Notes from November

NINETEEN internationals in a calendar month involving 12 different countries provides a surfeit of information not only on the state of the game but also on the form lines of the main pretenders for honours with the 2011 World Cup now coming into sharp focus.

New Zealand were the only country to emerge with a 100% record winning all four contests on tour, five if one includes their Bledisloe Cup encounter with Australia in Tokyo en route to Europe.

Once again they are ranked as the number one side in world rugby two years out from a RWC having overtaken South Africa by virtue of their respective performances over the last month.