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16 August 2014
Oh sure, if New Zealand wins tonight in Sydney against the Wallabies those of the NZSSA (The New Zealand Sycophantic Sportswriter's Association), will no doubt trumpet to the heavens that our famous All Blacks will have 'set a world record' of 'Tier 1' test victories in a row. But will the NZSSA's claim hold up against a deeper 'Nicky Hager' search?
If the All Blacks win they will have moved to 18 test victories in a row. They have not lost a match since the 38-21 drubbing they received from England in December 2012. (The NZSSA called the All Blacks that night 'a tired team at the end of a long season.' Wow! Deep reporting there boys and heavily insulting to England.)
But what needs to be addressed is; what about Cyprus?
This little rugby Mediterranean powerhouse has a record of sequential international test success in 2014 which is way ahead of New Zealand's.
Look at the facts; as of before the game in Sydney the (NZSSA's) claim the All Blacks have 17 test wins against 'Tier 1' countries. And yes that is impressive. But is it any better than Rugby's Cyprus's team, 'The Moufflons,' record in their current level of 23 wins on the trot?
In terms of cold facts it is not. But we all understand rugby scoring. 23 always beats 17.
As a rugby nation do we not have regard for the 'minnow's of our so-called beloved global game? I think Cyprus deserves our respect. And praise.
The Cypriot sequence of wins have all come in the European National Championship (2nd Division) run by Rugby Europe (formerly FIRA - the Federation of Rugby Amateur, founded in 1931).
Cyprus has been unbeaten since their record run began on 29 November 2008 when they beat Azerbaijan by 37-3. Since then they have beaten 'all comers' either at home in Paphos or in away matches at their level of competition. Their most recent game was a 46-13 win over Hungary in Paphos on 17 May 2014.
A look at the results tells us than they play regularly against other teams like Israel, Luxembourg, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia etc - and if those teams don't make the headlines as 'Tier 1' countries - surely they do at a lesser, but no less significant level?
It must be said that Cyprus was denied entry into the qualification play before the 2015 Rugby World Cup as they had 'not met the necessary membership criteria' to belong to the International Rugby Board. However Cyprus has been in Rugby Europe (formerly FIRA) since 2006 and Rugby Europe operates under the umbrella of the IRB! So surely to dismiss or ignore their record, as some are doing, is semantics only.
Looking at it from another direction; We would not dismiss any records set by the Cypriot tennis star Marcos Baghdatis would we? Because he came from that land? We would celebrate his success surely. Surely our rugby media should do the same for the Mighty Moufflons!
FOOTNOTE I: By the way, it just so happens that the All Blacks, via the NZSSA's flattery, do claim a 54-6 win over Japan in Tokyo last year as part of their current wonderful 17-game winning sequence.
I have a tremendous regard for Japanese rugby and its very real recent progress - but are they 'Tier 1' yet on the world scene? Really? However using my earlier logic I certainly include Japan as a worthy part of the New Zealand list of wins.
By my reckoning the All Blacks will not go to the world record of wins in a row - that's if they even get there - until their 24th win - and that could be not until the game against Australia in Brisbane on the 18th of October this year. I don't know why all the sycophants of the New Zealand news media aren't promoting that game. After all it'd be another cosy trip for many of them!
FOOTNOTE II; Meanwhile on the other side of the debate, perhaps back in the Mediterranean the 'Moufflons' might also be adding more to their inspiring total too. Their 2014-15 season has just begun.
Being fair we should all hope they do.
FOOTNOTE III: A 'Moufflon' is a breed of reclusive horned mountain sheep found in the hills of beautiful Cyprus. The Cyprus Rugby Federation has been proud to nickname their winning international rugby team after such an impressive animal. Horned sheep are famous for butting heads with those around them. Enough said?
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Source; The Wikipedia entry for Cyprus National Rugby Union Team has the full list of Cyprus test scores.
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Comments 1
The grand old Wellington ground had to go but NZ said goodbye in great style beating France 54-7.
UNDERWOOD, RORY
Royal Air Force, Leicester and England
85 internationals for England 1984–96
6 internationals for British Isles 1989-93
UNDERWOOD, TONY
Leicester, Newcastle and England
27 internationals for England 1992-98
1 international for British Lions 1997
Two dashing brothers who were regular wingers in England’s selections in the 1980s and 90s.
Dealing first with Rory, who was the elder by nearly six years. He was a dashing wing, as befitted his occupation as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force. At the end of his career he had played 85 internationals for England, a record total till beaten by Jason Leonard. His total of test tries scored was also an England record, with 49 scored (plus one in a Lions test) boosting his final total to 50. This placed him second on the all-time test try-scoring record, behind David Campese’s 64 tries. Ironically his final tally of test tries came during a time when England was in a period of playing mostly ten-man rugby. Rory Underwood gained a reputation for being underused on occasions but having a rare talent for scoring tries when the ball did come his way.
Rory was born in Middlesbrough and Tony in Ipoh, Malaysia, the brothers were of part-Chinese origins, a rugby rarity in itself, and they spent some of their childhood in Malaysia. Rory’s first cap was against Ireland in 1984. Most of his caps were won on the left wing, but he could play more than competently on the right side (his English record-equaling total of five tries against Fiji at Twickenham in 1989 came when he was playing on the right wing side).
Rory’s Air Force commitments meant he missed several England tours, which meant his test match tally could have been even higher. This popular and dynamic England star was a member of the England team which contested the three Rugby World Cups, in 1987, 1991 and 1995; he played in three Grand Slam-winning England seasons, plus four Five Nations titles. He played in the 1991 World Cup final at Twickenham after scoring four tries in the lead-up games. He also toured with the British Isles to Australia in 1989 and to New Zealand in 1993.
Tony Underwood first came to the fore in 1989 when he appeared for Barbarians Club against the touring All Blacks at Twickenham. He made the England team for a tour to Argentina the following year but did not play an actual test until late in 1992. As his brother Rory was on the other wing (v Canada at Wembley) they became the first pair of brothers to play in an England team since Arthur and Harold Wheatley in 1938.
The forte of Tony’s game was blistering acceleration and a huge confidence to use it well. He toured New Zealand, with his brother in the 1993 British Lions and the two also shared England’s Grand Slam win in 1995. Tony had a second Lions tour, to South Africa in 1997.
At the 1995 World Cup in South Africa Tony had the extremely unenviable task of marking a rampant Jonah Lomu of New Zealand in one of the semi-finals games. Sadly, for England’s hopes at that tournament, and the memory of Tony Underwood as an international player, the video of him being repeatedly trampled underfoot or run around by the giant-sized Lomu, as he went on to score four tries, has been played over and over again. Tony deserved better than this. At his best he was a top player capable of many good things on the field, and like his brother, one of the best wingers England has ever produced.
What did the famous Welsh and British Lions hooker Bobby Windsor achieve on his 42nd birthday?
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20 August 2014 (11 years ago)
Rabbit007
We at http://RugbyRedefined.com have been avid followers of the Moufflons and are very pleased to see that you have extolled our thoughts , well done . We have been following them since 2012 in both XV's and 7's http://rugbyredefined.com/category/international-rugby/cyprus/ , in saying that we have gone further and rate them in the world rankings we run , (154 Countrie Ranked ) and Cyprus come in at # 40. http://wp.me/P2alE7-3jx