States of the Nation

planetrugby.co.uk have put together a 'State of the Nation' piece for a couple of countries so far post-RWC, so here ye go:

SOUTH AFRICA: "World Cup ambitions v results: Any World Cup that ends with the Webb Ellis cup not returning to South Africa will always be considered a failure in the Republic, irrespective of how well the Springboks played.

The Boks would have considered themselves somewhat lucky after sneaking past Wales but that hiccup was the catalyst for the defending champions to step it up a gear, and in their next three pool games they looked like they had found the form needed to compete for the crown.

Unfortunately this World Cup will be remember in SA for that fateful quarter-final against Australia. Conspiracy theories are now the order of the day with many disgruntled fans having their say, much to the embarrassment of those who did not let their emotions get the better of their judgment.

Granted, Bryce Lawrence didn't do the men in green any favours but the Boks' inability to convert their chances into tries in big games had been a problem that plagued them long before a single whistle was blown (or not blown for that matter) in Wellington.

As many an analyst has highlighted, the Boks ultimately paid the price for selections and tactics based on loyalty and stubbornness rather than the reality of the situation before them.

The changing of the guard: The Springbok team of 2012 - never mind 2015 - will be vastly different from the group that travelled to New Zealand. The coaching staff, captain and vice-captain, playmaking scrum-half, stalwart second row and key members of the front row have already packed their bags or are in the process of doing so.

The good news is that there are some world-class replacements ready to step into the breach, including Bismarck du Plessis for John Smit, Andries Bekker for Victor Matfield, Francois Hougaard for Fourie du Preez and "Beast" Mtawarira for Gurthrö Steenkamp.

Versatile Danie Rossouw and hard-hitting Bakkies Botha might be harder to replace however. The likes of Pat Lambie and Juan de Jongh also offer much to be optimistic about as other ageing members of the back-line begin to clear out.

Looking into the crystal ball: Unlike Peter de Villiers, whoever takes over the reins will not have the luxury of inheriting a team that could remain largely unchanged for four years. Rebuilding is the first priority and lot of hard decisions lie ahead.

As discussed above, the departure of core members of the squad will leave a few gaps, not least of all the captaincy, for which there is no clear candidate. Juan Smith and Jean de Villiers are possibilities from the current leadership group, but at the age of 30 neither will make it to the next World Cup. Chiliboy Ralepelle has long been groomed as a future leader but leaving Bismarck du Plessis on the bench any longer is unthinkable.

But before that bridge is crossed, a new coach must be appointed. Candidates are pulling out of the race faster than new ones can be speculated about. Nick Mallet, Rassie Erasmus, Heyneke Meyer and Jake White have all stated with are not available leaving former assistant Allister Coetzee as the most likely man to inherit to the hottest seat in the game.

If Eddie Jones is to be believed, then the new coach has already been appointed behind the scenes. We await the announcement in anticipation... "

By Ross Hastie

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FRANCE: "World Cup ambitions v results: The French campaign was a paradox from start to finish. Les Bleus arrived in New Zealand with the playing resources required to go all the way, but form that was more likely to see them go home early.

The trend for inconsistency continued as Marc Lièvremont's team produced both the best and the worst performances of any team at the tournament.

Those seven weeks in the New Zealand seemed to sum up the last four years as a series of battles between the coach and the press, then the coach and his players, and ultimately the players and the press made headlines almost daily.

Yet all that chaos, highlighted by the biggest upset in World Cup history (defeat to Tonga), almost ended in an even bigger shock at Eden Park on the last day. Most neutral observers believe France were the better team in the final, but few would claim that their overall tournament was worthy of taking 'Bill' back to Paris.

The changing of the guard: The Fédération Française de Rugby did Lièvremont a massive disservice by naming his successor, another former Bleu, Philippe Saint-André, before the team had even left for New Zealand. As a result, journalists with a score to settle were giving free rein to fire away while the players were given licence to ignore what they didn't want hear from their boss.

Despite being widely criticised for his constant chopping and changing, the outgoing coach must be given credit for taking the bold step of bringing the next generation on board early. Maxime Médard, Morgan Parra, François Trinh-Duc, Louis Picamoles, Fabien Barcella, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Maxime Mermoz and Thomas Domingo (who missed the RWC due to injury) were all given an opportunity as youngsters, meaning France will have a group of players with significant Test experience to carry the flame over the next four years.

A number of core squad members, like Lionel Nallet, Cedric Heymans and Damien Traille, will be moving on but there is no lack of player resources in le hexagon. From that perspective, the future looks bright.

Looking into the crystal ball: French flair is dead...long live French flair! Lièvremont started his era promising a return to that abstract notion of le jeu à la française. Unfortunately, rare were the occasions when we saw an all-out positive approach produce positive results and a much more restrictive game plan was the basis for the Grand Slam of 2010.

Those hoping for flash rugby under Saint-André are set to be disappointed. Nothing in his time at the helm at Toulon suggests that PSA will push for the national team to play an open, loose game which has come to be seen as a liability in the professional era. But old habits die hard, and as long as le jeu à la toulousaine continues to reap rewards and thus permeate through France's rugby culture, les Bleus will continue to surprise...and frustrate."

By Ross Hastie

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IRELAND: "World Cup ambitions v results: It has been written of Irish rugby that it is an almost permanent state of phantom pregnancy, a continued state of excitement at what is to come, followed by an anti-climactic realisation that all is merely normal again. It's tough to find any way different of looking at this World Cup.

Ireland came into the tournament on the back of some horrendous form, but eased their way into things with a rugged win over the USA and then turned the formbooks - and the tournament seedings - on their head with that win over Australia. A convincing dismantling of Russia and a thorough pasting of Italy backed it up, leading the world, as well as the Irish, to believe that this might be their time at last.

Alas, they may have peaked too early. Wales outlasted the Irish in the quarter-final, sending them home just too early for satisfaction once again.

But there lurks a suspicion that Ireland just did not evolve enough. They founded the wins over Australia and Italy on a muscular bed of physicality coupled with a vastly superior tackling technique known as 'the choke', involving one tackler keeping the runner upright while the other stripped him unceremoniously of the ball, honed to perfection by Les Kiss and Gert Smal. It did for Australia, not known for their predilection to combating such dark arts, it did for Italy, who had no idea of how to keep the ball out of contact. But it would not do for Wales. Ireland needed a little more there and didn't have it.

In hindsight, perhaps the most significant result in Ireland's pool stage was the failure to accrue a bonus point against the spirited but limited Americans. There may have been a hint there that the attack was a little dull, a little too narrow, a little too easy to read. It was forgotten in the euphoria of the win over the Wallabies, but the Welsh had taken heed. While Wales clinically took their chances, Ireland's only try came from a duff pass with a kind bounce.

The changing of the guard: The Irish teamsheet is going to be a hive of activity over the next couple of years. At some point even Declan Kidney is going to realise that BOD might be a little too old and battered, likewise Paul O'Connell and Donncha O'Callaghan, Ronan O'Gara, Denis Leamy, Geordan Murphy... the list goes on. Ireland had the oldest squad at this World Cup and now need a massive rebuild. The sooner it starts the better, for there is little in the back-up to suggest Ireland have the talent coming through.

Looking into the crystal ball: There are some building blocks. Sean O'Brien was one of the tournament's bright sparks and the front row was in sensational form against Australia. Connor Murray ought to be given as much time as he needs in the number nine jersey. Keith Earls surely has a wing spot nailed down for a long time to come. That's about it though. Age will be catching up - if not actually have caught up - with many other established names.

New faces, an upgrade in attacking tactics required... it's going to be an interesting time in the Emerald Isle over the next four years."


That's all for now, but I'll update as more come out

Denis Leamy is 29 is that really too old?

"Granted, Bryce Lawrence didn't do the men in green any favours but the Boks' inability to convert their chances into tries in big games had been a problem that plagued them long before a single whistle was blown (or not blown for that matter) in Wellington.

As many an analyst has highlighted, the Boks ultimately paid the price for selections and tactics based on loyalty and stubbornness rather than the reality of the situation before them. "


These comments are quite pathetic really. You are going to criticise a team for not taking their chances when they have beaten 13 defenders and had 1 clean line break, 17 offloads, with 141 runs, 203 passes and 488 meters ran? How much more would you like them to do? I actually have the answer to that, F....k the referee and take the law into your own hands. That is what we should have done more.

As for taking chances, australia used their "chance" by virtue of 3 infringements by one player at a ruck, scoring off SA ball when their defences were set up for running the ball.

We have been criticised for not playing rugby for as long as I can remember, and when we do we aren't taking our chances. WTF do they want us to do, not play rugby then we are boring, play rugby and then not taking our chances?

As far as the forward passes, anyone saying we weren't taking our chances are sniffing glue. We ran our backsides off, trying everything to score, but the ILLEGAL SLOWING DOWN OF OUR BALL permitted by Bryce Lawrence was our undoing.

Read the score 11-9.

Remove the 5 points for that illegally gotten try.

Add as mnay penalties as you want. This is the last time I say this, with 75% of territory we were royally F....d by Bruce.

you can disagree all you want, this is the way it is.

Did Ireland really have the oldest squad at the world cup?

I don't know why but I thought that would have been someone like Argentina, based on their front row I guess.

Well said biltong

Totally agree

dubh_linn wrote:Well said biltong

Totally agree

thanks for that.

Only 1 clean line break? Maybe that's the answer.

The irish one really does underline a lack of knowledge of whoever wrote it. Didnt bother reading the rest after that

I don't think Ireland had the oldest squad in the RWC? The average age was around 27 or just under.

The 'choke' tackle was not the sole, or even the main reason for defeating Australia and wasn't employed at all against Italy.

The IRFU have already made it clear that there will be no major changes or rebuilding until 2013 with most of the senior players and Kidney contracted until then.

Paul O'Connell is 31 and in the best form of his career and Murphy and Leamy (only 29) are bit part players anyway so I'm not sure that the list goes on as far as you are making out.

I think it´s going to be uncomfortable reading for every country except for NZ who won´t give a ... what they write about us. Winning and not only losing blinds you to the naked truth. Don´t worry. We´ve had our fair share of losses and know how France are feeling. Reading these comments isn´t going to start the healing process in any hurry.

One thing of interest is to come out of the French piece. It does seem to win the World Cup, defence has overtaken attack as the fundamental means of winning as defence implies less of a risk, even though you have to have a team that can defend.

Maybve 2015 may spring a surprise and people sit down and figure a way to unlock the rush, suffocating defence. It seemed to me GH didn´t really have a plan to beat the France of 2007 other than hold them out this time. Maybe in the future, there will be a more attacking formula because for some teams this suits them more. NZ have the luxury of being able to play both ways but I don´t think it will sit well if we now abandon the more attacking game (running game is a myth) for a more defensive oriented one.

I think defence has always been key to winning the world cup over offence unfortunatly. Aus in 99 England in 03 and the Boks in 07 all had the meanest defences in the tournament. Peronally I like the counter attacking rugby NZ employ, using McCaw to win turnovers they can switch from suffocating defence into attacking waves in an instant. Its that ability that has been the difference this world cup.

The importance of a top quality openside who you can almost guarentee will win you three turnovers in a match is key to this type of game. Its no suprise really that the teams who played with that destructive type of 7 prospered this world cup McCaw, Pocock, Warburton. Brussow does the same for the boks.

I think the only way to really counter that type of gameplan is to either master it yourself or pick a monster pack and a kicking ten. Force the opposition back into their 22 relying on forward pressure to tie in the loose forwards. Sadly England are probably the best at that type of game so 2015 could be depressing.

MBTGOG wrote:Only 1 clean line break? Maybe that's the answer.

Yeah, slow ball usually means organised defences. hence no linebreaks.

Where did that line break come from though biltong? was it from phased possesion or a turnover moved quickly away from the breakdown?

Wales

As we do after every major tournament, we take a look at the state of affairs in each of rugby's leading nations. Next up, Wales.



World Cup ambitions v results: It's the mark of a special team to be able to arrive home from a World Cup having lost three matches yet still feel like heroes.


But the Welsh were hailed the rugby world over during the tournament, playing a brand of rugby that mixed modern-game patience with a real 'go-get-'em' spirit. The team tied with winners New Zealand in terms of representation of our readers' choices in XV of the tournament (seven each), a testament to their popularity and new-found excellence.


What could have been though. Two gut-wrenching defeats to South Africa and France and then the loss of third place to Australia, with an accumulated margin total of five points, were all that stood between the Welsh and an easier ride through the next World Cup. Rarely have missed kicks proved so costly.


But the fourth place and the adulation of most rugby lovers who have been quick to adopt these Welshies as their 'second team' is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the good news goes for Warren Gatland. Reviewers should also look at the form of a loose forward trio with an average age of 21, a centre pairing only a couple of years older, a teenage wing sensation and a brace of excellent locks, all of whom look set to be around for the next four years at the very least. Moreover there is a captain who looks every bit as capable at 22 years old as Richie McCaw did when he was handed the armband at a similar age. Wales are in rude health.


The changing of the guard: Gatland will stay on - or at least his contract says he will - but he does have a few projects to work on over the next four years. Shaun Edwards' loss, if he does go as hinted, will be the biggest blow, while Rob Howley is another who looks set to shuffle himself off the stage.


Then there is the likely short-term re-emergence of one of Wales' traditional Achilles heels of the modern era: the lack of a world-class front row. While the rest of the team was scampering round with the exuberance of youth, the front row of Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Huw Bennett were all contemplating their likely last World Cup. Paul James did not have a good tournament and is also of a mature vintage.


Craig Mitchell, Lloyd Burns, Ryan Bevington and Ken Owens are all heirs apparents, with Bevington stepping up perfectly adequately when required during the tournament. For Jones and Jenkins especially, their role over the next four years will be a mentoring one.


The scrum-half departure of Mike Philips looks to be less potentially damaging, as both Tavis Knoyle and Lloyd Williams show a lot of promise. Likewise the evergreen Stephen Jones being succeeded by Rhys Priestland, undoubtedly the find of the tournament. Shane Williams will leave a massive void to fill, but there's never been a shortage of eager young speedsters in Wales in recent times - and lest anyone forget, Leigh Halfpenny fills that position reasonably well at times.


Looking into the crystal ball: Things look good in the valleys. But when the dust has settled, it may well be the message Gatland delivers in his report that will have the greatest effect. Gatland's greatest beef - beyond Jones and Jenkins - during his time in charge has been the limits on the time he has had to spend with the team. He has waged a near-permanent war with the regions about international preparation time, always saying he never had enough. It's not an unfamiliar gripe from NH international coaches.


Yet in a break from the NH norm, Gatland was the coach who delivered when finally afforded that time with the squad. He took a team that looked stale and uninspired in the Six Nations to within an ace of the World Cup Final. The WRU and regions can shower him with all the rewards they like, but you'd suspect the one great bonus Gatland might like in return for this excellent World Cup display is a little more leeway from the locals back in Wales. If he gets it and finds a kicker and front row, who knows how good this Welsh team might be in four years' time?


Looks like mystiroakey has already commented on it though

Tycroes, to be honest I can't tell you what they saw as a linebreak or a defender beaten. These figures I quoted is according to espn.scrum.com

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:
One thing of interest is to come out of the French piece. It does seem to win the World Cup, defence has overtaken attack as the fundamental means of winning as defence implies less of a risk, even though you have to have a team that can defend.

can only agree with that and on a similar idea that's why loose forwards / backrows dominated this worldcup. its probably down to importance of rucks. that could change of course if the rules or their interpretation change.

back to france, they relied only on the basics of forwards play (scrum, line out) and an organised and when bothered very effective defense as they just could just not come up with any creativity in their attacking phases and in one against one positions they were often losers (ie no player really capable of making the difference on its own).

credit to ML in bringing up some new players indeed. Am not particularly fond of PSA as well

My eyes. My eyes!

aslongas - can you post the Argentina piece in a colour we can read without going blind!

brennomac wrote:aslongas - can you post the Argentina piece in a colour we can read without going blind!

Spoilsport! OK, all done

Just google Planet Rugby it`s there word for word.

I can see. I can see!!!

Interesting reading the difference between the Wales summary and the Irish one - apparently Wales is all rosy with youngsters coming out of our ying yang, while the Irish are a bunch of pensioners with their bus pass about to be revoked. I think it's a little harsh and rose tinted myself. (Have to admit as in work only glanced at the others, especially the Oz one, that colour does make me squint)

biltongbek wrote:"Granted, Bryce Lawrence didn't do the men in green any favours but the Boks' inability to convert their chances into tries in big games had been a problem that plagued them long before a single whistle was blown (or not blown for that matter) in Wellington.

As many an analyst has highlighted, the Boks ultimately paid the price for selections and tactics based on loyalty and stubbornness rather than the reality of the situation before them. "


These comments are quite pathetic really. You are going to criticise a team for not taking their chances when they have beaten 13 defenders and had 1 clean line break, 17 offloads, with 141 runs, 203 passes and 488 meters ran? How much more would you like them to do? I actually have the answer to that, F....k the referee and take the law into your own hands. That is what we should have done more.

As for taking chances, australia used their "chance" by virtue of 3 infringements by one player at a ruck, scoring off SA ball when their defences were set up for running the ball.

We have been criticised for not playing rugby for as long as I can remember, and when we do we aren't taking our chances. WTF do they want us to do, not play rugby then we are boring, play rugby and then not taking our chances?

As far as the forward passes, anyone saying we weren't taking our chances are sniffing glue. We ran our backsides off, trying everything to score, but the ILLEGAL SLOWING DOWN OF OUR BALL permitted by Bryce Lawrence was our undoing.

Read the score 11-9.

Remove the 5 points for that illegally gotten try.

Add as mnay penalties as you want. This is the last time I say this, with 75% of territory we were royally F....d by Bruce.

you can disagree all you want, this is the way it is.

You were robbed mate. Got a lot of respect for the Aussies but i still can't believe the reffing of that game. Awful. In fact the whole tournament was reffed terribly.

And sorry, back on subject...

England have a lot to do. Nurturing players from talented youngster to international level must be a priority. We have huge numbers of young players who never kick on. I think there needs to be much greater central control.

Most of these reviews are just copies of the Planet Rugby site,so eventually there will be one on NZ which I will comment on.
The RWC is over,BUT it has been confirmed that the formula of DEFENCE FIRST.Wins the RWC,this one had very few surprises only really Tonga v France,and Australia v Ireland.
Refreeing was again a case of major controversy,BUT in at least TWO of the matches in volved in those.
The Basic fact was the team that took there scoring chances won,it is hypothetical that IF.More Penalties had been awarded the results would have been different.
France were as always an Enigma[YES I spelt it right]doing just enough to get thru and qualify.
The conspiracy theory goes like this,the IRB ,a NH dominated organization
has awarded the RWC to NZ.{despite what is thought to the contrary}
Briefed all the Refs. via Paddy O` Brien to have NO tolerance with certain rules.BUT that on NO account apply them to the NZ,that Australia v Ireland,SA v Australia,France v Wales ,France v NZ.were FIXED
That NZ is NOT a genuine winner,BECAUSE[ add in as many ephithets as you like].
They like other RWC winners will now go into terminal decline until 2015 when it will again be Englands TURN to hold it.

Alan, they all are, not just most - I only bothered to credit PR in the OP tho, sorry

For me, the below is a better piece on where my team is at.

Wallabies must improve in forward play if they are to take next step

Iain Payten

THE World Cup has come and gone, and as is the habit, Aussie rugby fans are already talking over the lessons learned for the next one.

Forget that.

The Wallabies have tougher tests far sooner than 2015, and unless improvements are made, they'll end up with exactly as much silverware as they did in New Zealand.

An expanded Tri Nations begins next year with Argentina joining the fold, and in 2013 a potentially outstanding British and Irish Lions squad will land on our shores.

Both will be armed with powerful forwards, and it will come as no surprise if they'll fancy themselves to roll the Wallabies through the pack. Much attention was been focused on the Wallabies' misfiring backs or their wobbly kicking game in the World Cup, but both were symptoms of a bigger problem: a struggling forward unit.

Bluntly, the Wallabies pack did not fire at the World Cup. To use the star power of the Wallabies back line, Australia need either a stable set-piece platform or lots of front-foot ball. In the big games, they got neither.

The Deans gameplan involves waves of rolling attack but it was effectively nobbled by an inability to win collisions and get quick, fast ball. The Wallabies' work at the breakdown was way off the pace, and if it wasn't for one-man band David Pocock, the Wallabies would have been home two weeks ago.

Physicality at the contact is a lingering problem but Australia weren't "accurate" - as the lingo goes - either.

Time and again Australia sent too few people into rucks and mauls and paid the price.

Watch rival teams and they have a cleaner almost attached to a ball-runner's back. The Wallabies tendency to run one-out led to frequent problems.

Ireland turned Wallaby ball over at will, and the luck of Heinrich Brussow going off injured can't be underestimated in the quarter-final.

The Wallabies had no response when New Zealand flooded rucks like charging rhinos, and even in the bronze playoff, Wales - minus Sam Warburton - picked off Australian ball at will.

Pocock was forced to do it alone. In a tournament dominated by burly backrowers, Rocky Elsom and Radike Samo were just not forceful enough.

Elsom was a world-class player only two years ago but the No. 6 wasn't in the same postcode as Jerome Kaino at this tournament.

Is there enough work done coaching the breakdown? Evidence would say there is not. If the Wallabies are any hope of countering a Lions backrow featuring the likes of Warburton, Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip, more time and effort must be ploughed into that crucial part of the game.

The scrum remains a problem. Talk Wallabies with any foreigner and while fearful of the gold attack, there is always a contented rider: "But your scrum is rubbish."

Much of it is perception but it can be hard to argue at times. Just when signs of improvement take Australian scrummaging off the radar, along comes a poor night and undoes all the good work. An unreliable scrum can put you under pressure in a dozen ways.

In an area no one really understands, referees have shown they'll reward the dominant scrum and the Wallabies haven't been that for many years. Jake White says Eddie Jones' scrum-factory idea of 2003 needs to be dusted off, saying on Kiwi TV: "I think the ARU needs to sit down and say: what do we need to do? O'Connor, Beale, Genia are great players but we need to find front rankers who are going to make these players be able to win a World Cup in four years time."

The Wallabies like props who are fit and mobile but maybe it's time to trade in the potential to sidestep someone in the 70th minute for a ox who can't be budged in scrums.

It is not panic time. Australia has all the talent both in playing and coaching ranks to be the equal of the All Blacks; they simply need to be harnessed.

[Sean O'Brien was one of the tournament's bright sparks

Do they think he and Ferris are one person? He was anonymous against Wales, Ferris is the best blind side in the World.

Glas a du wrote:

[Sean O'Brien was one of the tournament's bright sparks

Do they think he and Ferris are one person? He was anonymous against Wales, Ferris is the best blind side in the World.

He isnt...! Ferris is up there but not the best.

He was too short on game time going into this world cup

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NEW ZEALAND STATE OF PLAY