Clockwise, from left: John Mitchell, Milton Haig, Wayne Pivac, John McKee, Joe Schmidt, Warren Gatland and Jamie Joseph are Kiwi coaches adding value around the world. Photos/Photosport
Clockwise, from left: John Mitchell, Milton Haig, Wayne Pivac, John McKee, Joe Schmidt, Warren Gatland and Jamie Joseph are Kiwi coaches adding value around the world. Photos/Photosport
Before the gnashing of teeth and weeping hits a hysterical crescendo, I'd like to point out it's great to see international rugby is hurtling towards a beautiful perceived state of bedlam.
Ireland beat the All Blacks twice, England outmuscled Ireland, Wales somehow walloped England in the dying minutes, Italy came close to doing the unthinkable against Ireland, France grinding down Scotland, the Springboks pipping the All Blacks before succumbing to England, the Wallabies losing to just about everyone else and, let's not forget Fiji bullying Les Bleus at the Stade de France in Paris in November last year.
Put another way, rugby wobbling on its axis will, inevitably, lead to a tantalising Rugby World Cup in Japan from September to November this year.
Not all the results above are indicative of sizeable tectonic plate movements below the singular stratosphere of rugbydom but, suffice it to say, it's doing enough to keep the gastric juices flowing to whet the insatiable appetite of expectant global fans.
For all anyone knows, England, the All Blacks, Ireland and South Africa are calling each other's bluff in their laid back, but meticulous, stride towards claiming the one bling that actually matters once every four years compared with trinkets (Super Six, Super Rugby, Bledisloe Cup, Four Nations) annually.
Ardent rugby followers can now at least expect a modicum of substance in scribes' suggestions of an upset victory in the four pools of the world cup, even if the powerhouses go on to claim the final four berths.
In pool A, Samoa and hosts Japan have a chance of upstaging Scotland, if not Ireland, for the second team to break out into the playoffs.
Italy will fancy their chances against South Africa but the ABs will be beyond Namibia and Canada's dreams in pool B.
Argentina, USA and even Tonga can progress against France in pool C where England will be the top qualifiers.
Pool D will be intriguing, considering Wales and Fiji will be drunk in self-belief to send Australia packing although Georgia and Uruguay will entertain a different-tier dream against the Dragons and the Pacific Islanders.
However, even all of the above permutations are subject to intense scrutiny.
Indications are, at least on the international landscape, factors such as politics and red tape will dictate the worthiness of teams in Japan.
For argument's sake, will the International Rugby Board (IRB) have the intestinal fortitude to ensure fiscal forces in the Top 14 and other lucrative European cups — such as Bordeaux, Racing 92, Brive, Claremont, Wasps and a swag of lower-tier British clubs — will release Pacific Island players to represent their countries of birth provided they haven't already switched allegiances because of life-defining pay cheques.
Wales rugby player Jonathan Davies leads the celebrations after pipping England in the Six Nations match at the weekend. Photo/Photosport
French rugby should be applauded for setting up academies in Fiji to tap into the wealth of talent — considering New Zealand and Australia have done little in the past for the growth of rugby in the Pacific Islands — but that gratitude should never extend to disowning one's birth country, no matter what the price.
Closer to home, it's encouraging to see the Waratahs slip 20-19 to the Hurricanes, the Blues lose 22-24 in a winning game to the Crusaders, the Reds come up 36-31 shy to the Highlanders and the Brumbies thump the Chiefs 54-17. Ditto the Jaguares beating the Bulls 27-12 and the Sunwolves agonisingly tripping 31-30 to the Tahs.
Is the gulf narrowing because of such cross pollination of elite franchises in top and second-tier nations over the years or is it just a red herring because the colossal giants are simply resting and rotating their marquee players?
The discerning will argue it's a little bit of both but, more significantly, Super Rugby could do with the element of unpredictability the world cup is enjoying.
Just as they have done in previous seasons, the Crusaders seem content to toy with oppositions until such time as the playoffs beckon.
Click bait, such as any warm fuzzies about how much grunt there is in the Brazilian engine room against the United States, just won't cut it.
Perhaps the most conspicuous progress in global rugby seems to come off the field rather than on it, for now.
The spread of coaching talent across the world from top-tier nations, especially New Zealand, is gratifying and progressive.
Unlike the blatant breach of powers to inject mercenaries from cash-poor countries to prop up a few chosen nations, the mentors have been spreading the gospel of rugby with some purpose and value added.
Joe Schmidt (Ireland), Warren Gatland and Wayne Pivac (both Wales), John McKee (Fiji), Eddie Jones and John Mitchell (both England), Jamie Joseph (Japan), Milton Haig (Georgia), Gary Gold (USA) are some mentors who come to mind, to name a few, from this part of the world.
On the other hand, Daryl Gibson (Waratahs) and Brad Thorn (Melbourne Rebels) have continued the trend of stepping outside the saturated comfort zone of New Zealand to hone the skills of Australian franchises, not to mention others dispersed in different parts of the world to help elevate the game to a truly global one.
