Editorial: No substitute for maturity in our sports

Few years have carried a greater sporting allure than that nearing its end. The defence of yachting's biggest prize beckoned, as did tilts at rugby's World Cup and the world netball championships. Hopes were high that all three would fall New Zealand's way. In the end the year's scorecard read one triumph and two humiliations. Ironically, it was the much-maligned Silver Ferns who came up trumps, providing the tasty filling between the tartness of Team New Zealand alternately self-destructing and being destroyed, and the All Blacks suffering a crushing semi-final defeat.

One thread connected these three outcomes, and provided one major lesson. This was all about the importance of experience. Team NZ sought to defend the America's Cup for a second time with a crew and support team that boasted too little of it. Of course, it had no choice. The squad that won the trophy and then defended it was decimated by defections, most notably those of Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth to the victorious Alinghi syndicate. The outcome was, in many respects, inevitable.

There was no such excuse for the All Blacks. Coach John Mitchell opted deliberately for youth, dispensing with the experience of the likes of Andrew Mehrtens and Christian Cullen. He gambled that, in a tight corner, his talented tyros would have the character to compensate for their inexperience. In the cauldron of the World Cup, his punt failed. Bizarrely, he turned to lamenting their lack of maturity. Inevitably, also, he was soon replaced by Graham Henry.

It was no coincidence that the World Cup was claimed by an England team that had soldiered through enough campaigns to earn the nickname "Dad's Army" from their detractors. There were parallels between them and the triumphant Silver Ferns. Like England, the netballers had come through a tonne of tribulations. They, however, had an even sterner task, having developed a habit of losing major finals by a goal or two to stronger-minded Australian opponents.

In Jamaica the boot was on the other foot. There was no shortage of experience in players such as Anna Rowberry, Irene Van Dyk and Lesley Nicol. There might, however, have been shortcomings in preparation and a shortage of self-belief. These deficiencies were remedied by a new coach, Ruth Aitken, whose cool demeanour found its way onto the court.

Aitken's achievement silenced yet again those who query the importance of the coach. It is a question that carried a particular resonance with the appointment of John Bracewell to the Black Caps. His coaching record includes fine achievements with Gloucestershire in English cricket. His task is to transplant the Bristol formula into a New Zealand side that has traditionally thrived in the one-day version of the game, but in recent years has been far more effective in test cricket. Yet again last year, the Black Caps flattered then folded at the World Cup. Like Mitchell with the All Blacks, Bracewell has been accorded wide powers. There can be few excuses if the Black Caps continue to stutter and stumble.

As in most years, there were successes for New Zealanders abroad in many sports - and the promise of more to come. Scott Dixon won the Indy Racing League in the United States in his debut season and seems on course to join the grand prix circuit. If he finds a place in a competitive team, it would be a huge fillip; it is too long since we gloried in the exploits of Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme.

There was also a pointer to success at the Athens Olympics in the shape of Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell. Winning a world double sculls title for the second successive year establishes them as the favourite in that event. More important still, their record of achievement suggests little will distract or disorient them in Greece. In sum, they have accrued the experience to succeed. There is no substitute for that, as New Zealand sport learned in 2003.