MELBOURNE: International rugby has never been more competitive and all of the game’s top 10 teams are in contention for next year’s World Cup in France, according to Australia attacking coach Scott Wisemantel .
Wisemantel has been at the heart of the competition in recent weeks, watching a resurgent Argentina crush their Wallabies side and then stun three-time world champions New Zealand in back-to-back Rugby Championship Tests.
The southern hemisphere tournament remains open as the top Pumas meet the All Blacks in Hamilton on Saturday and second-placed Australia seek another victory against reigning world champions South Africa in Sydney.
“It’s tough for the coaches,” Wisemantel told reporters of the seesaw competition.
“But that’s good. It actually means that as the next World Cup approaches, every country in this top 10 has a chance.”
Nations in the southern hemisphere have won every World Cup apart from England’s 2003 triumph in Australia, but the northern hemisphere has gained ascendancy in the post-COVID era.
England traveled to Australia to beat the Wallabies 2-1 in their July series, while Ireland snatched the top world ranking from Six Nations champions France by beating the All Blacks 2-1 , posting their first wins over the hosts on New Zealand soil.
“The results are so varied. The styles are varied. It’s an exciting time,” added Wisemantel, former assistant coach of England’s Eddie Jones.
“So it’s a good time for rugby.”
Australia’s 25-17 victory over South Africa in Adelaide last Saturday also raised hopes among fans that Dave Rennie’s sixth-ranked Wallabies in the world could yet become a force in time for the World Cup. world.
However, the result was marred slightly by two late tries in South Africa, costing the Wallabies a bonus point which would have taken them top of the Rugby Championship table.
Wisemantel was “absolutely livid” by the fade, given the potential tournament implications.
“Again, it’s another part of our development as a team,” he said.
“We have to be a little more ruthless, a little more ruthless in that regard. So that’s definitely something we’ve talked about.”