One of the most popular, and controversial, blogs we’ve posted was our assessment of the World’s Best Rugby Team done at the end of the last season and found here. The 400 votes cast by readers reveals that last year NZ came slightly ahead of the Springboks. This year the difference between the teams is probably smaller.
The 2009 season ended over the weekend so it’s time once again to rate the teams. Feel free to vote for your best choice below.
The New Zealand All Blacks had their worst season in the Graham Henry era “only” winning 10 from 14 tests (71.4%), but when they lost, they tended to lose small and when they won, they won big. Their average winning margin in 2009 was 8 points. They lost the Tri-Nations and Dave Gallaher Cups, but got the latter back in emphatic style by demolishing the French in Marseille in their last test of the season.
The South African Springboks of 2009 are the best Bok team of the modern era thanks to the discovery of new talent (Brussow, M. Steyn) and whatever wizardry PDV imparted to sneak a series win over the British Lions. The Boks had a phenomenal year in 2009 defeating the Lions twice and the All Blacks three times. (Can’t remember the last time that happened.) However, they finished with a horrid European tour and that Lions series hinged on a single prodigious 53m kick from the aforementioned Steyn. The Boks came away with 8 wins from 12 tests (66.7%) and their average winning margin was just 2 points. Although they had the same number of losses as the All Blacks, they lost to twice as many teams and racked up two fewer wins.
Ireland had a phenomenal season which began with victory in the Six Nations and finished with a good thumping of the World Champs South Africa. The numbers are impressive – 9 wins from 10 tests (90%), an average winning margin of 12 points, and 26 tries scored with only 7 conceded. Ireland clearly have a claim on being the top team of the year but were they really tested? Their collection of wins and tries came from some weak opponents (Canada, the US and Fiji); the struggled to beat stronger teams (e.g., England and Wales), and they did not defeat two of the southern hemisphere teams (NZ and Australia).
Australia had a shocker of a season and don’t deserve a thing. They lost 7 out of 14 tests. That they finished the year third on the IRB’s ranking shows just how awful France’s year was.
France snuck a victory at Carisbrook in Dunedin but what have they done for us lately? With 6 wins from 11 starts (54%) and conceding almost as many tries (22) as they scored (26), they’re not competitive. Plus, getting thumped by England, Australia and New Zealand in the same year doesn’t help their cause.
The numbers aren’t as bad for Wales. The Welsh won 7 of 11 (64%) but at least two of their victories were against fish teams. Getting thumped in last weekend by the wobbly Wallabies was about the worst possible ending to their season.
In 2009 England looked better than they’ve been for a while but they still couldn’t win the big games. They won 5 from 10 and lost to NZ, Argentina, Australia, Ireland and Wales.
In our opinion, the best team of 2009 was the All Blacks, although the gap separating them from the Boks was smaller than ever. But don’t let us have the final word. Cast your own vote below…
Filed under: All Blacks, Australia, England, France, Graham Henry, IRB, Ireland, New Zealand, Six Nations, South Africa, Springboks, Wales, Wallabies, lists, rugby | 1 Comment »
There’s something very personal in the way Dan Carter plays against Wales. It’s like he has this special resolve to always win against the Welsh. Afterall, it was against Wales that Carter made his brilliant debut in 2003. He scored 20 points in that test and he has scored in double digits each time he has played them since. On five of those six occasions Carter has scored more than the entire Welsh team. 
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In an 
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