Most rugby union purist will tell you that they don't really go by stats as they claim it is not the true reflection of the sport and that those details don't tell us is what is actually happening.
For example England statistically is called the best performing team ever in the 7 World Cups since its inception,but looking at the way they play their rugby you'd be forgiven if you started laughing at that observation. One thing is for certain and that is that stats don't lie. So lets look at the last 5 years between June 2007 and June 2012 and see for ourselves SANZAR's utter dominance in World Rugby.
1.New Zealand-June 2007 to June 2010(3 year period) Against the Six Nations tournament rugby nations(excluding Italy),New Zealand had been the most impressive of the Southern Hemisphere Super Powers and the most consistent in beating their Northern counterparts. All Blacks vs. England P4 W4=100% win record. All Blacks vs. France P4 W2 L2=50% win record. All Blacks vs.. Ireland P3 W3=100% win record. All Blacks vs. Wales P3 W3=100% win record. So the All Blacks have had a 87% win rate against the Northern Hemisphere rugby nations at the end of June 2010.
2.South Africa-June 2007 to June 2010 Springboks vs. England P3 W3=100% win record. Springboks vs. France P2 W1 L1=50% win record Springboks vs. Ireland P1 W0 L1=0% win record Springboks vs. Scotland P2 W2=100% win record Springboks vs. Wales P5 W5=100% win record So South Africa has had a 84.62% winning margin against Six Nations opposition at the end of June 2010.
3.Australia-June 2007 to June 2010 Wallabies vs. England P3 W2 L1=66.7% win record Wallabies vs. France P4 W4 =100% win record Wallabies vs. Ireland P2 W0 L1 D1=0% win record Wallabies vs. Wales P3 W2 L1= 66.7% win record Wallabies vs. Scotland P1 W0 L1=0% win record Australia has had a 61.5% winning margin against Six Nation opposition at the end of the June tests in 2010.
How do the stats read since June 2010 up until last week June 16,2012?
1.New Zealand vs. England P1 W1=100% win record France P2 W2=100% win record Ireland P3 W3=100% win record Scotland P1 W1=100% win record Wales P2 W2=100% win record A 100 % winning record for the All Blacks!
2.South Africa vs. England P3 W3=100% win record France P1 W1=100% win record Ireland P1 W1=100% win record Scotland P1 L1=0% Wales P2 W2=100% win record 87.5% winning record for the Springboks.
3.Australia vs. England P1 L1=0% France P1 W1=100% win record Ireland P2 W1 L1=50% win record Scotland P1 L1=0% Wales P5 W5=100% win record 70% winning margin for the Wallabies over Northern Hemisphere opposition. Over the past 5 years from June 2007 until last weekend,New Zealand has a 92% winning ratio against Northern Hemisphere opposition,South Africa came in at second with a 85% winning margin and Australia fared the worst of the Big Three with a 68% winning margin.
What about the Six Nation teams or Northern Hemisphere?
England currently has a 20% winning margin against the Tri-Nations opposition,France are down at 0%,Ireland has a 16% winning margin currently,Scotland is the highest rated of them all with a 67% win rate and Wales are like France down at 0% winning margin against Southern Hemisphere opposition.
Of the 72 tests played between June 2007 and June 2012,the SANZAR nations had won an incredible 59 test or an 81.9% winning ratio. Scotland,the worst performer in the Six Nations,has the best winning record against the Southern Hemisphere rugby nations. Wales,on the other hand is the best performer in the Six Nations,but has the worst record against the Southern Hemisphere nations.Wierd that is in'it?
Traditionally South Africa over the years has had the best record against the Six Nations opposition,having won a Grand Slam tour 4 times and it was only recently that this record of the Boks had been equalled by New Zealand in 2010-a feat of 4 tour wins over the Home Nations. Australia has only ever won the Grand Slam tour once in its entire history which was in 1984.South Africa stands alone as being the only Southern Hemisphere nation that has won a Grand Slam tour twice that included France alongside the Home Nations.That took place in 1912/13 and again in 1951/52.However the only true consistent performer in both home and away matches had been New Zealand.
References: 1.www.statsguru.espnrugby.com. 2.Skysports.com 3.BBC/sport.com
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