Eales hails stance against IRB hemisphere showpiece

SYDNEY - Australian captain John Eales has applauded New Zealand's strong stance in opposing an annual match between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Eales, the Wallaby skipper, who would be a certain selection in the Southern Hemisphere side, said he was not opposed to the general concept, but agreed with New Zealand's view that it had to be done properly or not at all.

"I think that stance from New Zealand has to be applauded in many ways, because they've basically looked at the number of games they're having next year and they've stuck to their guns. I think it's a good decision," Eales said.

International Rugby Board chairman Vernon Pugh announced last week that a global clash between the world's best players would be held each year, starting from 2002.

But the proposal was immediately scuttled when New Zealand led a Southern Hemisphere boycott of the game, saying the idea was half-baked and flew in the face of plans to prevent player burnout.

The IRB had argued that a one-off match would not affect the top players too much, but Eales said there was no point in playing the match unless it was treated seriously.

"I would think it would be a great spectacle down the track," Eales said.

"But the one thing I would say about it is that to make the game particularly significant, you need to give the teams ample preparation and play it at a real time of year for both teams.

"You just wouldn't want to see the teams thrown together and given three or seven days to prepare. I would think you would need more than that and, maybe, even a match leading up to it."

Eales also urged officials not to tamper with future Lions tours, saying the present format of playing them every 12 years was the reason they were so appealing.

The Lions, a combination of the best players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, get together every four years to tour the Southern Hemisphere. But because they rotate between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, they visit each country only once every 12 years.

The Lions' last visit to Australia was in 1989, but the amazing success of the 2001 tour and the thousands of fans who have followed it, has led to calls for more frequent visits.

But Eales said rugby officials should resist the temptation for change.

"I think it's great to be able to play against the Lions, and at the moment it's a once-in-a-career opportunity," Eales said.

"It would be good for more players to have the opportunity to do that, but also the scarcity of it makes it very special."

Former Wallaby wing David Campese said this week that he would like to see a combined Lions team compete at the World Cup, but Eales rejected the idea.

"I would hate to see us play the Lions more often at the expense of being able to play the four Home Nations," Eales said.

"I think it's very important to have the contest of country-on-country in rugby."

- REUTERS