The Rugby World Cup

Someone will win the rugby World Cup. That team will have the right to call themselves the best team in the world. Yes, they will have the right to call themselves that.

Right now I don't see a best team in the world. New Zealand have been dominant for some time, but their margin of victory is falling and more often than not they win ugly. I think the tournament is a season too late for them, and even if they do win would they be the actual best team in the world? And for how long? Rebuilding is the most likely unavoidable truth.

South Africa have lost their menace, another of the former Southern Hemisphere greats who just fail to instil fear anymore - rebuilding and with political,selection issues to breach. No, even if they were to win not the best team in the world.

Australia? Well if they won it would be because for some reason there were no scrums in the final because one of their typically sly tactics had pulled r wool over an official and stopped penalising them all the time. Someben if they call themselves the best, not a,complete team.

As I see it the only team who might win and be considered the best team in the world would be Ireland, who really have all around completeness and not ego and discipline issues like England do - tuilagi, strettle and hartley already out because other things were more important.

To be fair to Strettle he partly dropped out because what's the point of having a winger in the squad who wouldn't be available for England after the world cup. It allowed Rokodiguini an opportunity to be in the RWC.

As for Ireland being all round - I wouldn't say that at all. I think they are a very predictable team - difficult to beat but don't have the all round ability to beat a side like NZ. Also they are heavily reliant on players like O Connell and Sexton staying fit.

If they go through the RWC without key players breaking down they could go far but that's a big if.

I would say that England have the most potential of the NH sides because of the strength in depth and have a squad with the potential to play more than one style.

England do have discipline issues but if they can cut out the silly errors and be more clinical they could be very dangerous.

As for the big three SH sides - cannot write them off.

France are France - who knows what they'll do - wouldn't surprise me if they beat Ireland - just because it's France.....

Wales - good XV but could struggle if injuries rack up.

Yeah sure Ireland can win it. They just need to avoid NZ (a team which they've never beaten) and show more consistency in case they come up against France, England or Wales at some point; they aren't exactly dominating these teams in recent years. If they can't get a clean sweep in the 6 Nations, I doubt they could go on to win the RWC.

The best team in the world will be NZ no matter what.

Not sure if OP has his tongue in his cheek but writing off SANZAR like that is a bit odd. I don't think there are any clear favourites except maybe England (at home).

No 7&1/2 wrote:The best team in the world will be NZ no matter what.

Not if cult icon Wayne Barnes has anything to say about it .

Wayne Barnes has superpower eyes that close when important things happen and really sensitive ears that can hear when crowd noise increases by many decibels

PrichardThatcher wrote:Someone will win the rugby World Cup. That team will have the right to call themselves the best team in the world. Yes, they will have the right to call themselves that.

Right now I don't see a best team in the world.  New Zealand have been dominant for some time, but their margin of victory is falling and more often than not they win ugly. I think the tournament is a season too late for them, and even if they do win would they be the actual best team in the world? And for how long? Rebuilding is the most likely unavoidable truth.

South Africa have lost their menace, another of the former Southern Hemisphere greats who just fail to instil fear anymore - rebuilding and with political,selection issues to breach. No, even if they were to win not the best team in the world.

Australia? Well if they won it would be because for some reason there were no scrums in the final because one of their typically sly tactics had pulled r wool over an official and stopped penalising them all the time. Someben if they call themselves the best, not a,complete team.

As I see it the only team who might win and be considered the best team in the world would be Ireland, who really have all around completeness and not ego and discipline issues like England do - tuilagi, strettle and hartley already out because other things were more important.

Er.... yes, by your rationale.

PrichardThatcher wrote:Someone will win the rugby World Cup. That team will have the right to call themselves the best team in the world. Yes, they will have the right to call themselves that.

Right now I don't see a best team in the world.  New Zealand have been dominant for some time, but their margin of victory is falling and more often than not they win ugly. I think the tournament is a season too late for them, and even if they do win would they be the actual best team in the world? And for how long? Rebuilding is the most likely unavoidable truth.

South Africa have lost their menace, another of the former Southern Hemisphere greats who just fail to instil fear anymore - rebuilding and with political,selection issues to breach. No, even if they were to win not the best team in the world.

Australia? Well if they won it would be because for some reason there were no scrums in the final because one of their typically sly tactics had pulled r wool over an official and stopped penalising them all the time. Someben if they call themselves the best, not a,complete team.

As I see it the only team who might win and be considered the best team in the world would be Ireland, who really have all around completeness and not ego and discipline issues like England do - tuilagi, strettle and hartley already out because other things were more important.

This has WUM written all over it.

Really? I was taking it seriously!

Whoever wins will be the best team at the RWC, and therefore will be the best team in the world,

Thread over, why is there a discussion?

Yeah nah. If you win but haven't played more than two SH teams then it's a right off. And if the winner hasn't played Ireland then it's a right off. If you lose in pool play but win the RWC it's tainted. If Wayne Barnes refs the final the winner will have won from some controversy and it should be void. England will have an unfair home advantage so they should be handicapped somehow.

No, they'll be world champions no matter what but not necessarily the best team in the world. We've been over this keep up!

No 7&1/2 wrote:No, they'll be world champions no matter what but not necessarily the best team in the world. We've been over this keep up!

Wait...

So if England win this RWC they will not be the best in the world?

If New Zealand win they will be best in the world?

So basically whoever wins the RWC it doesn't matter because NZ will be best in the world?

I'm not having that BS, whoever lifts the RWC will infact be the best team in the world, it really is that simple! If the USA go and win the RWC how will they have deserved it less than anyone else? How could anyone say the day after the tournament that they are not the best?

Yes NZ are the best in the world. It's as plain as day. No one's talking about whether a team deserves it at all, not sure why you bring that into it. Regarding the last point because it's only a knockout comp. Whoever wins will be World Champs full stop.

I said elsewhere, but I think this current squad could be as good as the one from 2004-2007/8. I don't see any other team being able to win the RWC/beat NZ. The upcoming RC will be interesting. Aus might be cannon fodder again but get a home win over SA, not so sure SA will beat NZ though. Aus or Arg definitely won't.

Surely this conceit about the winners of a title (any sport) vs who is actually the best is part of what we accept about such tournaments. If anyone has issue with this then i suggest they maybe should go and watch some other thing.

Sport is littered with examples of teams winning titles without being the best. That's partly what makes such contests so compelling.

Anybody remember Greece winning the Euro's at football ? Would people say that Greece were ever the best football team in Europe ?

Lorddowlais you are mentioning one player who has not yet declared for a senior team.

How long did it take you trawling through article after article to find one example that has not yet come to pass?

Could name two examples of Welsh poaching English talent that have happened recently - Moriarty and Francis.

Beshocked you've either posted on the wrong thread or lost your reading glasses

BamBam wrote:Beshocked you've either posted on the wrong thread or lost your reading glassesmarbles

Fixed that for ya!

Bambam Lorddowlais did post on here but must have deleted it. I guess I can do the same....

Jimpy no need to be spiteful, we both know you can behave normally when you want to.

beshocked wrote:Bambam Lorddowlais did post on here but must have deleted it. I guess I can do the same....

Jimpy no need to be spiteful, we both know you can behave normally when you want to.

Define 'normal' and then compare that to some of your own rants to see if they fit the bill....

Hey, I was just joking you know, we're all slightly mad you know. We must be to be on here...

What does "best team in the world" mean? Probably some measure of achievement over time and general recognition that a team is performing and winning more consistently than any other. World ranking is one such measure.

The team that wins the world cup will be World Cup Champions, but they may or may not be considered the best team in the world. The accolade of World Champions will last 4 years in which time several teams might be considered to be the worlds best. Plenty of sporting teams considered "best in the world" at a particular time fail to win a particular tournament.

LordDowlais wrote:Anybody remember Greece winning the Euro's at football ? Would people say that Greece were ever the best football team in Europe ?

I doubt if a similar thing would happen in Rugby.

TG wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Anybody remember Greece winning the Euro's at football ? Would people say that Greece were ever the best football team in Europe ?

I doubt if a similar thing would happen in Rugby.

Yes, 100% Greece were the best team in europe at that time! How do I know this? Because record books!!!

Now they may not have been able to keep that title of 'best team in europe' but they damn well won it fair and square!

They got the title European champions but never made it up to best europeam team im afraid.

Doesn't matter who wins, NZ will ALWAYS be the best team in the world.

No 7&1/2 wrote:They got the title European champions but never made it up to best europeam team im afraid.

Of course they did, the second they won the official title of best tem in europe they became the best team in europe.

See sport is a funny thing, it doesn't run off perceptions, or opinion, the only thing that matters is results.

Greece may not have been the best team in europe going into the tournament, and they may not have been the best team mere months after, but they won the title of european champions by merit, they were the best team at the tounament by right!

Simply no.