With league and the AFL yearning to be world games, rugby is already there. A hundred countries play it. That's the real meaning of global. I don't know why league bothers with a World Cup. The code is trying to be something it's not. It's Australia versus Australia. But one lesson rugby might take from the NRL is having coaches involved in decision-making. Every time the NRL has a forum, as it did this week, officials leave having made definite moves forward. The same cannot be said for the IRB's meetings.
Rugby's tier-one nations have been meeting in London with a mandate to improve the international rugby calendar. The top 10 nations were involved and for the cost of getting everyone assembled and giving them their cucumber sandwiches, here's what was always going to come out of it - very little. There was absolutely no doubt they would leave with a blank page. Maybe they should have had all the coaches there instead of administrators. Of the 10 top-tier countries, the southern hemisphere must come to grips with the fact the six nations from the northern hemisphere vote as a bloc. Below that, it must be realised that the clubs control the game in the northern hemisphere. The clubs own the players. Change is going to be very difficult because the clubs drive the game. There is no trust between the hemispheres, which is not helped by John O'Neill representing Australia.
One proposal is for Argentina to be included in the Tri Nations but that's difficult, with most of their players tied up with playing in Europe. If I had a wish-list, I would have the Pacific Islands invited into the Super 14. The international touring season in the southern hemisphere should be in May; and October should be the time for the northern hemisphere teams. That would give all players a full off-season. As for the continuing "will we or won't we" decision on the ELVs - there's no doubt the northern hemisphere won't accept all of them.
As for on-field issues, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans would have breathed a huge sigh of relief after the win over Italy. At 20-20 with 10 minutes to go, it was getting too tight. I know how he must have felt. After the disappointment in Hong Kong and the continued criticism of the referee, we probably had the rub of the green with our ref against Italy. Particularly when it came to Stirling Mortlock's tackle on the Italian captain when he didn't have the ball, which created a hole for Quade Cooper. In sport, you need the rub every now and again.
The real plus to come out of the Italian game was the standard of some of the forwards' performances. So often in Australia, we laud the backs, and the forwards become the whipping boys. But I thought it was a very solid performance against an Italian forward pack I believe is world class. The problem with the Italians is that they don't really have a back to bless themselves with. They don't create anything in the backs but their forwards are continually strong. Many of them play in England and France and they are tough nuts to crack.
The pluses for Australia were Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and Matt Dunning. The scrum was definitely moving forward and even the 10-minute cameo from Sekope Kepu with a couple of scrums he packed against Carlos Nieto, showed that he has what it takes. Michael Foley would have been more than happy with the forwards' performance against Italy. And another cameo, from Cooper, would have given him a lot of confidence and belief. Knowing you're up to speed at international level is everything. Once you believe you can do it, you can - if you have the talent. And he has the talent.
