While many rate the first month of the 2023 World Cup as impressive, Mark Keohane highlights a vast disparity between perception and reality at this year’s tournament.

Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane argues that the facts tell a different story, with many pool-stage matches in France being one-sided and not reflective of the actual standing of the best-ranked teams.

Keohane is not surprised that World Rugby is reconsidering making World Cup seedings draws three years in advance, as it led to groups with strong teams like top-ranked Ireland, Scotland, and South Africa, the defending champions, resulting in one of them exiting before the knockout phase.

“I am not suggesting that those who are in France and travelling France aren’t having a blast,” he writes. “My observation of perception and fact is centred on rugby exclusively. The pool stages were out of sync with the game’s global pecking order.

He also criticises the perception of the Springboks as one-dimensional and the All Blacks as the most exciting team just because New Zealand scored more tries, mainly against Tier 2 nations.

Keohane points out the competitive matches and high-scoring games in the pool stages, debunking some myths surrounding team playing styles.

He, too, bemoans All Blacks legend John Kirwan’s desire for more open, try-filled rugby, emphasising that both the Boks and All Blacks have competitive records and that the game should be appreciated in its various styles.

“[Kirwan] wants the global footprint to be the All Blacks way. He wants exhibition type rugby, where defences don’t feature and the game is closer to basketball,” Keohane writes.

“The biggest myth is that the Boks don’t score tries, just like it is that Fabian Galthie’s France doesn’t kick. The latter’s team in the past two years have kicked more than any team in world rugby.”