A year in which northern lights shone

The north, through Ireland and France, led the way in the year preceding a Rugby World Cup.

Ireland ended the year narrowly ahead of France in the world rankings, while New Zealand and SA take up the next two spots. England lurk in fifth but they have parted ways with coach Eddie Jones, which leaves them with more to sort out going into World Cup year.

SA looked destined to leapfrog New Zealand into third but a successful Owen Farrell conversion at the back end of the Springboks’ win at Twickenham put paid to that.

That the Springboks and New Zealand are scrapping for third is a tale in itself. Ireland and France have now firmly disrupted the world order with consistent performances that have gradually chiselled at the almost institutional dominance of their southern hemisphere rivals.

Of course the currency in which they would want to cash in their current riches is the glow of the World Cup.

They’ve done as much as they possibly could to put themselves in a favourable position but the kickoff to the grand tournament only arrives on September 9. For them it will seem far.

The only defeats Ireland suffered were against France in Paris and they lost the first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland.

It ended however in a maiden Test series win over the All Blacks that shook the rugby world to the core.

Though they were well beaten at Eden Park, Ireland looked far the superior side in the next two Tests.

In the Six Nations they were convincing winners over Wales, Italy, England and Scotland. The scalp they missed was that of France, who made heavy weather of winning their clash at the Stade de France. That defeat proved an early decider in the competition.

Talisman Johnny Sexton remains central to Ireland’s cause, as does a grizzled tight five and midfield but Ireland have also grown fresh legs of force in loose forwards Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier.

The only defeats Ireland suffered were against France in Paris and they lost the first Test against the All Blacks in Auckland

Their series win in New Zealand as well as their three-point wins over SA and Australia showed that they can consistently win tight contests against southern hemisphere opposition. That will embolden them next year.

France too have had stunning success of late. They didn’t just sweep to a Grand Slam in the Six Nations but have over the last 13 months beaten all teams the Rugby Championship has to offer.

Their last defeat was 17 months ago when what was effectively a conglomeration of their second and third best players, lost away in a drawn series to Australia. The last time they lost when they called on their first-choice players was in Paris to Scotland in last year’s Six Nations when Duhan van der Merwe scored an 80th minute try.

France have grown in composure and game management along with power and poise. They’ve rarely possessed those building blocks all at once.

The element that will make them even more formidable is the presence of ice in the veins of their goal kicker. Fullback Melvyn Jaminet was impeccable off the kicking tee before injury brought his season to a halt. It was however as if he never left for Thomas Ramos filled his boots with aplomb as he routinely raised the flags.

The All Blacks didn’t lose to the top tier’s only unbeaten team this year but they lost a Test series at home and they suffered a first ever home defeat to Argentina. Coach Ian Foster’s job was on the line as they came into the Rugby Championship on the back foot.

When they were well beaten by the Boks in Mbombela the writing appeared to be on the wall for Foster. By the time they suffered a first ever loss at home to Argentina the men in even darker suits had declared Foster’s job safe.

There were times though when the All Blacks served a reminder of what they are still capable of. They won the Rugby Championship after all.

Their win at Ellis Park said as much about their resolve as the Springboks’ ability to get ahead of themselves in selection.

That rebound win was followed by another in Auckland against Argentina as the first match in a sequence of seven unbeaten matches at the tail end of the year.

The Springboks with eight wins from 13 finished with a return similar to that of last season, though they now find themselves in a vastly different space than the end of the year they emerged from lockdown hibernation.

While winning was an extreme priority last year, the Boks were allowed to develop depth this year. It compromised results but the upshot is they’ve increased their options not just in selection but in their battle plan. No-one can accuse the Boks of being one dimensional at the back end of their season.

The continued rise of Damian Willemse and the emergence of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Manie Libbok have given Bok supporters much to look forward to, as does the return of several heavy hitters who weren’t part of the end of year tour.