It used to be that South Hemisphere rugby was a clear notch above North Hemisphere rugby. Even today, the countries ranked first by the IRB are the famous three, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Well... I just saw the summer tour games between Wales and Australia, and Ireland and New Zealand. In both cases, the South Hemisphere countries won the game in the last two minutes...!
Clearly the gap is getting as small as can be...
Partly because New Zealand coaches have been spreading all over the North Hemisphere, partly because South Hemisphere players have been emigrating and play in many teams of the Northern Hemisphere.
So my educated guess is that the winner of the next world cup in 3 years in London, England (not London, Canada... yet!) will be a Northern Hemisphere team. Your choice: England, Wales, Ireland or France... possibl a first ever final between two teams of the North Hemisphere...
Why not Scotland? because they have had a New Zealand coach for some time now and they cannot last a full 80 minutes yet... As for Scotland's ranking - number 12 by the IRB, they better watch it, Canada is coming after them, ranked number 13...
I certainly plan to go and watch the next Scotland - Canada (both coached by New Zealand coaches) in Canada...
PS: as for the referees, I still think that high tackles should be reffed as the IRB book says, ie... a hand above the tip of the shoulder is high tackle, and a hand or an arm too close to the neck is dangerous play and a yellow card... Maybe the North Hemisphere refs should start first... the South Hemisphere will then have to adapt... at the 2015 London world cup...
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