Never mind the quality...

PERHAPS we are getting a little carried away. Seven days ago Australia and New Zealand showed the way forward for rugby with an exhilarating display of expansive rugby that had fans and pundits alike drooling.

Australia’s 26-24 victory after James O’Connor’s conversion of his own try gave the match a thrilling conclusion with the last kick of the game in Hong Kong while the quality of play throughout, save for some poor New Zealand tactical kicking, raised the bar considerably for coaches and players around the world.

Ireland have ambitions of joining the Wallabies and All Blacks at that altitude but no-one should expect the dawning of a golden age of running rugby when Declan Kidney’s team begins its new life at the Aviva Stadium with an inaugural Test against world champions South Africa.