Shaw thing: a loss, no matter how close or courageous, is not a victory
Writing on Rugby Heaven, Spiro Zavos argues that some commentators have gotten carried away by Australia's performance against the All Blacks in Christchurch.
"George Bernard Shaw said that he welcomed every new book on the play Hamlet because the world was one book nearer to an explanation of what the play is about.
"This aphorism came to mind this weekend when I read how the Wallabies took enough comfort from their decisive 20-10 loss to the All Blacks to be convinced that sooner rather than later they will beat them. "Sooner or later" makes more sense right now. The "sooner rather than later" theory seems tied to the notion that getting close, in terms of points, means that a victory must be close.
"This idea of a coming inevitable victory is buttressed by an unhelpful obsession by some of our rugby experts with the so-called illegalities in the game of Richie McCaw. It was noticeable that the All Blacks and McCaw contested far fewer rucks and mauls than the Wallabies with their hands. More generally they tried to counter-ruck by driving the Wallabies off the ball. The tactic worked to the extent that the Wallabies had difficulty getting fast ball from the 110 rucks they set up. Moreover, the Wallabies were able to get only three turnovers from the 70 All Blacks rucks and mauls. The All Blacks forced five turnovers."
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