Talking Points

A spotlight on the hot topics at Rugby World Cup 2011. The worm may not have turned completely, but the smaller nations certainly signalled an improvement in fortunes during the opening weekend of Rugby World Cup 2011. One of the most notable features so far has been the performance of the so-called minnows, who ran the sport's major teams closer than ever before at this stage. The biggest win of the weekend was New Zealand's 41-10 victory over Tonga on opening night but there has always been a match with a larger winning margin in one of the opening eight fixtures of the first six Rugby World Cups. At RWC 2007, half of the first weekend's matches ended with margins of at least 45 points, headed by Australia's 91-3 victory over a second-string Japan team who were saving their best players for their encounter with Fiji four days later. Four years earlier, it was a similar story with half of the first eight matches being won by at least 40 points and the closest encounter coming on opening night as Australia beat Argentina 24-8. Contrast that with RWC 2011, where we have witnessed the excitement of victories by a single point (South Africa 17, Wales 16) and four points (Argentina 9, England 13). The average winning margin across all matches in the first three days was just 17 points, the lowest ever in the first eight fixtures, and less than half the figure of four years ago. Romania impress Japan, Italy and USA, who have been on the receiving end of some serious hidings in previous World Cups, gave their lofty opponents a scare before eventually succumbing. But Romania's 34-24 defeat by Scotland was perhaps the most impressive performance by one of the smaller teams against major opposition. Despite their eventual defeat, the result was by far Romania's best against one of the British and Irish nations at a Rugby World Cup and their best in any international against those four teams for 17 years, since a 22-15 defeat by England in 1994. Just under 10 years ago, Romania conceded 20 tries in losing 134-0 against England, their heaviest international defeat. The two teams play each other for the first time since that match in a Pool B fixture on Saturday, 24 September, which will be another opportunity to gauge Romania's progress since that ignominious afternoon. The closer results so far at RWC 2011, and the more compelling spectacles that go with them, are an indication that increased funding for smaller unions from the International Rugby Board is helping to level the playing field. Note should also be made of how many players representing those unions are also getting invaluable experience by plying their trade as professionals in the top-tier tournaments in Europe and Oceania. The point is not lost on the rugby superpowers. As South Africa coach Peter de Villiers prepared his team to face Fiji, he said on Monday: “The days that you had minnows in the World Cup are over.”