Talking Points

A spotlight on the hot topics at Rugby World Cup 2011.

When All Black scrum half Jimmy Cowan declared that he would be more than happy to "win ugly" if it meant winning RWC 2011, a collective shudder was felt around New Zealand.

Did this mean that the greatest exponents of free-running rugby were about to compromise their values and subdue their attacking instincts to secure their first RWC crown for almost a quarter-century?

Well, one might ask, if they did would that really be such a bad thing?

The statistics show that New Zealand have been the most prolific try-scorers in RWC history.

In 36 RWC matches since 1987 the All Blacks have crossed the whitewash 232 times, a staggering strike rate of more than six tries every time they run out on the pitch.

When it comes to the knockout rounds they may rein in their ambitions slightly but have still scored 50 tries in 16 matches, an average of 3.13.

Compare that with the output of England, finalists three times and champions in 2003. In their 15 knockout matches they have scored only 14 tries, less than one a game.

Australia and South Africa, who have both lifted the Webb Ellis Cup twice, touch down barely half as often as the All Blacks in the knockouts. Australia, champions in 1991 and 1999, have scored 26 tries in 14 matches, an average of 1.86.

South Africa have scored 19 tries in 10 knockout matches, an average of 1.90. They even managed to win two finals, in 1995 and 2007, without scoring a single try.

A keen analyst, All Blacks coach Graham Henry nodded at such statistics when he spoke of a new approach for his team.

"I hope we've learned from the past," he said in the build-up to the tournament opener against Tonga. "We haven't been good at sudden-death football so we'll need a special mentality there. We'll set some goals for the round-robin part of the tournament, try to qualify well and then look separately at the knockout phase."

So perhaps New Zealanders can still expect their trademark version of the 'beautiful game' in the pool phase.

But, come 23 October, ugly may have become a lot more attractive if it is dressed in black.