#360Rugby: North can tour with confidence, Jaguares frustrate

NOTHERN HEMISPHERE CAN TRAVEL WITH CONFIDENCE IN JUNE

It’s funny what a difference two weeks can make in professional sport.

After some lackluster early-tournament form, Ireland head to South Africa buoyed by a record decimation of Italy and a rousing win over resurgent Scotland. Of particular concern to the Springboks will be former SA U-20 captain CJ Stander’s outstanding contribution with ball in hand, the solid scrummaging of Jack McGrath and Conor Murray’s sniping runs.

Scotland will set sail for 2019 World Cup hosts Japan with a new-found ability to play enterprising rugby and score tries. John Hardie was arguably the find of the tournament with his superlative breakdown skills providing quick ball for the likes of Stuart Hogg, who has developed into one of the world’s most dangerous counter-attacking full-backs.

Wales’ tour of New Zealand will be a fascinating affair with Kiwi coach Warren Gatland keen to put a disappointing second-place finish to bed with at least one win against his countrymen. While his forwards still need to improve their physicality, Jamie Roberts and George North have proved themselves as match-winners.

As Grand Slam champions England now have extra pressure to produce match-winning performances Down Under. World Cup finalists Australia will be no pushovers at home but England should feel disappointed with anything else than a series win, with no real weakness from 1-22.

JAGUARES LACK OF DEFENCE FRUSTRATING

After an encouraging start to life in Super Rugby the team from Argentina won over many fans with their unexpectedly ambitious style of play.

However Super Rugby’s great entertainers must now bring their defence up to seed with their attack, or they will never fulfill their potential as a team capable of making the play-offs (which they easily are).

While Matías Moroni’s try against the Cheifs was spectacular, it was quickly undermined by a weak defensive line that robbed the Super Rugby newboys of a deserved victory.

As it happened the New Zealanders did not need a second invitation to stage an almighty comeback, and eventually took the game 30-26 in Buenos Aires.

The Argentineans must now look to veteran duo Martin Landajo and Nicolas Sanchez to provide more structure at key moments and give their raucous 25,000 home fans something to really cheer about.

SARACENS LEARNING THAT LIFE IS TOUGH AT THE TOP

The business-model Saracens employed to rise to the top of English domestic rugby has in many ways become a victim of its own success.

Bring in foreign talent to provide good results in the short-term, while nurturing local, academy talent through to fill their places in the first team.

As many as eight Saracens players have been absent from club duty during the 2016 Six Nations and results have been mediocre for last year’s champions during this period.

While many Premiership teams will take an enormous amount of pleasure in the Londoners’ recent strife, Leicester Tigers will perhaps be the most smug, given that another team will now understand what they have been going through over the past decade.

However the upshot for Saracens is that the Six Nations has not injured any of their stars, who should have improved as a result of their international exposure.

With an all-international second-row to combined with arguably the world’s best number eight to pick from now, it may be Saracens who have the last laugh yet.

RESTORATION OF DUBAI EXILES COMPLETE

The oldest club in the UAE was behind the creation of the now world-famous Dubai Rugby Sevens, but while the tournament has gone on to greatness, its founders have fallen on hard times in recent years.

That all changed at the weekend though when a 92-22 beating of Dubai rivals Hurricanes saw them claim the West Asia Championship title.

And, while much has been made of the raft of new arrivals that followed new director of rugby Jacques Benade to the club in the summer, including former Italy A fly-half Durandt Gerber, Stinson is just one of many reminders that while they may be new and improved, Exiles have been forged from the disappointment and despair of previous years.

“When you have a nucleus of boys who know where the club’s been it helps to grind in the new boys and tell them this is what it means to us, so they buy into it,” said Exiles prop Kristian Stinson. “It’s good for a club of this stature, with this heritage, to have gone through dark days to end as West Asia Champions. It’s unbelievable. When you see where we were last year, we were playing Gulf Conference rugby.”

EXTRA TIME

There is nothing more embarrassing on a rugby field than falling for a dummy whether you are a professional or Saturday morning amateur. However when the dummy in question was through the legs and the defender is literally left chasing air, that is a different case. Henry Slade is a prodigious talent and England fans can expect this from the youngster in a white shirt soon.