If Australian rugby administrators are concerned about the gap between their Super teams and New Zealand's they should take a look at the gap at under-20 level.
It's just as bad. The Baby Blacks, who are coached by Magpies mentor Craig Philpott, walloped their Aussie counterparts 43-6 in the final of the Oceania Tournament on the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
The Aussies couldn't handle the Kiwis' tempo. The victory took New Zealand's tally to 186 points from three games and will lift the Baby Blacks confidence levels in the countdown to the World Championship which starts in Georgia later this month. However, there is still plenty for the team to work on.
Their passing was often shoddy and their scrum was pressured more than they would have liked. Philpott said catching was more the issue than the passing when the ball was dropped.
"As for the scrummaging we have got a bit of work to do there. We took three tighthead props to the tournament and they all had a crack."