be justified. Graham Henry and this team will be anointed world champions, and probably rightfully crowned best rugby team of all time.  There will then be four years where they will look to defend their title with pride, despite the fact that the 2008 All Blacks will be a very different looking team. They will embrace the fact that they will host the next Cup as defending champions at home.

But above all, their game will continue to grow. The All Blacks have become a special team in the last four years, and the world has loved this.

The Tri Nations, the Six Nations and Argentina - 10 countries that carry the weight of world rugby, while the IRB recognises over 100 playing nations around the world.  Let the game continue and let's get some basic ideas and innovation introduced, and in future World Cups we will see 20 nations capable of winning.

Do you think the All Blacks might be just a little bit worried about the form of the Springboks in France? Post a comment below or submit an article to Sportingo.