If any top side can beat any other top side on their day...?

Question

Does that mean Argentina and Ireland are not top sides. After all Argentina have never beat the All Blacks or South Africa and Ireland has never beaten the All Blacks. To be sure to be sure to be sure...

Answer 1

stupid question

Insult to Argentina who got to the SF of the world cup.

They may not have beaten the All blacks but they at least got out of the quarter finals of the world cup. They also beat France twice which is twice more than the All Blacks did!

Answer 2

Argentina are a top side and improving. Ireland are going backwards at the rate of knots.

Yes any side can beat any other on its day. Argentina rolled France in the first game of RWC. Then the french rolled the AB's a couple of weeks later. Go figure?

Answer 3

On the day anything can happen.

Answer 4

There is a huge difference between a knockout system like the final stages of the RWC, and tests played on a yearly basis. Very often at home. At the RWC you are as good as the game you play on the day. Mostly on a neutral venue. The results at the RWC means only one thing. Who was physically and mentally the best prepared to win the game at hand. That South Africa are the world champions means they did the best at RWC. That the All Blacks are the best team in the world, could be acknowledged everywhere. Except in South Africa that is.

Answer 5

It all comes down to the game on the day

And that's the only flaw with the World Cup.

The quarter finals should also be a round robin format, but then the competition would go on forever.

I think the best way to judge a team is on the world rankings taken from matches played during the last season.

Cheers

B.