If there is a way the International Rugby Board can spend some of its $200 million from the Rugby World Cup on brightening up the game for spectators it must be found. The tourney ended last Saturday night in Paris with the South African Springboks beating the defending champions England by 15 points to six.

But, what a bore the whole game was.

Either side is capable of playing running rugby with the ball in hand but instead it was kick – kick – and kick again. There were 96 kicks in general play - more than one a minute and when the actual playing time is taken it is on average three a minute. 34 of these kicks went in to touch resulting in a lineout. When it is considered this is a game where ball in hand is meant to be the feature is it any wonder the boring spectacle needs attention?

The retiring Chair of the governing body – the International Rugby Board – Syd Millar said after the final:

"We need to free the game up a bit, make it easier to play, easier to referee, easier to understand and we have to produce more options for the players," he said. 

Coaching has a lot to do with this desperate state of affairs as has a feeling among the games’ elite around the board room table that the World Cup, held every four years, is such a revered trophy that it must be won at all costs.

Wrong!

It should be a festival to showcase the great game and spread the word on the spectacle that is rugby football.

The Wallabies have been blessed with two such coaches in recent years who seem to be passionate about the kicking game. The John Connolly coached World Cup team during the quarter final against England had George Smith at number 8 as the most frequent runner of the ball while Berrick Barnes at fly half kicked the most. The Eddie Jones contribution to the Springboks victory in the no try final would have been kicking also.

However it was not just the kicking that made the majority of Cup matches boring it was also the game plan that involved the "pick and drive" by the forwards from any part of the field as a means of gaining ground. This tactic ignores the fact there are 15 members of a team and that the backs are there to run with the ball and score tries.

The demise of the New Zealand All Blacks can be put down to this tactic when in their quarter final loss to France on two occasions when the Abs were in the France 22 metre area they picked and drove on two occasions for over 20 phases. This was just plain dumb, as the French defence was so good and the All Blacks refused to use their backs to run at the Tricolors. The end result the disappearance of the New Zealanders for another four years and the phrase “choked” being used as the excuse and the Nation feeling sorry for their heroes on their return to NZ three weeks ahead of schedule. It was not choking by the players it was dumb coaching by Graham Henry who should be sacked immediately for being so stubborn that he refused change the game plan away from boring pick and drive in favor of ball in hand.

To show just how boring the game could be, there were 12 tries scored by the runners-up England in seven matches – not two a game and less than both Fiji and Scotland who finished their campaigns two matches ahead of England.

Let us hope that in 2011 the officials of rugby have loosened up and are committed to the showcase rather than another funereal wake.