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All Blacks ahead of pack
New Zealand ended the year in their traditional position at the summit of world rugby but several sides could look back on 2004 with satisfaction.
New Zealand ended the year in their traditional position at the summit of world rugby but several sides could look back on 2004 with satisfaction.
Whereas once the three southern hemisphere giants (South Africa, Australia and New Zealand) comfortably outstripped their traditional European rivals (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France), competition amongst the sport's oldest and still leading nations generally intensified.
Meanwhile Argentina's win over France — in the Six Nations champions' once impregnable fortress of Marseille — in November strengthened the Pumas growing case for inclusion in an expanded Tri-Nations.
But the gap between the elite and the rest looked as wide as ever.
During one November weekend, Romania were thrashed 66-7 by Wales, Scotland — struggling to beat anyone of note — overwhelmed Japan 100-8 and world champions England disposed of Canada 70-0.
The IRB announced a package of financial assistance and support but it was hard to see how any of the 'minnows' would improve without an increased diet of international matches, an unappealing prospect for leading players worried by 'burn-out' in an already congested programme.
