- South Africa's defeat of England must rank as the most complete annihilation and humiliation of a top-ranking nation since the inception of the Rugby World Cup in 1987. There is no doubt that England have slipped back considerably since 2003, but even if they hadn't they would probably have been overtaken by the southern hemisphere countries in the intervening period. The fact is that the gap was already closing in 2003 and England only just managed to hold on by dint of superb mental and physical discipline. But what a waste of 4 years!
- The hysteria that greeted France's defeat by Argentina and subsequent victory of Namibia beggars belief. True, the French played poorly in the first match but it was hardly a national disaster bearing in mind that Argentina have now won, if my information is correct, four of their last five encounters against France. This hysteria was matched only by the build-up to the Namibia match, as though there were ever the slightest doubt about the outcome!
- A very interesting article by Peter Berlin in the International Herald Tribune, to the effect that rugby is a game for thugs played by thugs. He seems to be saying that this has always been the case but I don't altogether agree. There was a time when members of the opposing team would gather solicitously around an injured adversary, something you NEVER see today. In the 50s and 60s international rugby was played in a much more relaxed atmosphere (I can well remember seeing the great Richard Sharp chatting with friends in the stands just minutes before a match against France).
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