North can't compete with south's individual X factor

Ex-Lions captain Sam Warburton has a theory why southern hemisphere teams have dominated the autumn internationals

- LUKE BAKER

Perhaps we should have learnt by now. Fool me once and all that. As the 2024 Autumn Nations Series begins to wrap up, the southern hemisphere have once again shown their dominance over the north.

Despite talk heading into the autumn that an Australia team in transition were there for the taking and that Scott Robertson hadn’t yet properly made his mark on a beatable New Zealand side, those two nations and reigning double-world champions South Africa have racked up an imperious 8-2 combined record over Six Nations foes with just the Wallabies’ clash with Ireland in Dublin on Saturday to come.

Including Argentina in the equation would narrow the record slightly to 9-4, although the Pumas pushed Ireland unexpectedly close at the Aviva Stadium – and that still doesn’t factor in Fiji’s historic first-ever Cardiff victory over Wales. Whatever way you slice it, the south has ruled, although France can largely avoid blame after being the only northerners to consistently punch their weight in an autumn that has included the narrowest of 3029 wins over the All Blacks and a more comfortable victory against Argentina.

It’s become the theme of recent cross-hemisphere international windows – northern hemisphere optimism being promptly punctured. Hopes were high in the summer on southern soil, only for the All Blacks to sweep England, the Wallabies to do likewise to hapless Wales and Ireland needing an improbable, last-gasp Ciaran Frawley drop goal from downtown Durban to snatch a series draw against the Springboks.