Rugby World Cup disaster, Kiwis maintain proud tradition

The dream is over. The Wallabies much trumpeted charge at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France came to an abrupt, and unexpected end overnight, losing 12-10 to England. It was a mesy effort from Australia, and it looked like England clearly wanted it more.

The Marseille meltdown will be felt for a long time in Aussie rugby. First of all, coach John Connolly has left on a sour note, and Wallaby stalwarts Geroge Gregan and Steven Larkham have been farewelled in the most underwhelming manner possible. Not only that, but ARU CEO John O'neill's comment earlier in the week that "we all hate England" could so easily now mean "we all hate losing to England".

Of course, things looked up for the ARU when raging hot, unbackable, walk-up start favourites New Zealand bottled it a few hours later against France in Cardiff. No doubt the Land of the long white cloud is today the land of the long white flag, with the All Blacks seemingly destined to remain stuck on a solitary world cup triumph. You've gotta feel for them though, and here's my advice for Kiwi rugby fans for the next for years, and follow it to the letter, because it another four years, it'll help dull the pain.


But what does this mean for the rest of the Cup? Well, for a start, it puts to the sword any hopes of a southern hemisphere quadrella of finalists, and it puts some serious doubts on a southern winner, with the antipodean representatives the flambouyant and unpredictable Fijians, the plucky Argentinians, and my least favourite team ever, South Africa. So come on Fiji and Argentina! But I'll tip France to get over over South Africa in final.