what a great 6 weeks!!!!!! I’m licking my lips already for 2015.

Well I’ve been waiting to input this since the full time hooter.

Yep your right how did they win that?

Well they did it on the back of southern Hemisphere based defense and an illustrious leader in McCaw.

Now having said that… did the best team win the world cup? Yes without doubt! It would have to be the first time in a long while we can say that, now there are claims that South Africa and Australia have won world cups with strong sides, but NZ were clearly the favorites going into those world cups as well.

I thought the French were gallant and with a little more imagination and a hint of balls they could have sneaked a penalty …kicked it….and won the world cup.

Now where does that leave world rugby?

· All Blacks

o Clearly the bench mark in World Rugby without question

o Beatable……. Yes, on a consistent basis? Not by any team at the present.

o Where will they be in four years? Same place!

· Australia

o Under achieved in the tournament

o Questions need to still be answered

§ Need to settle on centre combination

o Can they beat the All Blacks consistently………. Possibly and the only team that could genuinely say that in world rugby. Can they do it on what they showed at the world cup? NO

o Where will they be in four years? Well that is the million dollar question? Cooper will be better in four years even a fool could see that. There a young side and will be more than likely guided by McKenzie at some point. In my view the most likely to lift Bill other than the All Blacks

· France

o They will always be the big mystery of the super powers of rugby

o Are the worth number three ranked in the World? Well I don’t think so

o On their day they will always be a chance of beating anyone

o Can they deliver consistency? No

· Wales

o If there was a most improved award ( always given to someone who shows nothing and then improves to show a little) they would get it

o The next 2 years they must continue to cement the fruits from this year’s tournament

o Where will they be in four years? Who knows but could be the best team from the Northern Hemisphere

· South Africa

o Could have easily been where Australia was in the end, but no further

o Losing experience

o Will be replaced by size and more mongrel

o Will always be hard to beat at home

o Where will they be in four years….. same there or there about

· Ireland

o They get the have a crack award

o Playing above their weight award

o Best supporters award

o Dink the most piss award

o No different in four years

· England

o Pass mark this year

o If they were a race horse “one paced” would be best to describe them

o They will continue to bore teams to death

o Where will they be? Same there or there about

· Scotland

o Who cares????

· Itally

o Strong forwards

o Need to find consistency

o Four years…. The same

o I was going to say “who cares”

· Asia Pacific Rim

o Tonga and Samoa both need to go on from this tournament

§ There needs to be more games held in the region including the AB and Wallabies

o They both have the size and their skills are getting better

o I suspect the next four years will be much the same

o I hope they can keep improving

· America’s

o Argentina will be better for coming into the four nations tournament

o They will be terribly hard to beat at home

o They will improve no question

o Four years time big improvers ( not bad considering they made the qtrs two cups in a row I believe)

o Canada and the USA will continue to develop

o No change in results though

· Central Europe and Russia

o I though Georgia showed some spunk this year

o They took it up to England

o If they can capitalize on their hard headed forwards they will continue to worry team better than them.

· Japan

o Will continue to need Expats to bulk up there team to compensate for the jockey like countrymen.

o Who knows if Brad Thorn likes it up there you might see him don a Cheery Blossom jersey!

o No change

If I’ve left any one out they won’t count any way. As a whole for being there for 1st game and Bok Game and seeing it on the tube, what a great 6 weeks!!!!!! I’m licking my lips already for 2015…