New Zealand have set the standard for England and the others to follow | Eddie Butler
The autumn internationals feature eight teams from around the globe but the All Blacks stand apart
In they come, filling November at the mid-point between World Cups, eight teams from the far sides and the other end of the globe. In two years’ time we shall be four days away from knowing who the next world champion will be, and the scramble starts now to see if anyone can prevent it being yet again one of the teams about to land.
Only England in 2003 have prised the grip of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia from the Webb Ellis Cup. They do have the advantage of home as they try for a second time. The problem for the host nation of RWC 2015 is that New Zealand, victors in 2011, have kicked on since then, expanding their game, hardening the noses of their forwards, pushing back the frontiers of the known game. Their mini-series against South Africa in the Rugby Championship took rugby union to a new plane, its mesmeric qualities spoilt only by the wrongful dismissal of Bismarck du Plessis. It was to be noted that the “Bismarck is Innocent” campaign was a relatively muted affair a bit like “Dylan is a Saint” in defence of Hartley of Northampton. On the count of both hookers it was a case of, well, he is and he isn’t.