Wally the Fly

As Australia take on another fierce rival in South Africa today let’s hope that we’re talking about the awesome pace of Lee, Johnson and Steyn and the exploits of Symonds athletic fielding as well as the batting skill of Smith, Hussey and hopefully Ponting.

Lets hope this series is about the competitiveness of skill and not as we saw in both recent Indian series, a battle of the best sledging.

Most cricket people probably think its part and parcel of the game, a bit of on field banter never hurt anybody. That’s fine but it seems the Australians under Steve Waugh took it to a new level, where ‘mental disintegration’ became a very serious and critical part of the way they played cricket.

Opposing batsman would often succumb to the constant pressure.

Today the WACA tests starts and we should think back to when a Kiwi batsman stuck out on the feisty Perth pitch stuck to his guns and batted on the fourth and fifth day to hold onto a hard fought (albeit boring) draw. According to this batsman, at the end of every over, for two whole days Waugh would walk up to him and spray every curse in his vocabulary.

Is this cricket?

When the Turban-ator hit back and allegedly called Symonds a monkey, it was a disgusting act no doubt. It shows that when it gets to sledging people are always going to step too far in the heat of the moment.

It was a stupid look when a frustrated Johnson, bowling in India resorted to giving an experienced Indian batsman a massive spray. Kiddies around the world are watching their heroes charge in bowl a ball, and when they can’t get a batsman out resort to shouting insults at the opponent.

Once upon a time, it may have been good banter, but now in this strict professional era the sledging has become more personal and too serious and too important a part of the game.

End it.

1. Andy Sheridan (ENG)    2. Dimitri Szarzewski (FRA)     3. Lional Faure (FRA)

                        4. Vicktor Matfield (RSA)                 5.  Ali Williams (NZ)

6.Skulk Burger (RSA)                                                                        7. Richie McCaw (NZ)

                                                  8. Andy Powell (WAL)

  9. Mike Blair (SCO)

            10. Dan Carter (NZ)

                        12. Matt Giteau (AUS)

                                    13. Stirling Mortlock (AUS)

 11. Shane Williams (WAL)                                                     14. Bryan Habana (RSA)

                                                  15. Juan Martín Hernández (ARG)

Res:

George Smith (AUS)

Bakkies Botha (RSA)

Steven Moore (AUS)

Tony Woodcock (NZ)

Moses Rauluni (FIJ)

Mils Muliaina (NZ)

Jean de Villiers (RSA)

The ‘autumn internationals’ or the Spring tours depending on which way your toilet flushes, were of added significance this year as the IRB rankings at the end of November were used to decide the pooling for the RWC in 2011.

The race for a top four (band 1) finish was particularly important as it meant you wouldn’t be in the same pool with another rugby giant (battle between Wales, England, France and Argentina for the fourth spot to avoid a pool match between the SANZAR nations which were cemented in the top three).

Also there were teams desperately wanting to be in the second band of nations so they wouldn’t be forced in a pool with a top nation like New Zealand and a second ‘band’ nation like France (which happened to Tonga). Ireland’s win over Argentina two weeks ago meant they avoided this fate while Scotland’s recent poor form meant they were confided to the third band and will now face England and Argentina in the pool stages, making qualification to the next round very tough.

So the IRB rankings and the draw as announced December 1

1. NZ
2. South Africa
3. Australia
4. Argentina
5. Wales
6. England
7. France
8. Ireland:
9. Scotland
10. Fiji
11. Italy
12. Tonga

Now the merit in using rankings so far out from the RWC (unfair on teams that will have improved and too fair on those that are on the way down) is questionable. However, The Sideline Eye suggests that using the rankings from a set date for the WC draw (however far away it is) can be used to greater affect.

This year in a bid to make Internationals more interesting (and to make sure touring sides send their best squads so we don’t get stuck with English and French B teams like usual) it has been proposed to hold a ‘World Series’ of sorts.

Played over two years, it would involve a points system for internationals played over the two year period included Six Nations and some Tri Nations games as well as Tests between nations of the two competitions (plus Argentina).

This sounds like it could work, but imagine how much more interesting this ‘World Series’ would be if it was connected to the seedings of the World Cup! I’d have a prize for the team that came first but also a team that dramatically changed its ranking (and make prize winnings to be spent on junior development in that country).

The IRB proposal was for a final at Wembly or Twikkers but perhaps instead the winner could play a one off match against a World XV (or Barbarians outfit) in a ‘developing market’, Dubai, Tokyo, Denver or wherever (read lots of cash for the IRB to be put back into the game).

The competition would be much more interesting if island nations were included unlike in the IRB proposal, but as a combined team (who celebrated their first ever win against Italy this tour).

It would be much easier to run if Argentina and the Pacific Islands were including in an expanded Tri-Nations tournament (gets southern hemisphere match ups out of the way and makes it possible for the northern hemisphere teams to play all the southern hemisphere sides).

If the Lions tour was done in the year after the World Cup instead of in between Cups this ‘World Series’ could easily be played in between the Cups and over just one calendar year. This would allow the RWC draw to be done right after the World Series was completed and give tournament organisers a year and a half to organise and promote the thing (this was the reason for doing the WC draw three years before 2011).