Wheels may yet come off chariot

CORNE KRIGE, the South African captain, made a very interesting statement in the aftermath of his side’s 53-3 walloping by England last weekend.

“I do not rate England that much,” said Corne. “I think they can be taken. We saw things that make us excited about facing them in the World Cup.”

Interesting, when you consider that anyone who has read or tuned into the English rugby media this week has been drenched by the gushing praise heaped upon Clive Woodward and his men.

Desperate to alleviate the despair of another mauling in the Ashes, the sports editors have seized upon the humbling of the Tri-Nations in Twickenham and proudly plonked England at the top of world rugby’s pecking order.

“Forget about southern excuses,” blared the Daily Telegraph, “no matter how you package it, the southern hemisphere nations were given a good hiding”.

“You have permission to take the Michael out of anyone from the southern hemisphere,” the paper continued, “make hay and all that.”

Far be it for me to feel any sympathy for Boks, Blacks or Wallabies but there are a few salient facts the English should remember.

Firstly, do not believe Krige’s opening line. The southern hemisphere do rate England, very highly. The continued excellence of Wilkinson, allied to the form of Robinson, Cohen, Greenwood and Dawson in the backline has left a deep impression. They will also have noted the emerging exuberance of Kay, Moody, Thompson and Woodman in a powerful pack.

Which leads us to the second point. This was a Tri-Nations’ fact-finding mission and defeat will not worry the southern nations unduly. Here Krige can be believed, the southern nations did see things that will help them in the World Cup.

THE All Blacks took a risk with their new wave of talent and were rewarded with an excellent display, while the Aussies barely seemed interested throughout their whole tour. South Africa have much bigger problems but know they have 12 months to build on the exciting form they showed in the Tri-Nations. There is no doubt that all three nations will have improved come the World Cup.

But can we say the same of England?

I don’t believe so. Take them out of Twickers and they are a different proposition, as a succession of Grand Slam flops have demonstrated.

In addition, their core forwards are not getting any younger.

Leonard, Johnson, Back, Hill and Dallaglio are still mighty players but, Hill excepted, not as mighty as they once were, and another 12 months down the road?

Wilkinson is a phenomenon but will have been the subject of intense, up close and personal analysis this past month and by the World Cup even his trademark lateral jink will have been nullified.

Personally, I believe England peaked in the spring of 2001 (the Six Nations of foot-and-mouth and Iain Balshaw) and by the World Cup the southern trio will be ready and waiting to pluck the rose.

Ireland have gained much more from their good performance in the Autumn internationals.

We have now acquired invaluable confidence for future tussles with the southern hemisphere and Eddie O’Sullivan’s World Cup goals are not set as high as Woodward’s.

So, to the media across the water I say ‘calm down chaps’, because when Woodward’s England fail once again in the big one, the same correspondents currently crowing on their keyboards will do what the English media have always done ... a complete about-turn and blood shall coat their sharpened knives.

Ah, the English, from one extreme to the other.

Eight hundred years of oppression but you gotta love ’em.