RWC: Our stadium of four million still stands supreme

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Some have talked about this World Cup being the best ever but, for me, it doesn't beat the 2011 event in New Zealand.

The slogan of a stadium of four million was an appropriate one because the whole country got behind it.

This year's World Cup has been good but clearly some puff was taken out when England were beaten by Wales and then didn't make it to the knockout rounds. I find it hard to fathom that some tickets were still available in the lead-up to this morning's final.

England could become a force in world rugby if they had the right coach but it's not a four-year fix. They have the players of ability and the resources behind them, and probably even have a good coach, but it's a mindset thing.

Kids in New Zealand, right from an early age, aspire to play for the All Blacks. English kids probably dream of playing international rugby, too, but not in the same manner. The New Zealand situation is unique, and the fact so many countries employ New Zealand coaches, shows how strong that is. They want to try to tap into what makes New Zealand rugby tick.

Milton Haig was a decent coach in New Zealand but what he's done with Georgia is great. Yes, a number of their squad are now playing professionally in Europe, and that has helped raise their level but Haig has helped bring it all together.

A couple of Darfield boys went and played second and third division rugby in England and were left shaking their head at the difference. It was a world away from New Zealand in more ways than one. The English seem to talk the talk but don't walk the walk.

If we look at how the All Blacks get to the top - and I am writing this before this morning's final - one of the big things is the depth in New Zealand rugby. If you took a top XV from this year's ITM Cup, I'm pretty sure they would have done well at the World Cup.

One change I would like to see is a loosening of eligibility laws.

I think players should be allowed to represent another country after a stand-down period of two or three years.

Look at someone like Manu Tuilagi. He's probably played his last game for England after his off-field incidents but would offer a lot to Samoa. Jerry Collins often talked about wanting to play for Samoa, too. It should be allowed to help bring up the second-tier nations.

There have been suggestions for a World Cup plate competition to help fill in the gaps once the knockout games start. I'm not a fan.

It would be incredibly costly, especially when you think each country have more than 50 people in camp, and the level of interest is questionable.

A World Cup is about finding the best team. There is only one winner.

I would, though, like to see them clean up contentious calls. Craig Joubert should have been able to call on the TMO or asked to see a replay on the big screen to clarify what happened in the end of the Scotland-Australia quarter-final or a captain should be allowed to challenge a decision with one captain's challenge in a match.

These decisions are too important and imagine who the All Blacks would have faced in the final this morning if the Wallabies had been knocked out by Scotland.

On top of that, the judiciary have a lot to answer for - a place I've obviously had little experience of. There needs to be people who know and understand rugby, not just lawyers, on the panel because Jonah Lomu wouldn't have played very much if he was being judged in the same way as Samoa's Alesana Tuilaga, who was initially slapped with a five-week ban for little more than running.