Cup yet to run over, warns Woodward

Clive Woodward

Sir Clive Woodward has warned New Zealanders to hold off passing judgment on this current All Black side until they have proved themselves at the World Cup.

The outgoing Lions coach made clear his admiration for Graham Henry's team but said it would be prudent to not get carried away just yet.

It wasn't a case of sour grapes. Woodward was right to preach caution, having seen his own former England side put a run of wins together only to come tumbling down when the pressure really came on.

He also suggested that the gulf in talent is an illusion. If the Lions had come down here in the middle of the Northern season rather than at the end of a brutal war of attrition, they might have toppled the All Blacks.

It was a bit fanciful. But then again everything Sir Clive has uttered on this trip has been tainted with spin and half-truths.

But there is some validity to his opinion that the World Cup is the ultimate judge of a team's ability.

"I don't think there is a gulf," reckoned Sir Clive. "And all I would say, and I say this in a positive way, is to warn New Zealanders to be reflective. The only time you can really judge teams like New Zealand, in my opinion, is when you got to a World Cup.

"The best-prepared teams tend to win, the teams that have been together the longest tend to win. You have a situation here with the New Zealand team and the same group of players have been together since the last World Cup. They weren't successful but they are now moving on. There is no difference between the North and South if you are on a level playing field. When you are with the Lions you have to take short cuts.

"I would just caution a warning to the New Zealand team because you have your good days. But when I see them go through the quarter-finals, semifinals and win the World Cup, that's the time to celebrate.

"Because it is a very tough tournament and reputations can be destroyed in one game."

That wasn't the only thing he was adamant about. Woodward insisted he would not have done anything differently if given his time as Lions coach again. He defended the number of players he took and even suggested, in all seriousness, that maybe he should have taken more and played games on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Was it tongue in cheek? Possibly, but Sir C has had some whacky ideas.

Thinking he could win out here by playing tight, imaginative rugby was one. Thinking he could give his test team one run before Christchurch was another.

Good luck with Southampton Clive. God knows you need it.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY