As the Autumn Nations Series looms, former All Blacks standout Stephen Donald has pinpointed South Africa, New Zealand, and France as the front-runners in the international rugby scene. With the latest World Rugby rankings placing the Springboks at the helm followed by the All Blacks and France, the stage is set for some thrilling end-of-year Tests.
South Africa reclaimed their top spot after a commanding performance against the All Blacks in Wellington, handing New Zealand one of their most substantial defeats on record. This victory shook up the standings, which saw the All Blacks momentarily dip below Ireland in the rankings. However, victories against Argentina and Australia helped New Zealand to bounce back, positioning them just behind South Africa, with France trailing in fourth place.
Stephen Donald, speaking on The Aftermatch with Kirst & Beav, didn't shy away from asserting the dominance of these three teams.
"You’ve got the Boks and the All Blacks, who I think are out there, if not in the top two, they’re in the top three together. And then there’s France. And then I think there’s just a little bit of a gap,"
he commented, highlighting a distinct tier at the pinnacle of international rugby.
The discussion also turned to Ireland, who despite their strong recent performances against New Zealand, was not included in Donald's top three. He acknowledged the potential for his opinions to be proven wrong in the upcoming Test in Chicago, especially given Ireland's historic win against the All Blacks at the same venue in 2016.
With the absence of Johnny Sexton, Donald spotlighted Jamison Gibson-Park as a critical figure for Ireland. "It’s one of our finest exports and one of the greatest rugby stories of probably the last decade," he praised, emphasizing Gibson-Park’s elevated role in the absence of seasoned players. He further stressed the importance of disrupting Ireland’s set-piece to throw off their game, a tactic he deems crucial for the All Blacks in their upcoming clash.
The international rugby landscape remains fiercely competitive as teams gear up for the Autumn Nations Series, with strategies and player performances under intense scrutiny. As the teams prepare to face off, the insights from seasoned players like Donald add an extra layer of anticipation and strategy to the upcoming matches.
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As the Autumn Nations Series looms, former All Blacks standout Stephen Donald has pinpointed South Africa, New Zealand, and France as the front-runners in the international rugby scene. With the latest World Rugby rankings placing the Springboks at the helm followed by the All Blacks and France, the stage is set for some thrilling end-of-year Tests.
South Africa reclaimed their top spot after a commanding performance against the All Blacks in Wellington, handing New Zealand one of their most substantial defeats on record. This victory shook up the standings, which saw the All Blacks momentarily dip below Ireland in the rankings. However, victories against Argentina and Australia helped New Zealand to bounce back, positioning them just behind South Africa, with France trailing in fourth place.
Stephen Donald, speaking on The Aftermatch with Kirst & Beav, didn't shy away from asserting the dominance of these three teams.
"You’ve got the Boks and the All Blacks, who I think are out there, if not in the top two, they’re in the top three together. And then there’s France. And then I think there’s just a little bit of a gap,"
he commented, highlighting a distinct tier at the pinnacle of international rugby.The discussion also turned to Ireland, who despite their strong recent performances against New Zealand, was not included in Donald's top three. He acknowledged the potential for his opinions to be proven wrong in the upcoming Test in Chicago, especially given Ireland's historic win against the All Blacks at the same venue in 2016.
With the absence of Johnny Sexton, Donald spotlighted Jamison Gibson-Park as a critical figure for Ireland. "It’s one of our finest exports and one of the greatest rugby stories of probably the last decade," he praised, emphasizing Gibson-Park’s elevated role in the absence of seasoned players. He further stressed the importance of disrupting Ireland’s set-piece to throw off their game, a tactic he deems crucial for the All Blacks in their upcoming clash.
The international rugby landscape remains fiercely competitive as teams gear up for the Autumn Nations Series, with strategies and player performances under intense scrutiny. As the teams prepare to face off, the insights from seasoned players like Donald add an extra layer of anticipation and strategy to the upcoming matches.