RWC thoughts - Week Two

Oh Aussie, what have you done? You've ruined the tournament for everyone, making a likely Northern Hemisphere bracket and a Southern Hemisphere bracket. Actually, that's probably just what the IRB ordered; keeping viewership numbers high in the NH is probably key to their masterplan.

The road to the final is now paved with disaster for South Africa... or is it? Has anything really changed? By all standard logic, South Africa were always going to have to beat Australia and New Zealand to win this world cup, just not in that order or so soon in the competition. Their final, unfortunately, comes two weeks early - but on the bright side, if they can beat the SH teams, the final should be a doddle. Wales again? Bring it on.

MOST INFLUENTIAL PLAYERS - thus far

After two weeks, some unlikely heroes have stepped to the fore - new superstars to take the place of the aging McCaw's, Carters, Habanas, Giteau's ,etc.

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS

The All Blacks have to find a place for this man. Yes, his opposition have been lousy, but he has been magnificent nevertheless. They have shunted him around, from inside center to wing, but he has looked a player in a different class to everyone else on the field- immensely destructive and pure joy to watch. He has lived up to the hype, and I understand why he was such a draw in the NRL. Like Lomu before him, he makes people want to watch rugby, and young boys want to play it. Pay the man whatever he wants - he needs to stay in Rugby Union.







FRANCOIS STEYN

He showed immense promise in 2007 as a 20 yr-old RWC winner, and now that promise is finally being fulfilled. Steyn has created a selection poser for South Africa, because he is now both their best fullback and best center. At fullback, he was massive in defense and his kicks sent a rampant Wales way back into their own half almost every time they searched for territory. His try was pretty awesome too - with just a few inches of touchline to work with, he knocked two defenders aside like bowling pins, undeviated from his path.  I believe he was the chief reason SA won that game. And then, true to his Springbok experience, he was shunted into a new position for his next game and excelled at inside center. He made JdV look like a chump, as the SA backline finally got moving through his rampaging runs and beautiful long passes. It takes a monster of a man to drag three Fijian defenders around the field, but that was par for the course for a Steyn run. He is SA's secret sauce and is key to their retaining their title. Where to play him? He gets more ball at center and creates tries. That's probably more valuable than kicking SA out of trouble.

SAM WARBURTON

I'd never heard of this guy, but apparently he is the captain of Wales. And rightly so. He was immense against the Boks - destroying them in the tackle and robbing them at the breakdown. He's pretty big and strong for an opensider, and his link play around the park reminds me of Ritchie McCaw - only better. (Well, thus far...) McCaw has been pretty special for many years now, and it is probably too soon to judge Warburton against him, but my initial reaction is total respect. I think he's the best player the NH has produced in years - a flanker with the mongrel and skill to mix it with the Boks and Samoans... pretty impressive. He was a little quieter against Samoa, but still popped up with some really important turnovers and tackles. If Wales go anywhere in this tournament, it will be on the back of Warburton.


SEAN O'BRIEN

He won European Player of the Year, and there's no doubting why. In an aging team, this guy is a revelation for Ireland. Sure, Pocock wasn't around to keep him in check, but he was everywhere against the struggling Aussies, and they'll be cursing his name for years to come if they are knocked out early from this RWC. Like Warburton, he is the complete package: he tackles, he steals, he makes rampaging runs - he's what Pierre Spies would be if he could actually play rugby. I'm looking forward to watching his progress through the tournament, and again, like Warburton, if Ireland have a hope, it rests with him.


Final thoughts: open-side flankers are like rugby gold. Without a great one, your team just can't compete. Look at the difference Brussow makes to SA (compare 2009 season to 2010 - champions in one, chumps in the next). Likewise, Aussies lost because they missed Pocock, NZ look weak with McCaw, Namibia look dangerous with Jacques Burger, Warburton, O'Brien, etc. I used to think flyhalves were critical. No, it's the opensiders.