Some thoughts on this year's Rugby World Cup

Paris. June 1995. A sunny day. I was on a trip there with my Grandmother. Not perhaps the coolest thing to do, but I wasn’t interested in being cool, I was interested in going to Paris and she was paying. Inconveniently, the rugby world cup was on. Inconveniently, as I was distracted from my pretentious (and failed) attempts to walk the Paris trottoirs with all the swagger of a love child of Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo. The competition was taking place in South Africa. This was huge. South Africa had, until recently, been banned from international competition. I rushed into the hotel room from my stroll and switched on the TV to see Scott Hastings, the Scottish centre, bag a try against the All Blacks. I was briefly excited until I saw the score. Consolation try doesn’t tell you the half of it. They’d already scored about eight themselves by then. Mostly by the late, great Jonah Lomu who, being unknown before the tournament outside of New Zealand, quickly became a global superstar – in rugby terms - scoring tries for fun by trampling over helpless defenders. He was the revelation of the tournament. The other was the South African victory and no-one could forget that iconic image of Nelson Mandela in the Springbok jumper handing the trophy to Francois Pienaar. I saw Pienaar at an airport once. A big man, in presence as well as stature.

                The fact that it was held in South Africa. That they won it, unexpectantly. That those images of Mandela and Pienaar exist and that Lomu made his entrance, make it the greatest Rugby World Cup for me. Until now. Japan did themselves and the sport proud. This was another first. An Asian tier-two nation hosting the world cup is unprecedented. As is a Rugby World Cup where extreme weather kills people. Nothing puts sport in perspective like such tragedies. The image of the Canadian team helping locals to tidy up the mess caused by the vicious typhoon shows the dignity that rugby has and must continue to have. From a playing perspective, Japan were a revelation with dynamic, exciting rugby that thrilled all supporters and rugby fans. Knocking out my country, Scotland - with four great tries - two days after the typhoon struck hurt badly but Scotland were playing an entire nation. A wounded nation. Also, let’s not forget that not so long ago, Scotland put one hundred points on Japan. For them to get to the quarter finals was a great achievement. 

                There weren’t many exhilarating matches really before the semis. Most that thrilled me involved Wales which was slightly surprising as Wales’ ambitions do not always match their talent. They tend to win by the odd try trusting their defence to do its job, but they were involved in three highly exciting matches against Australia, Fiji and South Africa. To lose by a late penalty against the ‘Boks in the semis would have been heart-breaking. In the end it was just a little too much for them, but they came mighty close and have some true winners in their team; Alyn Wun Jones, Jonathon Davies and Liam Williams, amongst others. Gatland, the coach, is world class too. They will miss him, I suspect.

                The other semi was more of a disappointment – unless you were English – as despite England’s brilliance, the All Blacks were poor and unlike the Wales-South Africa match which hung in the balance until the last few minutes, one felt that England’s victory was assured with arguably 50 minutes on the clock. That itself is astonishing, but England were imperious on the day. Nevertheless, from the beginning the All Blacks were throwing some wild passes and seemed to panic. One can’t help thinking that the final was a little bit of a reversal. It was England that started frantically with missed and risky passes and with unforced errors. Nerves must have played a part. They had been ice cool till then. This team has potential greatness, but it is a young team. There are no Martin Johnsons, Lawrence Dallaglios or Richard Hills. Yet. Again, this is not to take away anything from South Africa who smashed England in the scums and at the gain line with their obdurate defence and collective determination, but a more experienced England team may have fared a little better. Like with the Japan-Scotland game, one felt that England were up against more than a rugby team. Erasmus, their coach, has done an amazing job and has talked about using rugby to heal some of the wounds in his country. To be down and out as they were just two years ago, to be the winners of a world cup is astonishing. I must admit to having had an inkling prior to the tournament, but I’m not a betting man. Betting shops scare me. Pity. I could have made a few quid. Ultimately South Africa were worthy winners. They even scored a couple of flashy tries, albeit once victory was assured through their defence and kicking game. Did they want it more? Probably not fair on England to suggest that. Did they need it more? Almost certainly. Their reactions, their emotions and their fraternity after the match was very moving.  That they have a black captain from a poor township is a potentially cataclysmic change. Traditionally Rugby is not a sport of the townships. It’s the white man’s sport. This may change that, which will be great for South African rugby – maybe not for the rest of us – and maybe great for the country too.