Chronicle EditorPARIS. — The All Blacks and a revitalised England dominated world rugby in 2016, boding well for what could be an epic British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand next year.
Even the most optimistic observer would have bet on the All Blacks suffering after losing a combined total of 589 caps when they waved farewell to iconic skipper Richie McCaw, emblematic goal-kicking playmaker Dan Carter, Keven Mealamu, Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu after bagging a second successive World Cup in October 2015.It was that tournament in which England spectacularly underperformed, their failure to get out of their pool – the first ever by a host country – hastening the departure of Stuart Lancaster and ushering in pragmatic Australian Eddie Jones.
From different angles, the two leading sides in world rugby hit 2016 running, both ending the year with 13 Test victories.New Zealand racked up a record-equalling 18 Test wins, started in 2015, a sequence ended by a 40-29 defeat by Ireland in Chicago in November. England, for their part, finished the year undefeated, a first since 1992. — AFP.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter