Jul
20
In any other year the Tri-Nations is the premier international rugby tournament where the world’s best players go head-to-head. 2011 though is a World Cup year, thus the Tri-Nations serves more as a prelude to the autumn showpiece. That doesn’t meant the intensity levels will be any less though. The teams will want to set out their stalls ahead of the World Cup and gain a psychological edge over their rivals. Players will also be fighting hard to guarantee their spot in their respective squads for the World Cup.
New Zealand (2/5 to win the Tri-Nations) are rightly favourites for the tournament. They are the defending champions and won every game last year. New Zealand have been the best side in the world for at least the last eighteen months andhave won this tournament ten times since its inception in 1996.
New Zealand have star players in abundance. Their two icons, captain Richie McCaw and fly-half Dan Carter, will go down as all-time greats and they are ably supported by the vastly experienced Mils Muilaina, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock. They also have emerging talent like Sonny Bill-Williams who is coming off the back of a fantastic Super Rugby season and will give coach Graham Henry a selection dilemma at centre, where the veteran partnership of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith is being challenged.
South Africa (6/1 to win the Tri-Nations) had a tournament to forget last year. One win from the six games and shipping 22 tries in the process left the South African team to face some heavy criticism at home. The Springboks won’t want to head into a World Cup in such disappointing fashion and will be aiming to win both home fixtures while giving their opponents something to think about in the away ties at the very least.
They have been criticised for sending a weakened squad to Australia and New Zealand holding their big names back for the home fixtures. However Jake White, South Africa‘s coach in 2007, employed the same tactics and went on to win the World Cup. The inexperienced squad face a tough test in their first game in Sydney, a venue the Boks have not emerged triumphant from since 1993.
Australia (3/1 to win the Tri-Nations) are on a high after the Reds won the Super Rugby final. The Wallabies haven’t won the Tri-Nations for a decade but there’s not better time than a World Cup year to break that record. Australia lost to Samoa for the first time last week but it was an inexperienced team and big names such as Quade Cooper and James O’Connor return to the squad for the Tri-Nations. Cooper was the leading scorer in this year’s Super Rugby season and Australia will rely on his attacking flair to be the creative force. Paired with his Reds teammate Will Genia at scrum-half, the duo are as good as any half-back pairing in the world.
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