Keeping the minnows

The All Blacks weren't as clinical as you might expect in dispatching Portugal 108-13. It sounds ironic saying that, but 10 of those points were pretty avoidable, and there were a few missed passes and things, so it could easily have been closer to 150-3. Nevertheless, with the exception of an injury to Mils Muliaina, there were no injury worries on either side, and, you know what, it was a fun match to watch.

The crowd got behind Portugal, the players all seemed to enjoy it, and no-one was injured severely. There are rumours that the IRB is thinking of cutting the next World Cup to 16 teams. To be honest, I have to ask why?

The All Blacks, Boks, Australians etc. whoever the powerhouses are at the next World Cup will destroy the 16th placed team as thoroughly as the All Blacks just took the 22nd placed team to the cleaners. It's not like it will make for less one-sided matches, save it will make for less matches. But, we'd lose Fiji v Japan, one of the closest and most gripping matches of the world cup so far. We'd lose the spectacle and joy of the AB v Portugal that we've just seen. We might even miss out on Italy v Romania. Not an edifying match, but hard for a old rugby fan like me not to watch, it was tense and close, as well as brutal and ugly.

We saw the Boks sweep England aside. The scoreline was less obviously one-sided, but Portugal scored more against the best side in the world than England, traditionally a powerhouse side, managed against the 3rd placed side. It was also nice to see a match where the players, and the fans, all looked like they were having fun. RWC is a serious thing, perhaps the old farts at the top of the IRB want it all to be deadly serious, but as pure entertainment for the masses, this and Fiji v Japan would be the matches I'd show - spirited, fun, highly skilled in parts for this one, and matches they don't want us to see next time. Shame on you, IRB.

Oh, congratulations to both the All Blacks, who did, mostly, what they had to do, what everyone knew they would do, but did it with style, poise and a smile; and to Portugal who turned up, had fun, had a go and made what could have been a sterile whitewash, like Australia v Japan, into a spectacle.