KEY POINTS:
The rugby writer for Britain's Daily Telegraph has fired a volley at New Zealand saying it may have to loosen up and have a bit of grace and generosity to mount a successful 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Writing a blog for the influential www.telegraph.co.uk
he said that France could be proud of the way it organised the Rugby World Cup, which ended on Sunday morning with a victory to the Springboks over 2003 champions England.
"It has been wholly welcoming and inclusive, as Australia and Australians were four years ago," wrote Cleary.
But he then added that New Zealand had a tough act to follow.
The Irish-born Cleary, who lists his favourite event to cover as the Tour de France and says his favourite moment was the English triumph in 2003, said no-one doubts the beauty of the New Zealand setting or that a major rugby country should host the seventh World Cup.
But he adds: "What one does have doubts over is its capacity to be broad-minded and all-embracing, to be generous not just in its simple gestures, for as the Lions tour in 2005 showed that is not in question, but in its ability to see beyond the All Blacks.
"RWC 2011 in New Zealand is about involving the entire rugby community not just providing a stage for an All Black triumph.
"The sneering tone of many commentaries from New Zealand, its undisguised contempt for English rugby, suggest that they may have to loosen up, learn some manners and live life with a bit of grace and generosity if RWC 2011 is to emulate this tournament."
In a separate blog, he called for the IRB to give the 2015 Rugby World Cup to Japan.
"The big boys have had it long enough. Time to get on the move."
The Irish Independent, meanwhile, highlights comments by NZ's Martin Snedden who is promoting the 2011 Rugby World Cup, calling them disturbing.
Writing in the Independent, rugby writer Tony Ward says the IRB needs to nurture the smaller rugby-playing nations not shut them out of the next Cup with a reduced 16-team format, down from the 20 in France.
But points to a comment by Snedden: "What we have seen this tournament is that two teams (New Zealand and Australia) have romped through easy pools and it has not prepared them rugby-wise for knock-out games. We want to change that."
Writes Ward: "If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about the blinkered self-serving motivation around the table of power then I don't know what does. What Snedden and the New Zealand Union are suggesting is the jettisoning of four developing nations for the greater good of the All Blacks and Wallabies. It says it all."
- NZHERALD STAFF
