Editorial: Rugby World Cup 2023 - Southern giants tightening long-term grip on World Cup success

Codie Taylor waves to fans and spectators after the All Blacks-Argentina semifinal at the Stade de France. Photo / Photosport

EDITORIAL

Northern Hemisphere rugby nations went into the 2023 World Cup with high hopes and a lot of confidence.

Two European countries, Ireland and France, sat on top of the world rankings, and many experts and fans considered them the favourites, based on great form in recent years.

Ireland had also achieved a first series win in New Zealand last year and France - bridesmaids at three previous World Cup finals - were hosting this tournament and had the services of star halfback Antoine Dupont.

There was talk that the traditional “gap”, which has seen the south set the pace for rugby, now favoured the north. Before this tournament, England had been the only northern country to have won a World Cup, back in 2003, and had also been runners-up three times.

To be fair, before the quarter-finals were played, the chance of a northern shutout of the south appeared to be a distinct possibility, with France, Ireland, Wales and England all in the mix.

As it turned out, England - ironically after Brexit - became the only country representing Europe in the semifinals, alongside southern nations New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina. The draw meant the New Zealand v Ireland and France v South Africa clashes had the intensity and quality of semifinals or finals.

The question mark going into the tournament over France and Ireland was that they had never won a World Cup before. Ireland had never got past the quarter-finals. France had never converted three opportunities as finalists and, now, the advantages of twice being the outright host nation.

Form between tournaments dominated discussion over decades of World Cup knockout experience, but the teams that ultimately stood up were New Zealand, South Africa and England, who had all had mixed results in the past couple of years.

They all managed to peak at the business end. They’ve been there and done that - and it counts.

Overall, rather than the cup going to a completely new winner, this tournament showed the value of experience and veterans and the trend is for the most successful teams to tighten their grip.

Before 2007, England, Australia and France seemed more in the running for the main prize.

But since then, the cup has only gone to either the All Blacks or the Springboks. That’s the last four tournaments.

Next weekend it will become five - representing 16 years of dominance by two teams with three wins each to their names, as the two southern giants face off in the final.

England, narrowly pipped by South Africa yesterday, are still the most consistent team at World Cup level in the north, while France and Ireland still have to take further steps.

This appears to be about continually learning from past experience; knowing what it takes to win three key games in a row and the levels of resilience needed; the strategies, selections, and playing approaches required; what’s important to nail and what isn’t; and the spur of previous missteps.

That collected knowledge is being passed on through different versions of the same teams with changing personnel.

New Zealand and South Africa have the records and seemingly know what works and how to peak to be in top contention.

Now one country’s team are set to win their fourth men’s world title.