Once again, Pumas fail to back it up

ONE of the question most able truisms in rugby is that wet weather is a great leveller.

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Wrong. In 99.99 per cent of all wet-weather games the better side wins. It's just that you remember the very occasional upset and attribute it to the weather because that will have been the other notable feature of the game.

Another truism, more recent in its origins, is that the Pumas never back up a famous win against one of the big nations with another victory. That statement is on much safer ground.

And, as I am in the mood, I will throw in a third maxim for you to chew over; namely that New Zealand don't lose at Eden Park. That, for the last 30 years and 49 Tests, has also been true.

So what we had yesterday in Auckland was a wonderful mishmash of rugby lore and perceived wisdom.

One wholly inaccurate but the other two bang on the money.

Firstly, the wet weather thing. Of course, the better team should always win in wet conditions because heavy rain and a slippery ball accentuate rather than diminish handling and kicking skills and they emphasise the basics of scrum, lineout, restart and organised defence. Good teams welcome wet weather.