Laureus at the Rugby World Cup: Sport helps to heal a nation
It might just be that the biggest surprise of the Rugby World Cup so far is in how the ‘tier two’ teams have stood up to the more celebrated opponents.
As Sean Fitzpatrick said in his Laureus blog on Sunday, the gulf between the minnows of the rugby world and the top teams is shortening.
Two results from the past few days really show this in action, simply because the same fixtures have been played before in preceding World Cups.
24 October 2003 New Zealand 91 – 7 Tonga
9 September 2011 New Zealand 41 – 10 Tonga
18 September 2007 Scotland 42 – 0 Romania
10 September 2011 Scotland 34 – 24 Romania
Anyone who watched the France vs Japan match will know that the score line of 47 – 21 to France clearly flattered Les Bleus, particularly when you remember that the French only led Japan by 28 – 21 with 9 minutes to go.
And Ireland’s win over the USA further shows this improvement. The Irish team, whose players compete week in and week out in the harshest elements, couldn’t seem to use this pro experience to their benefit and only managed a 22 – 10 win over a semi-professional Eagles outfit.
And as the first matches in Round 2 come to a conclusion, once again the lower tier countries are punching above their weight. Georgia lost to Scotland by just 9 points (15-6).
For this, thanks can be given to the IRB for the funding and development model they have initiated.
The IRB have recently released £18.6 million of funding over three years for tier two nations: Canada, the USA, Japan, Romania, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, in addition to the £10-12 million it normally gives out in grants. This programme is designed to increase the competitiveness of international rugby union and if this World Cup is anything to go by, it is money well spent.
When did the average rugby pundit last consider a group that consisted of South Africa, Wales, Fiji and Samoa and Namibia the group of death?
Long may it continue!
Novak Djokovic has single-handedly placed his name alongside the greats of modern tennis by adding a remarkable third Grand Slam title in a single year to his winning record. And, having been twice nominated for a Laureus Award, could this be the victory that sets him up for further glory at next year’s ceremony?
After a remarkable year, Djokovic has put himself in a strong position for the next Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award
With his US Open triumph, Djokovic, who became world No 1 earlier this season, has become only the sixth man in the open era to win three of the four majors in a single year.
And, following Djokovic’s US Open victory, Laureus Academy Member John McEnroe, who won two Grand Slams in a single year at Wimbledon and the US Open in 1984, said: “Wimbledon was where he separated himself and took himself to a whole new level. Djokovic is having the greatest year in the history of our sport.”
Djokovic’s remarkable 41-0 winning streak from this year was only one short of McEnroe’s own record set in 1984.
Last year, Djokovic’s US Open final opponent, Rafa Nadal, won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award having won three of the four Grand Slams. Having done just the same, do you think there is anyone other than Novak who has had a better year in their particular sport?
Let Laureus know your suggestions in the box below or get in touch on Twitter @LaureusSport.
By Laureus Academy Member and legendary All Blacks captain SEAN FITZPATRICK
By Laureus World Sports Academy Member and manager of 1995 South African World Cup winning team MORNÉ DU PLESSIS
Laureus at the Rugby World Cup: Sport helps to heal a nation as New Zealand kick off tournament against Tonga
Laureus Academy Member Sean Fitzpatrick writes for the Laureus blog following New Zealand’s opening World Cup game win against Tonga…
A 41-10 win for the All Blacks against Tonga was a good start. I had felt before the game a victory by around 30 points would be just about right in an opening match.
The All Blacks have really been building up to this for four long years since they lost to France in Cardiff in the last World Cup – and you could sense just what it meant to the country to be off and running at last.
The atmosphere in the stadium was amazing and outside it as well. It was ‘blackout day’ in New Zealand with everyone wearing black. In Auckland they staged ‘party central’ down on the waterfront for people who couldn’t get into the match. They expected around 12,000 and over 50,000 turned up.
The country has really become a rugby stadium of four million people all desperate for the All Blacks to do well.
It has been a difficult time for New Zealand trying to get over the Christchurch earthquake and the Pike River mining disaster and having the Rugby World Cup here has helped. Another example of the healing power of sport.
I was a bit surprised that Tonga were not more physical. I certainly expected them to be, but perhaps they were a bit overawed by the occasion and the opposition. The All Blacks are also a big side and they can mix it if necessary. The rival hakas were performed in a gentlemanly way and that tone seemed to continue through the match.
I guess critics may say the All Blacks were not so dominant for periods of the second half which led up to the Tonga try, but overall I don’t think they have too many concerns. By then the match had been won and the All Blacks went on to score again themselves later.
The big plus for me was the form of three guys who weren’t even certain to play. I thought coach Graham Henry was very shrewd in playing Israel Dagg, Richard Kahui and Sonny Bill Williams. They are not automatic first-choicers, but they had the chance in this match to show what they could do.
I think their performances showed that they all need to be on the field somewhere in the matches to come. If not in the starting 15, then certainly in the 22. Sonny Bill Williams particularly can be a match-changer, coming on to make an explosive impact.
It may give Graham Henry difficult selection choices, but it’s a nice problem to have. Dagg especially looked good at full-back, but if you were playing the World Cup final tomorrow, I would still go with Mils Miliaina in the starting line-up.
I think Graham and captain Richie McCaw will be pleased with this start and also pleased to be leaving Auckland and going to Hamilton, out of the spotlight, for the next match against Japan – and then, of course, to prepare for the big match against France on September 24 which they must win to top their pool.
Looking ahead there are some crucial games this weekend. Tomorrow England, whose form has been unpredictable, need to start well against Argentina, who can always produced a surprise. And on Sunday the defending champions South Africa play Wales.
South Africa have started looking more like their old selves after beating the All Blacks in the Tri-Nations. They need to keep that going, but I rather fancy Wales to have a good World Cup. We will find out a lot more about both teams on Sunday!
