Dubai: Former New Zealand full-back Carlos Spencer says the All Blacks’ dominance at 15s level is indicative of a drop in standards of world rugby.
The Kiwis recently became the first national team to go a calendar year unbeaten in the professional era after coming back from 22-7 down at half-time against Ireland last week to win 24-22. It was their 14th win out of 14 games this year, but Spencer, who scored 291 points in 35 appearances for the All Blacks, says that phenomenal record is more to do with weak competition than greatness.
“I don’t want to take anything away from what New Zealand have achieved,” said Spencer, who is playing in this weekend’s Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens veterans invitational with J9 Foundation. “But three or four years ago Ireland would never have let the All Blacks come back and win that match. It just goes to show where world rugby is at the moment.
“Australia are nowhere near the force they were, the same as Wales and France. Apart from England and South Africa, no-one else excites me.
“Whether everyone is playing too much rugby, I don’t know, but it just doesn’t look like anyone is that excited to play Test rugby anymore.
“The competition needs to change to put bums back on seats and make it more exciting, because at the moment I think people are getting just a bit bored of it all.”
