Just Another Hunch
Watched a bit of Super 14 and some of the English domestic rugby last weekend and I just have a little hunch which spells bad times ahead for the Northern Hemisphere - ie the Scots, the Welsh and the English, heading into the World Cup.
The gulf between the hemispheres is growing and with the way they are playing I feel it is only the pace and the power that is even - the difference is the lack of the skill level - which I think, is due to saturating the players with too much rugby - they play too much and don't have enough time to practice the skills required. Which goes back to the boring old topic of club v country. The rugby union and club owners need to lock horns and put rugby first.
For all my sins I arrived here 9 years ago and was gobsmacked with some of the commitment of the International players ie Jason Leonard and Keith Wood, who would play one week for country and then turn up Monday morning and prepare for a club game - you ask me that question, is that right? - No.
I am not going to be able to have all the answers in this small article but what I see is something that doesn't have that quality to it and I feel that the fans and supporters have been short changed with the totally average rugby on show. Yeah you can get away with a couple of "finding your feet" pre-season games but from there on in the pressure should be on to perform to a level that I feel, should be quite close to international rugby - some of the games I have seen in the 6 Nations have been !!!!!
I am going to stick my neck on the line and say that Graeme Henry has got it spot on by resting the elite players and I think what Graeme Henry has done in the last couple of years is paying off - many people questioned his integrity by playing 2 different teams in games against the Northern hemisphere - he has put New Zealand, the players and the game ahead of the sponsors and all the hoopla and I believe that the skill level and intensity they will bring to the international stage come Tri-Nations and World Cup will be enough to blow Northern Hemisphere rugby apart.
Also, with Super 14 form don't be surprised to see South Africa featuring in the finals of the World Cup! - just another hunch.
12 comments:
Zinny,
first of all when commenting on players showing amazing committment to the clubs straight after Internationals, why did you not mention my name!!!???
Secondly, completley agree with the skills issue, and also that explosive pace is badly lacking, especially when there seems to be a lack of players who have any great spacial awareness.
depressing really
Will
Zinny,
Oh and thirdly, you're a sausage jockey of you think SA will be in the WC Final !!!!!!!!!
Zinny,
Oh and thirdly, you're a sausage jockey of you think SA will be in the WC Final !!!!!!!!!
Zinnys just being honest Will. I can see an Ireland vs South Africa final too!!!
Leinsterfan,
I know, but don't ever, ever let him know he might be talking sense!! You will never hear the end of it!!!!
Will and Leninsterman get a room!
LeinsterFan even....d'oh
Zinny, I think you were a bit harsh on the Irish, French and, especially the Italians, when you said -
"I just have a little hunch which spells bad times ahead for the Northern Hemisphere - ie the Scots, the Welsh and the English, heading into the World Cup."
Look, I know the Irish were very lucky to scrape a one point win against the Scots but they are still a 6 Nations side and they even have a chance of finishing in first spot. In any case they are guaranteed at least 3rd spot.
Similarly, I know the French were completely outplayed by the English but, again, I think you are wrong to overlook them. They are also still a 6 Nations side and what's more the WC is going to be played in their country!
Don't forget Dominici! 8 years ago his scintillating try scoring knocked the All Blacks out of the WC! It could happen to you again.
Brian - yes I said Northern Hemisphere but I was referring to the 3 teams - Wales, Scotland and England. Wales - Grand Slammers just 2 years ago - England - defending World Cup champions 3 years ago - Scotland without Jason White are not the same team - that at the moment are the Northern Hemisphere teams that are not performing - the other 2 I acknowledge, France and Ireland could be World Champions in this years World Cup. But being in the pool of death with Argentina you could possibly see the host nation or the Triple Crowners being knocked out.
I'm and Englishman, who has since emigrated to Australia. I have played both in Australia and England. In my opinion the gap between the NH and the SH is controlled purely by weight of numbers. I mean that if the NH sides didn't have so many players to pick from they would be even further behind. Its the same as football, players are not taught the skills in isolation, the coaching methods are focused on methodology, on rules, and on planned moves. Young players are left to learn what little real skills they have by accident.
Coaches (especially at schools) never teach the when and why, they only focus on endless drills to teach how. Knowing how to kick is useless if you are never given any idea of why and where to. Being able to throw a 40 yard flat pass is no good if you have no idea who is in the best position to receive it.
I blame this fact for why a great player like Andy Farrell is so maligned by old school bluffers like Will. In Australia RL converts slot in quickly and are a great asset, event lower level players like Ryan Cross (Force) Clinton Schifofscke (Reds) are making a great impact not simply because they can play, and their skills are sound. But mainly because those Union players around them are on the same wavelength and understand how to utilise their skills.
Playing a carthorse like Tindall outside you could make anyone look lost. Not least a man who has built his reputation on seeing gaps and putting intelligent runners through them. I know Farrell will be dispatched now, it is the English way to discard talent for predictability. It is also the English way to protect their own, which can be the only reason the press lauded Catt for a game that was utter rubbish save for an outside break past a knackered old hooker. Farrell didn't make the same number of mistakes in 3 games as Catt did in the first ten minutes - count them. But hey he cried at the anthem, and at the final whistle, so yeah he had a great game! The reason I pick this out is you fools in England believe it is Catt that has the skills required to put England on the right track.
No one remembers do they - Mike Catt always has one maybe two good games, then 15 terrible ones, until finally for the 20th time he is dropped again until we forget and pick him again.
I would have loved to see Farrell given a chance with Geraghty inside and Tait outside, and the magic back three that have been picked. Also please swap Perry and Ellis - Perry is a great passer and organiser - perfect for the first 50 mins, Ellis is a broken field player, pure off the cuff excellence - he is more suited to the last half hour.
If you want to get past the pool in the RWC, get Faz back, drop Catt, get Geraghty in the 10 shirt, Keep Tait in from now until first game of the RWC for 80 mins every game. Get Lund in as 8, him and Rees need to be in the 15. Keep Corry in 2nd row - never let him move back again, he became an embarrassment at the back. Add Chris Jones to the squad instead of Mr Annonymous Deacon.
Get some testicles England, pick people who understand what the ball is for - for scoring tries with.
Two things -
A few moments of attitude, belief and skill beat France (certainly had nothing to do with Catt)
Thank the Lord Emporer Lewsey's New Clothes have finally been seen to be missing. Here's hoping we can see that Catt, Tindall, Balshaw, have nothing on either!
One Extra thing - Zinny you're a legend mate, one of the best players I ever saw play.
Never, ever, let Super 14 form influence your opinion of what will happen at the World Cup. South Africa's so called resurgence in Super 14 is due to a Sharks team with loads of exciting young players and a Bulls team that have finally employed a backline coach (Louden) to refine their traditional 10 man game.
Their World Cup team will use neither of these. It will be the same 30 test outfit that Jake White has moulded over the past 3 years.
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