Minnows stood up to be counted but the greatest team may still win

As a sports journalist – you know, objectivity and professionalism – I should not openly reveal the teams I support. But I must confess I adore the Harlem Globetrotters.

Their outrageous basketball skills have no equal. They almost remind me of New Zealand’s All Blacks, the most successful rugby nation in the world in terms of tests won. But I will come to that later.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup ends tomorrow and what a tournament it has been.

The minnows, for long treated as a necessary inconvenience to be tolerated in order to justify the desired global outlook of the tournament, are now standing up to be counted.

Countries like tiny – in rugby terms – Japan, USA and Georgia have given a good account of themselves. Japan ran France rugged before succumbing to a 47-21 loss, Georgia restricted Scotland to just 15-6 while the USA were competitive in their 22-10 defeat by Ireland.

Namibia, whom Kenya upset in the 2007 qualifiers, were the exception. They suffered try-soaked losses, including 87-0 versus South Africa and 81-7 versus Wales.

By the time their campaign was over, Welwitschias had recorded 15 consecutive Rugby World Cup losses, the longest in the tournament’s history.

Welwitschias captain Jacques Burger defiantly said his nation had the ability to compete with the big boys and just needed more of such big matches. True.

Record television audiences watched the action. In New Zealand, a record 1.97 million cumulative viewers tuned in to the hosts’ 20-6 semi-final victory over the Wallabies, and in Australia, a record nationwide audience of 3.234 million.

But as IRB were savoured the television numbers all was not well on social media sites as Samoan centre Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu attacked IRB.

First he claimed – which is true – that the top nations were favoured in the fixtures by getting more rest time in between matches.

He then labelled referee Nigel Owens, who officiated Samoa’s key group match against Wales, racist. Samoa lost 17-10. Sapolu received a six-month suspended ban for his trouble.

Whatever grievances the Gloucester centre had with IRB he surely could not fault the promise of the superior Wales.

Most followed rugby team

Coached by Kiwi Warren Gatland, the young Welsh side played with pace and power to storm to the semis only to lose 9-8 to France.

Wales were robbed of captain Sam Warburton, red-carded in the 20th minute of the match, but they stole the hearts of many a pure rugby fan.

You could not say that of England, South Africa and even France. Wretched England, whose rugby was as bland as their national rugby colours, were mercifully dispatched in the quarter-finals.

The Springboks maintained their powerful forwards play but just did not have a cutting-edge attack to defend the title.

France are in the finals but everyone agrees they have been a very poor team, lacking the well-known Gallic strands of passion, flair and commitment.

Adam Kleeberger’s beard could have made a better story: his luxuriant facial mass raised hairy interest in fans.

The Canadian forward promised to shear the beard after his tourney ended. I wonder how he long it would have grown had Canada survived until tomorrow!

All Blacks still are easily the most followed rugby team in the world. If I were in New Zealand now, I would do what everybody else visiting there is doing: buy an All Blacks replica jersey.

But the ABs are not doing themselves a favour when their union chief executive, Steve Tewy, threatens to boycott the 2015 competition, citing loss of income.