• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

International Team of the Decade

Iversen, England probably are an improved side since the late 90's. Remember in 98' they went on the tour from hell and lost 76-0 to Australia etc. Since then they've done all that Mite said, and in that period were the dominant force of not just NH rugby, but world rugby. While Argentina's achievements were indeed impressive, I'd have England ahead of them.Here's mine:

1) New Zealand (Obv)
2) England (from 00-04 they were untouchable)
3) South Africa (Since 07' they've been the team to beat)
4) Australia (Consistant, while not quite scaling the heights of the top 3)
5) France (5-8 could be in any order, but they've had great players and teams throughout)
6) Ireland ( 2nd most consistant team of the decade. Should have more to show. Sigh)
7) Wales ( Great for two seasons, a bit crap for the rest. A form team if there ever was one.)
8) Argentina ( Great world cup in 07' but didn't follow it up. Need an international competition to be moved higher up)
9) Italy (Just becasue they're a real success story for rugby)
10) Scotland ( Came in as 6 nation champs and left without anything to show for a poor, poor decade. Must do better in the 10s)
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 10 2010, 03:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Iversen, England probably are an improved side since the late 90's. Remember in 98' they went on the tour from hell and lost 76-0 to Australia etc. Since then they've done all that Mite said, and in that period were the dominant force of not just NH rugby, but world rugby. While Argentina's achievements were indeed impressive, I'd have England ahead of them.Here's mine:

1) New Zealand (Obv)
2) England (from 00-04 they were untouchable)
3) South Africa (Since 07' they've been the team to beat)
4) Australia (Consistant, while not quite scaling the heights of the top 3)
5) France (5-8 could be in any order, but they've had great players and teams throughout)
6) Ireland ( 2nd most consistant team of the decade. Should have more to show. Sigh)
7) Wales ( Great for two seasons, a bit crap for the rest. A form team if there ever was one.)
8) Argentina ( Great world cup in 07' but didn't follow it up. Need an international competition to be moved higher up)
9) Italy (Just becasue they're a real success story for rugby)
10) Scotland ( Came in as 6 nation champs and left without anything to show for a poor, poor decade. Must do better in the 10s)[/b]

Yeah okay, then maybe putting England 2nd.....fine. But your comparing them to a side you put 8th, lol! I'd at least have them in front of Wales.

England untouchable from 00-04? They won a few more than they currently do, but untouchable?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 9 2010, 02:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Iversen, England probably are an improved side since the late 90's. Remember in 98' they went on the tour from hell and lost 76-0 to Australia etc. Since then they've done all that Mite said, and in that period were the dominant force of not just NH rugby, but world rugby. While Argentina's achievements were indeed impressive, I'd have England ahead of them.Here's mine:

1) New Zealand (Obv)
2) England (from 00-04 they were untouchable)
3) South Africa (Since 07' they've been the team to beat)
4) Australia (Consistant, while not quite scaling the heights of the top 3)
5) France (5-8 could be in any order, but they've had great players and teams throughout)
6) Ireland ( 2nd most consistant team of the decade. Should have more to show. Sigh)
7) Wales ( Great for two seasons, a bit crap for the rest. A form team if there ever was one.)
8) Argentina ( Great world cup in 07' but didn't follow it up. Need an international competition to be moved higher up)
9) Italy (Just becasue they're a real success story for rugby)
10) Scotland ( Came in as 6 nation champs and left without anything to show for a poor, poor decade. Must do better in the 10s)[/b]

I could say that if you did a team of the decade for the 90s England would (along with France) still be right up there and streets ahead of the rest of the NH. The tour of hell was, in fairness, the equivalent of the Saxons also. Fact is, England won 3 grand slams and one other 5 Nations in the 90s, plus coming second in most other years. They also reached a world cup final, semi and quarter... and were competing with the SH in the AIs toward the end of the decade.

As far as Argentina are concerned - they've achieved a lot considering where they came from, but so have Wales. In total though they've not done very much at all.

The thing about England is that we, our media, and the rest of rugby say we're crap when we're not performing at the top of the international tree. The last 3 years have been the first time in my lifetime when England have been such a long way off the best international sides. But actually, the lowest we go is mid-table 6N and stuffings from the Springboks. If you do a comparison - we still give the SH a good game most of the time, even now. If we lose a game to Wales/ Scotland/ Ireland, it is nearly always a close run thing hinging on a few small errors/ bits of outstanding opposition play. Contrast that to low points for other teams, and you'll see them getting absolutely battered - when we do beat Wales, for example, we usually put 40 points on them.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 10 2010, 12:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
The Noughties:

1. New Zealand (o/all domination, Tri Nations x 6 (1 Grand Slam), Multiple Grand Slam Tours, Grand Slam Lions Series)
2. England (1 World Cup, 1 WC finals, 3 Six-nations (1 GS), & Grand slam tours)
3. South Africa (1 World Cup, 3 Tri-Nations, 2-1 Lions Series)
4. France (2 Grand Slams, 2 Six nations)
5. Ireland (1 6N Grand Slam)
5. Australia (Bledisloe Cup, WC Final)
7. Wales (2 6N Grand Slams)

8. Argentina (WC 3rd place)
9. Scotland (Calcutta Cup)[/b]
Fixed - giving greater emphasis to consistency. Outside of their two slams, Wales have been dire. Ireland and Aus I reckon are neck and neck.

Plus you can't credit England twice for the 03 final!

Player of the decade - you know who.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shtove @ Jan 9 2010, 08:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 10 2010, 12:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Noughties:
4. France (2 Grand Slams, 2 Six nations)
5. Ireland (1 6N Grand Slam)
5. Australia (Bledisloe Cup, WC Final)
7. Wales (2 6N Grand Slams)

8. Argentina (WC 3rd place)
9. Scotland (Calcutta Cup)[/b]
Fixed - giving greater emphasis to consistency. Outside of their two slams, Wales have been dire. Ireland and Aus I reckon are neck and neck.
[/b][/quote]
Ireland better then Wales over the whole decade. Epic Lul.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
Player of the decade - you know who.[/b]

Richie McCaw.

Anyone who says otherwise is a biased Irishman.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 10 2010, 08:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Ireland better then Wales over the whole decade. Epic Lul.[/b]
Ireland won 36 6N matches out of 50, equal with France who won 4 championships and better than the mighty England on 33.

Wales? 23. Outside of the slam seasons, Wales won 13 out of 40.

Biblical Lul.
 
Yet they acomplished over the whole decade....

And took how many SH scalps...

Over the whole decade, Ireland only had success for 1 year. And even then they bumbled and needed O'Driscoll dragging them to wins despite the whole squad metaphorically kicking and screaming they couldn't do it.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 10 2010, 08:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Yet they acomplished over the whole decade....

And took how many SH scalps...

Over the whole decade, Ireland only had success for 1 year. And even then they bumbled and needed O'Driscoll dragging them to wins despite the whole squad metaphorically kicking and screaming they couldn't do it.[/b]
I say consistency. You say trophy.

I suspect I'm going to be more in agreement with you over the next two years.

When you say SH scalps, you mean match wins in the SH? Otherwise, Ireland have plenty of them tied to their belt - unlike Wales.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 9 2010, 08:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Yet they acomplished over the whole decade....

And took how many SH scalps...[/b]

Wales won 2 games this decade against Australia 0 against the All Blacks and 0 against the Bokke according to Scrumstats.

Ireland won 2 against Australia and 3 against South Africa.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 9 2010, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 9 2010, 08:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yet they acomplished over the whole decade....

And took how many SH scalps...[/b]

Wales won 2 games this decade against Australia 0 against the All Blacks and 0 against the Bokke according to Scrumstats.

Ireland won 2 against Australia and 3 against South Africa.
[/b][/quote]


Oh, alright. My mistake.

Still in terms of accomplishments, Ireland have found themselves as the slightly overweight bridesmaid more often over the decade then the main talking point compared to the Welsh. Consistently bettered by someone else over year except 2009.
 
Agree with you Mite, while 2009 will be remembered fondly a few years down the line, the "noughties" will be remembered as a big improvement on the '90s, but still with the players we had we should have won much more than we did, Triple Crowns are only worth winning as part of the Grandslam these days.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 10 2010, 09:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Agree with you Mite, while 2009 will be remembered fondly a few years down the line, the "noughties" will be remembered as a big improvement on the '90s, but still with the players we had we should have won much more than we did, Triple Crowns are only worth winning as part of the Grandslam these days.[/b]
Yes, true.

But worse than Wales! :huh:
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 9 2010, 08:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 9 2010, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bullitt @ Jan 9 2010, 08:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yet they acomplished over the whole decade....

And took how many SH scalps...[/b]

Wales won 2 games this decade against Australia 0 against the All Blacks and 0 against the Bokke according to Scrumstats.

Ireland won 2 against Australia and 3 against South Africa.
[/b][/quote]


Oh, alright. My mistake.

Still in terms of accomplishments, Ireland have found themselves as the slightly overweight bridesmaid more often over the decade then the main talking point compared to the Welsh. Consistently bettered by someone else over year except 2009.
[/b][/quote]
Meh, suppose you're right, but Wales have had alot of success in the past while we haven't so of course we're going to judge the decade as a huge success. In comparison, ya know?


And Who are you callin' overweight? We're curvy at most.
 
On this whole Wales-Ireland thing:

Wales can be great, but are mostly dire at best.
Ireland can be great, but are mostly very good at best.

Now Ireland are great and it doesn't look set to change. Sure we won two Grand Slams, but that means nothing since our form barely extended into the following year.

I agree with Mite's list, except move Ireland and Australia above Wales.
 
this is how i'd put it

NZ - 6 Tri Nations, 2 Grand Slam NH Tours, 1 Lions Series, 3rd place 03 WC
South Africa - 2 Tri Nations, 1 World Cup,
England - 3 Six Nations (1 grand slam), 1 World Cup, 2nd place in 07 WC
France - 4 Six Nations (2 grand slams),
Australia - 2 Tri Nations, 1 Lions Series, 2nd place 03 WC
Wales - 2 Six Nations (2 grand slams)
Ireland - 1 Six Nations (grand slam)
Argentina - 3rd Place at 07 world cup
Scotland
Fiji

i'd put south africa over england because winning the six nations wasn't that big a deal until 2002/03 when france and england started to get up there with the worlds best, I remember when england beating australia was considered to be a huge upset.

but this is all an improvement for rugby from the 90's where there were only 3 teams that were considered to have a chance of winning a world cup. so hopefully it will keep improving. Italy look to be coming up like Argentina, so maybe they will be a force during this decade.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Muzzy @ Jan 10 2010, 03:22 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
this is how i'd put it

NZ - 6 Tri Nations, 2 Grand Slam NH Tours, 1 Lions Series, 3rd place 03 WC
South Africa - 2 Tri Nations, 1 World Cup,
England - 3 Six Nations (1 grand slam), 1 World Cup, 2nd place in 07 WC
France - 4 Six Nations (2 grand slams),
Australia - 2 Tri Nations, 1 Lions Series, 2nd place 03 WC
Wales - 2 Six Nations (2 grand slams)
Ireland - 1 Six Nations (grand slam)
Argentina - 3rd Place at 07 world cup
Scotland
Fiji

i'd put south africa over england because winning the six nations wasn't that big a deal until 2002/03 when france and england started to get up there with the worlds best, I remember when england beating australia was considered to be a huge upset.

but this is all an improvement for rugby from the 90's where there were only 3 teams that were considered to have a chance of winning a world cup. so hopefully it will keep improving. Italy look to be coming up like Argentina, so maybe they will be a force during this decade.[/b]
:mellow:



:huh:
 

Latest posts

Top