History Never Repeats...

History never repeats
I tell myself before I go to sleep...

SO sang Kiwi band Split Enz back in 1981, and so far as the Rugby World Cup (RWC) goes, that was generally the case. Australia and South Africa were the only two teams to win the trophy twice until this year, although neither had managed to go back-to-back.
The return of the RWC to New Zealand since the first tournament back in 1987 has apparently made a fool of one of that country's most-loved bands. Not only were the semi-finalists of New Zealand, Australia, France and Wales exactly the same as 1987, but the All Blacks are raging hot favourites to lift the William Webb Ellis trophy for the first time since... 1987, when they beat the French in the final.
For Australia, the script has changed a little from 1987 though. In that year the Welsh won bronze with a 22-21 victory; this time around Australia triumphed 21-18 for their first ever bronze.
But what should really interest Australian rugby fans is what happened next.
The 1991 RWC was held in Europe, with matches spread across England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France. There the Australians pulled one out of the bag with a last-gasp win against the Irish in the quarter-final; a 10-point win against the Kiwis in the semi before beating England 12-6 in the final at Twickenham.
There's a pretty good chance Australia could make liars out of Split Enz again. The final venues are the same, with Twickenham following Eden Park once more; but there's also something in the team that augurs well for the future.
The 1987 Australians contained a 24 year-old flyhalf called Michael Lynagh; a 25 year-old scrum-half called Nick Farr-Jones; and a 25 year-old fullback called David Campese. Four years later, these three players were instrumental in helping Australia win their first-ever RWC title, with Farr-Jones accepting the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II as the winning captain.
Fast-forward to 2011 and the similarities emerge. In the semi-final against New Zealand Australia had a 23 year-old flyhalf; an intelligent 23 year-old scrum-half; and a talented 21 year-old winger.
If the Australian Rugby Union can keep Quade Cooper, Will Genia and James O'Connor playing in the country and developing, there's every chance Australia could be serenading a certain trophy with the opening lines to another Split Enz classic in 2015:

I got you

And that's all I want...