A year from now the world will know which team has earned the right to be called the best rugby union side but each of the realistic contenders for the 2003 World Cup will have the chance to land a psychological blow this month in the annual series of
north-south encounters.
All three southern hemisphere giants, two-time world champions Australia, 1987 titlewinners New Zealand and 1995 victors South Africa will pit their wits against the best that the northern hemisphere can provide.
With Ireland showing an alarming slide since New Zealand coach Warren Gatland was abruptly removed from his post and replaced by assistant Eddie O’Sullivan it remains for England and France to keep the flag flying and raise hopes of a maiden northern success in the World Cup.
Both England coach Clive Woodward and French counterpart Bernard Laporte have recorded numerous successes over their southern cousins at home and for the Frenchman in particular it provided succour for consistent failures in the Six Nations since taking
over at the helm after the 1999 World Cup.
However that all changed with last season’s Six Nations when France ruled supreme taking the Grand Slam in style while England once again had to settle for second best.
Both France and England will host the South Africans and the New Zealanders while the French round off their series against second-tier side Canada, who get a rare and welcome chance to take on one of the giants of the game away from home, while the English
also host Australia.
The Springboks will travel with a lot more confidence than last year’s shambolic and uninspiring group, whose coach Harry Viljoen was soon dispatched and replaced by former Springbok international Rudolf Straeuli.
Straeuli has guided them to five wins in his eight tests and while he has been deprived of several players through injury including the enigmatic genius Bobby Skinstad the coach is confident the squad will do him justice.
For Straeuli, though, it is the England clash that has the most significance and not only because it is a long time since they recorded a win over Woodward’s men.
”Three years (of not beating England) is a long time and the supporters deserve for us to go over and do well against England.
”We are playing England now and in our second pool game (of the Rugby World Cup) next year so I think it is important that we do build up some confidence against them,” he said.
The All Blacks have brought over a largely inexperienced squad — none of the first choice scrum have made it — reflecting coach John Mitchell’s declaration last year that the tour was a waste of space and he wanted his senior players to have at least a three month break.
While Mitchell has changed his tune by saying it was a great opportunity for new players to break through it says a lot that the top two scrumhalves Justin Marshall and Byron Kelleher have been left behind.
However for both Taine Randell and Jonah Lomu the tour could prove decisive in whether they make it into the World Cup next year and erase the ghosts of the 1999 defeat to France in the semi-finals.
Lomu, the dominant winger of the past two World Cups, has been told to show a drastic improvement in form or else face the consequences while Randell has been handed the captaincy which he lost after the World Cup slip-up, so playing France will add extra bite to the confrontation.
Given the inexperience of the All Blacks it is Australia who look the weakest link in the southern trio and were fortunate to overcome Argentina 17-6 and certainly wouldn’t have if the Pumas kicker Felipe Contempomi had not had a nightmare evening missing seven penalty attempts. With the signs clearly showing in the Tri-Nations series that they were showing wear and tear a poor tour even with a year to go to the World Cup would give their rivals real hope of dethroning them — what price a northern victory at last? – Sapa-AFP