Canada up and down while rebuilding

Northern nations narrow gap on southern powers

 Under new coach David Clark, Canada recorded an up-and-down 3-4-1 record while working new players into the national team system. The highs included a 27-27 tie at home to Ireland and 22-17 win in Italy; lows included a sloppy 34-25 loss on the road to the U.S.

 Th Canadians also put on a gritty showing in a 51-18 loss in South Africa.

 Victoria hooker Pat Dunkley survived a bout of flesh-eating disease believed to have been contracted on Canada's July trip to Samoa. Dunkley came close to losing his leg and required several bouts of surgery but courageously returned to the game in late October.

 Canada's schedule in 2001 calls for a revised Pacific Rim tournament, visits by England and Australia and trips to Scotland and Ireland.

 Elsewhere change may be in the air in 2001.

 The hint of a challenge to their superiority from England and France had SANZAR -- the umbrella organization for the Australia, New Zealand and South Africa rugby unions -- pleading with the International Rugby Board to introduce a universal, six-month international season.

 The purpose of the proposal was to reduce player fatigue by restricting the time frame for international games.

 Arguing that the northern hemisphere summer is mild enough to play rugby, the SANZAR board wants an international schedule to coincide with the Southern Hemisphere winter.

 European players are in the off-season during this period, so the SANZAR bid barely camouflages the advantage for the southern unions, where seasons are in full swing from April to August.

 When England defeated the world champion Australians 22-19 at Twickenham on Nov. 18, albeit late in injury time and with a two-man advantage due to the sending off of two Australian players, the Wallabies blamed the loss on fatigue.

 Australia finished 2000 with an 8-2 record and it was captain and lock John Eales who once again inspired the Wallabies to a No. 1 ranking.

 Australia added the Tri-Nations title to its 1999 World Cup triumph and retained the Bledisloe Cup with a 1-1 series against New Zealand.

 Despite all the success, it was Australia's 39-35 loss to New Zealand in Sydney in July that became the epic clash of the season, with the Wallabies fighting back from a 0-24 deficit to grab a 35-34 lead with two minutes to play before losing the see-sawing encounter.

 A rampaging Jonah Lomu try gave the All Blacks a remarkable win in front of international rugby union record crowd of 109,874 at Stadium Australia.

 But the Australians took revenge in the return clash in August on the boot of Eales, who landed a penalty goal late in injury time to give the Wallabies a 24-23 win at Wellington.

 England had the second best record in 2000, capping an 8-2 season with wins against South Africa and Australia at Twickenham.

 The English also clinched the first ever Six Nations championship with wins against Ireland, Wales, Italy and France, but missed collecting a tournament grand slam by losing the series finale to a Scottish team that had been winless in the competition.

 England players threatened to boycott a match against Argentina due to a pay dispute but backed down when coach Clive Woodward warned that striking internationals risked being fired. The English subsequently defeated Argentina 19-0.

 Springboks coach Harry Viljoen, who replaced Nick Mallett after South Africa's disappointing Tri-Nations campaign, said he was satisfied with the season-ending tour of Britain and Ireland despite the late loss to England.

 South Africa had the most rigorous schedule in 2000 with 12 internationals against seven countries for a 6-6 record.

 Viljoen said he supported a universal international season so his players would get time to rest.

 New Zealand, which opened the season with a 102-0 thrashing of Tonga, gave new coach Wayne Smith a dream start with a five-Test winning stretch before the 24-23 loss to Australia and a 46-40 loss to South Africa.

 The All Blacks gained some revenge for their dramatic World Cup semifinal loss to France with a 39-26 win in Paris on Nov. 11, but the French struck back with a 42-33 win in Marseille the following week to square the series 1-1.

 France had a typically on-off season, winning five of its nine internationals. The French tested Australia in a dour 18-13 loss in Paris on Nov. 4 to warm up for the series against New Zealand.

e preparations in Athens will be among several major issues on the Olympic front in 2001. The top two officials of Salt Lake City's bid for the 2002 Winter Games will go on trial on bribery charges in June, while the IOC will elect a new president and choose the host city for the 2008 Summer Games in July.