Kings of Inconsistency

As you slip down the rankings, it's not just the points and number of wins declining. The top ranked teams may change around in name and order but it's no surprise the names are familiar ones. These are the teams that are the most consistent in their performances. It's nigh on impossible to win all of your games so you have to strive to be as consistent as possible. Australia in recent times before this year were consistent in their ability to beat at least once a year which was a good way of maintaining their top ranking. They might well have lost their consistency this year but they managed to reclaim 3rd spot. SA have improved their autumn performances and NZ is stretched to the limit but they are still intimidating in their consistency.

Let us consider the remaining nations. Who is the most inconsistent? I think in recent times, England is the most consistent side out of the rest. For that reason they rose briefly to 3rd in the rankings. Then I think it's Wales based primarily on their 6N form. Beaten in Japan with a scratch side and incapable of getting that win against a SH side in a long span of years, they are still performing relatively consistently.
Then I think France, based purely on the fact that they haven't produced enough shock wins and though they have succumbed to shock defeats like Italy and Tonga, the fact that they are a step down from the top teams (whereas a few years back this was not the case) means they are more or less performing to expectation. The stereotype of which France is going to turn up is being replaced by one that is very much recognizable and predictable in its style of play.

Scotland and Argentina could be good cases for wild swings of consistency. Italy at home is not as daunting a prospect as away. Tonga and Samoa out of a World Cup tournament are capable of the odd upset here and there but generally lack cohesion as a team as they are all too often forced together with little preparation time. So I'll put it out there. The team with the highest or most swings in performance is Ireland. Look at NZ, Wales, Australia in 2011, England a couple years back as examples of the highs and Scotland, Italy, Australia this year as examples of lows and tell me where is the middle? If you had to put money on what kind of performance Ireland is going to put in next game, would you be willing to put a large amount on that performance? I'd be very confident of putting money on Argentina getting humped in SA in the opening game and coming back to make it closer in the following. But Ireland vs France first up in the 6N I think first up. Any takers for large bets on that result or performance? What is the issue for Ireland? Their tactics? Their mentality? This isn't a criticism of Ireland. I never saw any team including SA lay into NZ that way. Not even England last year. But Scotland this year was for me the low point (or Oz) but where do you put Ireland in between?

Which team for you is the most inconsistent and what do you attribute as the cause of such swings in performance?

Ireland. Squad depth probably and in the past an unsustainable over emphasis on physicality rather that tactics and creativity. Schmidt is addressing this problem though.

IN the SH , NZ are clearly the most consistent and Australia the least (except where Wales are concerned)  
Argentina are in decline after a fine first season in the RC but have been consistently on the rise with peaks at RWC.

Ignoring success in competition, perhaps the most consistent NH side is Italy, they have slowly improved to a level where they remain in the bottom 2 of the 6 Nations table year on year, targeting a win v Scotland and anything else is a bonus.

France, mercurial as ever, range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Spoon last year for the first time, they could bounce back and win a Slam this year. I don't think any other side, except perhaps Wales, is so inconsistent.

Wales, where do i start. Feast and famine, 6 Nations success suggests they are the best side in NH rugby but their inability to kick on means that being a fan is to be on a constant roller coaster, up and down both in 6 Nations and SH comp (okay, just down). For me, the least consistent side n Europe.

England are consistent. And that conceals a serious trend in not taking opportunities. England suffer from the same inconsistency in the 6 Nations as Wales do v SH sides. Usually 2nd or 3rd in the 6 Nations. They also take a SH scalp or two but can never cement themselves, which with their resources they should. But they are in a mess in the backs and i envisage more disappointment until they have a back line built around a strong centre partnership , a flat 10 and quick service.

Scotland are also consistent v NH. Poor basics, usually fighting for the spoon with Italy. Yet they have the heart to beat an SH side or two. Go figure.

Likewise Ireland, if ever a sides lack of predictability was encapsulated in one game it was v NZ….really are the 'can beat anyone on their day' side at the moment. You just don't know what mood they are in. Dangerous when chastened yet can also fold too easily.

For me the real kings are Wales, up on year down the next, kings of the NH and paupers in the SH.    

Argentina are very disappointing and that is reflected by their lack of infrastructure. You can't expect to compete in the RC without the backing of the sxv. I said before the tourney started they would struggle to win a match in the first 2-3 seasons and was scoffed at generally. 12 matches in with a single drawto show for it shows theyve dug themselves a big hole for next year again.

Oz and wales stand out as the two clear inconsistent performers. No middle of the road for these two. Its either highs of lows. Ireland reach neither even though they have some very good ' nearly'.

England are always threatening to win something so can be classed as solid and will put you away if you are off...the boks similar but more so. They're now where they should be...putting away all comers and closing in on NZ. They have work to do and still have their weaknesses but now they acknowledge them and are doing something about it.

Ireland were probably the most consistent European side under O'Sullivan. Hopefully Shmidt can bring that consistency back.

Whenever I saw the title, I just assumed you were talking about Ireland tbh.

Compare Ireland vs New Zealand to Ireland vs Australia, or in the 6N Wales vs Ireland to Italy vs Ireland.

Scratch wrote:
Wales, where do i start. Feast and famine, 6 Nations success suggests they are the best side in NH rugby but their inability to kick on means that being a fan is to be on a constant roller coaster, up and down both in 6 Nations and SH comp (okay, just down). For me, the least consistent side n Europe.

For me the real kings are Wales, up on year down the next, kings of the NH and paupers in the SH.    

Scratch,

I think in Europe we have been one of the more consistent of late, its outside of Europe where we struggle and you're right feast or famine all or nothing but hey that's the roller coaster that is Welsh rugby.

Scratch name a recent match where France have been sublime. A match not a Fofana try against England. It doesn't have to be 99 vs NZ fine and I don't class 2007 as sublime: more brutally effective. Against top opposition we just haven't seen the mercurial French side. French flair has been replaced well and truly.

Wales at least against SH opposition have been consistent in that the losses have been a handful of points each time. Their big win over England was more an anomaly than the losses against Australia.

Sublime : France v Aus
Nov 2012
33-6
Ridiculous: France lose to italy a mater of months later and win only 3 games in 2013

no real comparison between England and Aus as far as Wales are concerned. England hold no fear for Wales and Wales 'big win' was only big because it was a massive reversal of fortune over 80 minutes, in terms of results it was no anomaly, they are 9/10 in European comp since 2011 and 3/3 in their last 3 meetings with England.

France traditionally have been the most inconsistent. In the past few seasons its been Ireland.


I think Schmidt will sort out all the issues within the squad. A big part of the reason Ireland have been inconsistent was because of the hit and miss gameplan over the last number of years. There seemed to be too many chiefs and it ended up confusing the players. BOD even came out and said it.


Against Australia some of the pundits made a good point. They said Ireland came out and looked like they were overloaded with information and were thinking too hard on what to do instead of getting stuck in.

Consistency is the major issue when it comes to the Welsh national squad. The last 2-3 seasons in particular sum it up:

2011- A rather unsavoury 6N campaign despite notching up three wins followed by a dazzling World Cup, at least as far as performance goes if not results.
2012- Opening with an impressive GS, the game of note being the opener in Dublin, followed up by a truly disastrous summer and autumn.
2013- A similar pattern, an awful first half against Ireland being amended by another successful 6N (culminating in Wales' performance of the year vs England) only to be followed up by another poor summer tour (to Japan of all places) and autumn campaign.

Overall the patchiness still outweighs the class by a long way and until that changes Wales certainly cannot lay claim to occupying int'l rugby's top sphere. Hence the well-known saying "On our day..." for people who might be used to that expression but who may not fully grasp its significance and the frustration which underpins it.

Wales are very consistent, Knowsit, IMO. They do well against NH sides and bad against SH sides.

Notch wrote:Whenever I saw the title, I just assumed you were talking about Ireland tbh.

Compare Ireland vs New Zealand to Ireland vs Australia, or in the 6N Wales vs Ireland to Italy vs Ireland.

Compare the different halves of each game!