England Rugby Football
04/03/10 03:44 PM
They might be the England Rugby Team, but they spent all of this mornings session playing football. Well, during the 15 minutes of press access at least. Fingers crossed it was just a warmup because otherwise it could explain a LOT! Seemed to be a skeleton group at training this morning as well. Based on James Haskell's twitter posts, it seems they had a rather hard day yesterday so maybe they were given some time off or maybe the rest were just in the gym/pool/recovery etc.
Either way those present looked in good spirits and it was good to see Jonny Wilkinson cracking a smile for once. Ben Foden also looked rather sprightly, dressed more appropriately for a summer kick around than a near freezing training run at Pennyhill Park!
Either way those present looked in good spirits and it was good to see Jonny Wilkinson cracking a smile for once. Ben Foden also looked rather sprightly, dressed more appropriately for a summer kick around than a near freezing training run at Pennyhill Park!
B&I Lions Put Hosts to The Sword: 74-10
04/06/09 02:45 AM
As many of you will know, I'm a huge rugby fan. The British & Irish Lions had their second tour match in SA tonight against the much fancied Golden Lions at Ellis Park. After a rusty start, many were expecting a close game or possible the home team turning over the Lions. None of it. The British & Irish big cats ruthlessly crushed their hosts 74-10 in what was quite frankly an awesome display of total rugby.
If you're into your rugby, please check out my Lions website over at Pride of Lions.co.uk. I've got somewhat obsessed with the Lions over the years and this tour is no different. If you like rugby and thirst for more, I suggest you check it out and get involved with the potty enthusing.
Lions 2009
09/04/09 12:00 PM
The British & Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa this summer is announced on April 21st. As always with the Lions, I'm starting to get seriously excited and have plenty of views on who should and shouldn't be going. I'm an England supporter through and through, but I'm in no doubt that Ireland and Wales have the most outstanding players. Shane Williams, Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Martyn Williams - these are the names that will be first on the list.
BBC have a great little web app that lets you choose your Lions test team from a range of possible choices. It's a good visual method of comparing combinations and rethinking your own judgement. I've filled it in a couple of times in the past, and in anticipation of the squad announcement, I thought it was worth filling in my selection for the 1st Test. I find that there are quite a few English names on my team which surprises me considering my view that Wales and Ireland have the majority of world class players. That said, England have begun to produce some pretty good players, in positions that don't have out and out favourites. Anyway, I certainly try to be as non-partisan as possible here, but I think while England have a dearth of excellent players we have a LOT of really good ones. In a Lions tour that isn't going to have a star-studded team from 1-15, this appears to be the factor that is getting many of these names into my team. So, on to the team, and below a short perspective on why each player makes my selection.
BBC have a great little web app that lets you choose your Lions test team from a range of possible choices. It's a good visual method of comparing combinations and rethinking your own judgement. I've filled it in a couple of times in the past, and in anticipation of the squad announcement, I thought it was worth filling in my selection for the 1st Test. I find that there are quite a few English names on my team which surprises me considering my view that Wales and Ireland have the majority of world class players. That said, England have begun to produce some pretty good players, in positions that don't have out and out favourites. Anyway, I certainly try to be as non-partisan as possible here, but I think while England have a dearth of excellent players we have a LOT of really good ones. In a Lions tour that isn't going to have a star-studded team from 1-15, this appears to be the factor that is getting many of these names into my team. So, on to the team, and below a short perspective on why each player makes my selection.
1. Loosehead Prop: Andrew Sheridan - Sale & England
'Big Ted' as he is affectionately known certainly has his detractors, but is there a better option? For my money, Marcus Horan is a good player who is always good. Andrew Sheridan is a prop who can on occasion be great. Unfortunately it's often that he's just ok and nothing more. However, he's familiar with the SA front-row having met them in the rarified atmosphere of the RWC final, and for this reason, Sheridan is my pick - just.
2. Hooker: Jerry Flannery - Munster & Ireland
It was a close call here between Flannery and Mears. For me, partly I've chosen Flannery as a concession to the criticism of having too many English players in my team. Flannery has a certain grit about him, he's a scraper and I like his demeanour. On the other hand, Lee Mears had an exemplary Six Nations. England's lineout was very very efficient, losing only something like one lineout on their own throw for the entirety of the competition, an astonishing stat in an international tournament. The Boks have the ultimate lineout in world rugby, and combating that is essential. Mears throwing is better than Flannery's and for that reason he is on the bench.
3. Tighthead Prop: Gethin Jenkins - Cardiff Blues & Wales
This is the first really easy choice. Gethin Jenkins is the standout prop in the home nations and even when not on form has an underlying class that few can match. He's an absolute bullock round the park, fast as can be and extremely good in both defense and attack. As far as powerful ball carriers go, he's one of the very best. Add to this a solid scrummaging technique and an ability to prop on either side if necessary and Jenkins is far and away the best choice for the no.3 shirt.
4. Lock: Paul O'Connell - Munster & Ireland
Paul O'Connell is one of the real standout players in the entire home nations. His power, lineout precision and TCUP demeanor are all immense. In the Grand Slam match against Wales his brilliance and composure helped steady the ship while his teammate O'Callaghan was losing his head. An easy choice and a potential captain.
5. Lock: Alun Wyn Jones - Ospreys & Wales
Another easy choice. Alun Wyn Jones is a superb lock with all the attributes to be among the world's best. He's got a real fire in his eyes too, clearly a man who doesn't like losing. The lock partnership of Jones and O'Connell should be a shoe-in and undoubtedly the least controversial and most obvious selection across the whole team. It's a good thing too as Matfield and Botha are the Righteous Brothers of international lock play. Cue a titanic battle come June 20th.
6. Blindside Flanker: Ryan Jones - Ospreys & Wales
The Welsh captain is best as an 8, but against the Boks who have a fearsome backrow in the likes of Burger and Spies and co, the lions are going to want a large dollop of power. Ryan Jones shot to prominence along with Simon Easterby on the last Lions tour, impressing on a tour where the team were really put to the sword. The Lions leave as underdogs again this time, but Ryan Jones' passion and his been there done that attitude will be like gold-dust in South Africa. His form hasn't been superb of late, but I'd pick him over the competition due to his experience and power.
7. Openside Flanker: Martyn Williams - Cardiff Blues & Wales
If Richie McCaw is the undisputed king of the 7's, few would argue that Martyn Williams is the greatest in the NH. The guy is simply superb and ought to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. Schalk Burger is a prolific ball carrier and a great ball-winner on the floor, but while he might be a juggernaut on the move he doesn't hold a candle to Williams on the floor. Martyn Williams is quite simply one of the best ball winners in the world and his ability to do win ball and link forwards with backs makes him an easy and obvious selection. Williams may meet Juan Smith, another awesome back-row forward. While I think Smith is probably Williams' equal with ball in hand, I believe that on the floor Martyn Williams will have the edge.
8. Number Eight: Jamie Heaslip - Leinster & Ireland
The form player in the 8 shirt. Heaslip is exactly what you want in a modern number 8. He's big, carries well has excellent hands and can seriously shift for a 17st lump. His sidestep in the Ireland v France game was a thing of beauty and his ball carrying power will be much needed. Back row trio's are all about balance and whether to err towards size and power or technicality and agility. This backrow combo is undoubtedly massive, but that is a must when playing against South Africa. Heaslip and Jones will hope to cancel out Spies and Burger while Williams will outscrap anyone bar McCaw on the floor. This is the gameplan I think the Lions need to aim for and it is absolutely key to the whole series.
9. Scrum-Half: Mike Phillips - Ospreys & Wales
A tough call is some ways, but Mike Phillips is about as imposing as scrum-halves get and that can only be a good thing in SA. He doesn't have the finesse of Dwayne Peel, the player, for my money with the best technical skills of the possibles, nor the balance of Harry Ellis, nor the experience behind a reversing pack that Mike Blair has, but Phillips brings the 'Grrrr' in large quantities and won't be bullied by the physicality of South Africa. My view is that while Mike Blair is a fine player, he's not the outstanding player some think he is. It's my belief that Peel and Ellis ought to be closer to the number nine Jersey than Blair. Peel is scrum-half efficiency personified, with an excellent pass and a dazzling array of technical skills. Ellis by contrast understands the simplicity of scrum-half play, and with a good team around him he works as an excellent facilitator. He knows that it's his job to ship the ball on as SOON as it's available. Dilly dallying as some scrummies do is simply defensive christmas, so I like his immediacy when presented with the ball. The difference? Ellis has some decent form of late while Peel has been a bit up and down. For me though, Phillips is a fairly easy choice. Power and aggression please.
10. Fly-Half: Stephen Jones - Scarlets & Wales
Not only are Jones and Phillips very familiar with each other, but Stephen Jones' more direct playing style and physical ruggedness win him the 10 jersey in front of O'Gara. It's really a matter of what you want your 10 to do, and for that reason O'Gara has himself a place on the bench. The Lions need to be flexible and be willing to play the game they need to play to win. If they find out halfway through the opening test that they can't smash through or carve round the SA defence, O'Gara offers a sublime tactical kicking option to pin the Boks back into the corners and play chess-like Rugby. Stephen Jones should however be the starting choice. He's a simple player in some ways like Harry Ellis, he knows that it's his job to unleash those around him and his goal-kicking under pressure is probably a notch or two above O'Gara's in my mind. The partnership with Phillips should hopefully build a double-pivot platform for the strike runners to play off.
11. Left Wing: Shane Williams - Ospreys & Wales
Over the past few years Williams has undoubtedly been the most deadly finisher in the world. If the Lions give him a sniff, the Boks might as well add the extra 5 to the scoreboard themselves, he is that good. However, despite this superb attacking ability, he is still a defensive frailty. For many years I used to lambast him as the swinging door of international rugby - as likely to cause a team to concede a try as score one. Compared to someone like Jason Robinson who was as tenacious in defense as he was scything in attack - despite his size - Williams is an unbalanced player. However, while his defense hasn't improved, his attacking is now so potent that I don't think the Boks have a player that can match the individual attacking threat of Williams. For this reason, he makes my team. Last time out against wunder wing Bryan Habana, Shane Williams came out dominant, and Habana's form has undoubtedly waned since 2007. That said, he still oozes class and if he starts turning on the burners we need to have an antidote waiting in the wings.
12. Inside Centre: Riki Flutey - Wasps & England
Flutey might play for England now, but he plays like a great All Black centre. England like to play there passing centre at 12 (a recurring error in my view) and there bosch-man at 13, whereas New Zealand play their guile at 13 and the direct player at 12. Despite this difference, Riki Flutey is strikingly similar to All Black greats like Conrad Smith and Aaron Mauger. He's the thinking-man's centre and compared to other options he offers incision and passing in equal quantity. Flutey had an awesome 6N and ended up as the top try scorer, a stat that never lies. He just plays like an All Black and in my book that's the rugby equivalent of fighting like a Spartan or flying like a naval aviator. He's bloody good and I look forward to watching him play.
13. Outside Centre: Brian O'Driscoll - Leinster & Ireland
Who else? One of the true greats of the modern game. Up there with names like Carter, Wilkinson and McCaw. His will to win and his sheer brilliance is extraordinary. He also comes across as a thoroughly nice guy and a player that is easy to respect and like. An obvious Captain and a leader players would follow to hell and back. He has definitely lost a yard of pace since we saw his magic back in 2001, but his will more than cancels out the aging process. As we saw in the 6N he was back to his stunning best. It seemed at times that he was winning matches almost single handedly through a careful application of incision and guts based purely on what was needed most at the time. He's world class, in BOD we trust.
14. Right Wing: Mark Cueto - Sale & England
Tommy Bowe seems to be the front runner for this position, but in my view he's simply not done anything truly outstanding to warrant his selection. He's very good, but I haven't yet been wowed by him. Cueto by contrast is back to his formidable best and has been scoring tries for fun for both England & Sale. He's big, powerful and his wheels are definitely well oiled. England's opening try against France was case in point. Morgan Parra is a quick chap, but there was something truly majestic about the sprawling heap that he was left in by Cueto's gas. It was the rugby equivalent of an ace in tennis. Parra, outstretched in limb rending desperation didn't so much as touch him and it was due to his outright pace, a quality that is in my mind essential in a good winger. I can just about tolerate a wing with no defensive attributes, but I can't live with a winger who might get beaten in a race to the line. Cueto's English and therefore out of fashion but he's the right choice.
15. Full-Back: Lee Byrne - Scarlets & Wales
Another player who oozes class. Jeremy Guscott, punditry idiot though he is, labelled him the best player in the world at the start of the six nations and while this sort of over-blown excess is a weakness in Guscott as an analyst, he wasn't far off. Byrne is simply bloody good. Solid as a rock under the high ball and in defense he's also a wicked finisher. He's the incumbent and it's his jersey to lose. That said, the Lions are blessed with serious strength in depth at the back. Both Rob Kearney and Delon Armitage have quickly matured into very very good players who have a real aura of confidence and quality about them. Both are great catchers of the ball and while Armitage offers outright pace and an elusiveness that should see him carve through any half gap, Kearney brings considerable power not dissimilar to Mark Cueto.
REPLACEMENTS BENCH
Very England heavy I admit, but the bench ought to be about having options and having the next best contenders ready and waiting, this selection I think offers it.
John Hayes - Unglamorous as they come but a more passionate player you will not find. Has grown from a symbol of mediocrity into a long-lived warhorse that draws comparisons to the great Jason Leonard
Lee Mears - An excellent ball carrier and the best lineout exponent in Britain and Ireland on current form. Unglamorous but very good.
Nick Kennedy - A lineout specialist is something that any team worth their salt should be taking to South Africa. Kennedy is the best lineout operator in the NH and offers a real threat to the dominance of Matfield and Botha.
Tom Croft - A great ball winner and the pace of a winger. Youth and exuberance and bags of talent. Joe Worsley and David Wallace were both options for this spot but neither offer the positivity and adaptability of Croft. He's also a great line-out option.
Ronan O'Gara - More of an option than a sub. He's as good as Stephen Jones but simply with a different game. The starter should be based on how the Lions want to play and who lines up against them.
Harry Ellis - A quality unfussy scrum-half with a turn of pace and solid defense. Will invite the Lions backline to play with pace and to keep the ball in hand.
Matthew Tait - In my view one of the finest attacking threats in the whole of the NH. I'd like to see McGeechan have faith in him at 13 during the midweek where Sale and England have so rarely done. He's my 'pet' selection if you will, and maybe in a different environment with different coaches he'd be rewarded with the position that his class deserves. On the bench for the tests as a useful utility back. He's bloody good, but even I don't think he unseats O'Driscoll!
2. Hooker: Jerry Flannery - Munster & Ireland
It was a close call here between Flannery and Mears. For me, partly I've chosen Flannery as a concession to the criticism of having too many English players in my team. Flannery has a certain grit about him, he's a scraper and I like his demeanour. On the other hand, Lee Mears had an exemplary Six Nations. England's lineout was very very efficient, losing only something like one lineout on their own throw for the entirety of the competition, an astonishing stat in an international tournament. The Boks have the ultimate lineout in world rugby, and combating that is essential. Mears throwing is better than Flannery's and for that reason he is on the bench.
3. Tighthead Prop: Gethin Jenkins - Cardiff Blues & Wales
This is the first really easy choice. Gethin Jenkins is the standout prop in the home nations and even when not on form has an underlying class that few can match. He's an absolute bullock round the park, fast as can be and extremely good in both defense and attack. As far as powerful ball carriers go, he's one of the very best. Add to this a solid scrummaging technique and an ability to prop on either side if necessary and Jenkins is far and away the best choice for the no.3 shirt.
4. Lock: Paul O'Connell - Munster & Ireland
Paul O'Connell is one of the real standout players in the entire home nations. His power, lineout precision and TCUP demeanor are all immense. In the Grand Slam match against Wales his brilliance and composure helped steady the ship while his teammate O'Callaghan was losing his head. An easy choice and a potential captain.
5. Lock: Alun Wyn Jones - Ospreys & Wales
Another easy choice. Alun Wyn Jones is a superb lock with all the attributes to be among the world's best. He's got a real fire in his eyes too, clearly a man who doesn't like losing. The lock partnership of Jones and O'Connell should be a shoe-in and undoubtedly the least controversial and most obvious selection across the whole team. It's a good thing too as Matfield and Botha are the Righteous Brothers of international lock play. Cue a titanic battle come June 20th.
6. Blindside Flanker: Ryan Jones - Ospreys & Wales
The Welsh captain is best as an 8, but against the Boks who have a fearsome backrow in the likes of Burger and Spies and co, the lions are going to want a large dollop of power. Ryan Jones shot to prominence along with Simon Easterby on the last Lions tour, impressing on a tour where the team were really put to the sword. The Lions leave as underdogs again this time, but Ryan Jones' passion and his been there done that attitude will be like gold-dust in South Africa. His form hasn't been superb of late, but I'd pick him over the competition due to his experience and power.
7. Openside Flanker: Martyn Williams - Cardiff Blues & Wales
If Richie McCaw is the undisputed king of the 7's, few would argue that Martyn Williams is the greatest in the NH. The guy is simply superb and ought to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. Schalk Burger is a prolific ball carrier and a great ball-winner on the floor, but while he might be a juggernaut on the move he doesn't hold a candle to Williams on the floor. Martyn Williams is quite simply one of the best ball winners in the world and his ability to do win ball and link forwards with backs makes him an easy and obvious selection. Williams may meet Juan Smith, another awesome back-row forward. While I think Smith is probably Williams' equal with ball in hand, I believe that on the floor Martyn Williams will have the edge.
8. Number Eight: Jamie Heaslip - Leinster & Ireland
The form player in the 8 shirt. Heaslip is exactly what you want in a modern number 8. He's big, carries well has excellent hands and can seriously shift for a 17st lump. His sidestep in the Ireland v France game was a thing of beauty and his ball carrying power will be much needed. Back row trio's are all about balance and whether to err towards size and power or technicality and agility. This backrow combo is undoubtedly massive, but that is a must when playing against South Africa. Heaslip and Jones will hope to cancel out Spies and Burger while Williams will outscrap anyone bar McCaw on the floor. This is the gameplan I think the Lions need to aim for and it is absolutely key to the whole series.
9. Scrum-Half: Mike Phillips - Ospreys & Wales
A tough call is some ways, but Mike Phillips is about as imposing as scrum-halves get and that can only be a good thing in SA. He doesn't have the finesse of Dwayne Peel, the player, for my money with the best technical skills of the possibles, nor the balance of Harry Ellis, nor the experience behind a reversing pack that Mike Blair has, but Phillips brings the 'Grrrr' in large quantities and won't be bullied by the physicality of South Africa. My view is that while Mike Blair is a fine player, he's not the outstanding player some think he is. It's my belief that Peel and Ellis ought to be closer to the number nine Jersey than Blair. Peel is scrum-half efficiency personified, with an excellent pass and a dazzling array of technical skills. Ellis by contrast understands the simplicity of scrum-half play, and with a good team around him he works as an excellent facilitator. He knows that it's his job to ship the ball on as SOON as it's available. Dilly dallying as some scrummies do is simply defensive christmas, so I like his immediacy when presented with the ball. The difference? Ellis has some decent form of late while Peel has been a bit up and down. For me though, Phillips is a fairly easy choice. Power and aggression please.
10. Fly-Half: Stephen Jones - Scarlets & Wales
Not only are Jones and Phillips very familiar with each other, but Stephen Jones' more direct playing style and physical ruggedness win him the 10 jersey in front of O'Gara. It's really a matter of what you want your 10 to do, and for that reason O'Gara has himself a place on the bench. The Lions need to be flexible and be willing to play the game they need to play to win. If they find out halfway through the opening test that they can't smash through or carve round the SA defence, O'Gara offers a sublime tactical kicking option to pin the Boks back into the corners and play chess-like Rugby. Stephen Jones should however be the starting choice. He's a simple player in some ways like Harry Ellis, he knows that it's his job to unleash those around him and his goal-kicking under pressure is probably a notch or two above O'Gara's in my mind. The partnership with Phillips should hopefully build a double-pivot platform for the strike runners to play off.
11. Left Wing: Shane Williams - Ospreys & Wales
Over the past few years Williams has undoubtedly been the most deadly finisher in the world. If the Lions give him a sniff, the Boks might as well add the extra 5 to the scoreboard themselves, he is that good. However, despite this superb attacking ability, he is still a defensive frailty. For many years I used to lambast him as the swinging door of international rugby - as likely to cause a team to concede a try as score one. Compared to someone like Jason Robinson who was as tenacious in defense as he was scything in attack - despite his size - Williams is an unbalanced player. However, while his defense hasn't improved, his attacking is now so potent that I don't think the Boks have a player that can match the individual attacking threat of Williams. For this reason, he makes my team. Last time out against wunder wing Bryan Habana, Shane Williams came out dominant, and Habana's form has undoubtedly waned since 2007. That said, he still oozes class and if he starts turning on the burners we need to have an antidote waiting in the wings.
12. Inside Centre: Riki Flutey - Wasps & England
Flutey might play for England now, but he plays like a great All Black centre. England like to play there passing centre at 12 (a recurring error in my view) and there bosch-man at 13, whereas New Zealand play their guile at 13 and the direct player at 12. Despite this difference, Riki Flutey is strikingly similar to All Black greats like Conrad Smith and Aaron Mauger. He's the thinking-man's centre and compared to other options he offers incision and passing in equal quantity. Flutey had an awesome 6N and ended up as the top try scorer, a stat that never lies. He just plays like an All Black and in my book that's the rugby equivalent of fighting like a Spartan or flying like a naval aviator. He's bloody good and I look forward to watching him play.
13. Outside Centre: Brian O'Driscoll - Leinster & Ireland
Who else? One of the true greats of the modern game. Up there with names like Carter, Wilkinson and McCaw. His will to win and his sheer brilliance is extraordinary. He also comes across as a thoroughly nice guy and a player that is easy to respect and like. An obvious Captain and a leader players would follow to hell and back. He has definitely lost a yard of pace since we saw his magic back in 2001, but his will more than cancels out the aging process. As we saw in the 6N he was back to his stunning best. It seemed at times that he was winning matches almost single handedly through a careful application of incision and guts based purely on what was needed most at the time. He's world class, in BOD we trust.
14. Right Wing: Mark Cueto - Sale & England
Tommy Bowe seems to be the front runner for this position, but in my view he's simply not done anything truly outstanding to warrant his selection. He's very good, but I haven't yet been wowed by him. Cueto by contrast is back to his formidable best and has been scoring tries for fun for both England & Sale. He's big, powerful and his wheels are definitely well oiled. England's opening try against France was case in point. Morgan Parra is a quick chap, but there was something truly majestic about the sprawling heap that he was left in by Cueto's gas. It was the rugby equivalent of an ace in tennis. Parra, outstretched in limb rending desperation didn't so much as touch him and it was due to his outright pace, a quality that is in my mind essential in a good winger. I can just about tolerate a wing with no defensive attributes, but I can't live with a winger who might get beaten in a race to the line. Cueto's English and therefore out of fashion but he's the right choice.
15. Full-Back: Lee Byrne - Scarlets & Wales
Another player who oozes class. Jeremy Guscott, punditry idiot though he is, labelled him the best player in the world at the start of the six nations and while this sort of over-blown excess is a weakness in Guscott as an analyst, he wasn't far off. Byrne is simply bloody good. Solid as a rock under the high ball and in defense he's also a wicked finisher. He's the incumbent and it's his jersey to lose. That said, the Lions are blessed with serious strength in depth at the back. Both Rob Kearney and Delon Armitage have quickly matured into very very good players who have a real aura of confidence and quality about them. Both are great catchers of the ball and while Armitage offers outright pace and an elusiveness that should see him carve through any half gap, Kearney brings considerable power not dissimilar to Mark Cueto.
REPLACEMENTS BENCH
Very England heavy I admit, but the bench ought to be about having options and having the next best contenders ready and waiting, this selection I think offers it.
John Hayes - Unglamorous as they come but a more passionate player you will not find. Has grown from a symbol of mediocrity into a long-lived warhorse that draws comparisons to the great Jason Leonard
Lee Mears - An excellent ball carrier and the best lineout exponent in Britain and Ireland on current form. Unglamorous but very good.
Nick Kennedy - A lineout specialist is something that any team worth their salt should be taking to South Africa. Kennedy is the best lineout operator in the NH and offers a real threat to the dominance of Matfield and Botha.
Tom Croft - A great ball winner and the pace of a winger. Youth and exuberance and bags of talent. Joe Worsley and David Wallace were both options for this spot but neither offer the positivity and adaptability of Croft. He's also a great line-out option.
Ronan O'Gara - More of an option than a sub. He's as good as Stephen Jones but simply with a different game. The starter should be based on how the Lions want to play and who lines up against them.
Harry Ellis - A quality unfussy scrum-half with a turn of pace and solid defense. Will invite the Lions backline to play with pace and to keep the ball in hand.
Matthew Tait - In my view one of the finest attacking threats in the whole of the NH. I'd like to see McGeechan have faith in him at 13 during the midweek where Sale and England have so rarely done. He's my 'pet' selection if you will, and maybe in a different environment with different coaches he'd be rewarded with the position that his class deserves. On the bench for the tests as a useful utility back. He's bloody good, but even I don't think he unseats O'Driscoll!
Guts
29/11/08 01:41 PM
English Rugby is currently in a very bad way and in little under an hour the tattered England team takes on the might of the greatest rugby team to ever play the game. There’s no way we will have righted all the problems in our game in the space of one short week, so as a supporter I ask for guts, and lots of it.
When I was playing schoolboy rugby - I wasn’t anything special - I played second row for the Colts B, but we were a gutsy team and we played some awesome opposition. The biggest match of the year was against Wellington College, a seriously proud rugby school whose 1XV was filled with England and Wales U18 age group players. I remember playing away at Wellington. The opposition was scarily good and a win was never really on the cards but I remember how incredibly fired up we were and how much young aggression was stirred up by the match. The Wellington Colts A had a legendary winger, a real schoolboy Jonah, with a crazy name. I can’t remember it, but it was something utterly implausible, something like ‘Buck’. He was only ever known by his first name and his reputation was fierce. He had run through defenses against the very best teams with ease.
On the day we were playing Wellington, ‘Buck’ (as we shall call him) had been injured and was just getting back into playing, and by way of warm up, he’d been slotted into the B team to get some match fitness. That meant he was up against my team. I was a 2nd row and had no real expectation to find myself on the wing with ‘Buck’ coming at me, but I remember being so incredibly fired up that that was all I wanted to happen. I remember thinking:
The reality was probably that he’d have butchered me and used my guts for garters, but by god I meant it. I literally growled it at the guys in my team talking in hushed awed tones about this bloke. To my mind, he was just a lad our age and it really awoke the fighting spirit - why should we fear him?? We ended up losing the game, and in retrospect it was a lot of teenage machismo really, but the spirit kept it from being a whitewash.
The anger, the passion, the utter determination. That’s what England need to show today. Every All Black must be hit like they talked about our sisters. Training isn’t going to save us today, passion and commitment though.... they might just salvage us some pride. Our team talk today should be pretty simple: Bring it F-ing on.
When I was playing schoolboy rugby - I wasn’t anything special - I played second row for the Colts B, but we were a gutsy team and we played some awesome opposition. The biggest match of the year was against Wellington College, a seriously proud rugby school whose 1XV was filled with England and Wales U18 age group players. I remember playing away at Wellington. The opposition was scarily good and a win was never really on the cards but I remember how incredibly fired up we were and how much young aggression was stirred up by the match. The Wellington Colts A had a legendary winger, a real schoolboy Jonah, with a crazy name. I can’t remember it, but it was something utterly implausible, something like ‘Buck’. He was only ever known by his first name and his reputation was fierce. He had run through defenses against the very best teams with ease.
On the day we were playing Wellington, ‘Buck’ (as we shall call him) had been injured and was just getting back into playing, and by way of warm up, he’d been slotted into the B team to get some match fitness. That meant he was up against my team. I was a 2nd row and had no real expectation to find myself on the wing with ‘Buck’ coming at me, but I remember being so incredibly fired up that that was all I wanted to happen. I remember thinking:
“Let this lad come. Let him run at me, I’ll show him the meaning of the tackle.”
The reality was probably that he’d have butchered me and used my guts for garters, but by god I meant it. I literally growled it at the guys in my team talking in hushed awed tones about this bloke. To my mind, he was just a lad our age and it really awoke the fighting spirit - why should we fear him?? We ended up losing the game, and in retrospect it was a lot of teenage machismo really, but the spirit kept it from being a whitewash.
The anger, the passion, the utter determination. That’s what England need to show today. Every All Black must be hit like they talked about our sisters. Training isn’t going to save us today, passion and commitment though.... they might just salvage us some pride. Our team talk today should be pretty simple: Bring it F-ing on.
Guscott - Sense & Misguidance
24/11/08 10:11 PM
Saturday was England’s heaviest ever home defeat. I was slightly surprised to hear that given our incredible mediocrity over the last few years, but considering the Scots came close to recording a victory over the Boks the previous week, it puts the teams plight into perspective. Yes, the South African’s clearly lifted their game for the Twickenham finale, but nonetheless, England were drubbed.
That said, I think it’s hugely important that this week the coaching staff, pundits, commentators and public are hugely accurate with their analysis of exactly what went wrong and what went right. There are lots of people throwing their hands up saying that nothing went right, and as far as the scoreline goes, they’re spot on, but the point is that there were positives. The key is to recognise them and then keep them positive for next week and target the areas of the play that England were awful in. In all the furore over the result, I have heard very few voices who have managed to notice what was right. Even Dewi Morris, whose barely restrained fury was rightly and understandably prominent, made as many misjudgments as he made accurate ones. I can only hope that this morning Jonno and the England coaching setup were clear in their own minds about why England lost the game. If they’re not, England have even less of a cat’s chance against the clinical All Blacks.
A few caveats before moving on - this will be a thorough analysis of the England v South Africa game, but the England coaches need to crucially distill down the key points into improvements that can have an impact in 5 days time. To put all this into effect at once is impossible, the key is to get as much return from your investment as possible in a very short time frame.
Much of this post will be a response to Jerry Guscott’s column on the BBC website. In my view, Guscott is generally a highly inaccurate analyst. He is a master of picking insignificant, isolated video clips that support his dodgy viewpoint. He’s the punditry equivalent of the school kid who made up the statistics to match his Geography coursework conclusions. However, his article today on the BBC sport site does contain some salient points. The problem is he clouds these accuracies with complete nonsense. I’m going to go through his column and discuss what I mean.
This might have been fair a few years ago, but not now. They’re not world beaters just yet, but class wise this England team is miles ahead of the England teams of recent years. The problem is more in a few key positions than a systemic team wide lack of quality. Most positions lack a depth of talent at the moment, but there is talent there. Let’s look through the units:
Front Row
In a traditionally strong area for English rugby, this interestingly is one of our weaknesses. Stevens mobility and obvious desire is excellent and Lee Mears is beginning to become a half decent player, but at the moment we don’t have a front row to set the world alight. Ideally I’d play Sheridan, Mears and Stevens.
Second Row
Another area of ‘apparent’ weakness. I use the word apparent because I think we’ve got the personnel, but we need to find the right combination. Far too much is made of size/power/grunt. Whatever you want to call it, I’d take an ability to turn up to a ruck on time and a comfort with ball in hand over sheer size anyday. Take a look at Ali Williams. Not the biggest man in the world, but a quality lock forward. His mobility is his strength. We clearly need a balance, and looking to the future us important as well. Here again Guscott has an unsettled view when we need ruthless clarity. He suggests the southern hemisphere teams have higher fitness levels than England and then goes on to ask:
These three questions are back to front and symptomatic of slower northern hemisphere rugby. The best teams create a tempo that the opposition can’t live with and worrying about being ‘big enough’ isn’t conducive to that. It’s something best left for lonely late night pondering...
A modern rugby player needs to be fit enough, then strong enough, and quite frankly size should be coming a distant last. The All Blacks isn’t a team filled with titanic players, nor for that matter are most of the SH teams. Being able to do a vast bench press on the other side of the pitch from the scene of the action is an irrelevancy in rugby today and we need to place far less emphasis on size. More cardio, more skills. Less bulk. Strength and bulk are not one and the same.
I think Kennedy just has to be in the team. He is a lineout specialist and the ability to win lineout ball is crucial in a modern team. It’s a far far bigger part of the game than the scrum. Borthwick isn’t a definate starter and therefore his captaincy has to be under question. Shaw isn’t the future, but he has soft hands and mobility for a big man, so I’d say Kennedy and Shaw is the way to go. Here Jerry and I are on the same wavelength.
Apparently Ben Kay has been drafted into the squad as cover for Palmer who has a minor injury. My view is that Kay is most definately the past. He simply doesn’t have the skills to be an effective modern lock. He dropped the ball over the line in a world cup final for crying out loud. I’m not one to hold a grudge, but subsequent performances haven’t shown signs that things have changed.
Back Row
Our area of outstanding strength with quality and considerable depth. Anyone who saw Delon Armitage’s brother Steffan playing at the weekend has to believe that we’ve got some promising youngsters coming through. Guscott questioned the back row link-play, singling Tom Rees out in particular:
Tom Rees begun the move that led to England’s closest try scoring opportunity. Passing to James Haskell, coincidentally, who then threw a pinpoint pass to Armitage. Both Rees and Haskell drew men and then passed the ball, creating space and sucking in defenders. Haskell’s pass would have pleased a decent centre. Anyone who says these two can’t link with the backs failed to watch the game in detail. They are the future of English flank-forward play and should be first names on the team sheet. The backrow were playing against Burger, Spiers and Kankowski, one of the most effective, complete and impressive units in the game today. The English backrow stood mostly toe-to-toe with them, and I for one was impressed. Burger alone is a menace and Spiers carries like a tank crossed with an F1 car.
Nick Easter shouldn’t be forgotten. He was for me, the English player of the game. Backrow forwards rarely go an entire game without infringing, but he had a remarkably clean game. He always ended up making yards, and above all, he’s got hands like velcro. He holds onto the ball when frankly, he has no right too. I expect him and Narraway to contest the number 8 shirt fiercely in the future. I’d also consider Easter for captain. Watching him speak on Sky’s ‘The Rugby Club’ he was abrupt and to the point and honest with regards to England’s failings against Australia. I like that in a captain. Nothing more need be said - extra words are just hot air.
Scrum Half
Danny Care and Harry Ellis are both quality players, and usefully they’re different. Care did a better job at not dithering with the ball against South Africa, but he still wasn’t quick enough. Unless there is good reason, the ball should be distributed as soon as it’s available as it’s this pace on the game that makes a team hard to defend against. Whilst defenses are regrouping and tacklers are getting back into position the best teams are getting on with the job of attack. He should be doing the basics first, and getting rid of the ball in a timely fashion to his FH. On this point, I agree wholeheartedly with Guscott. Care needs to do his basics first and foremost. Ellis should still start, Care’s impact later in the game would be more profound.
Fly Half
I hate to have to say it, but the reason we lost. Danny Cipriani had a shocker of a game. He’s got a great arrogance about him, but after his abysmal start this deserted him and he became hugely one dimensional. When he wasn’t kicking the ball into Springbok charges, he was simply shipping it along the line. No invention whatsoever, and on the few occasions he tried to make space with his passing, it was inaccurate and poorly executed. He should have been singled out by Jonno in the dressing room. He’s a big character and it ought to motivate him in the right way. This is international level rugby and when you have a shocker you shouldn’t expect people to tiptoe around you. Flood should probably start at Fly Half till Cipriani has earned his place again. I’ve got a heck of a lot more to say on Cipriani, but for the time being, that’d be my call.
Centres
In recent times an area of weakness, but provided with the right ball, I think Flutey can begin to show some class. Options have improved in the midfield lately. In the long term, I see the Cipriani/Flutey partnership as a central part of the England building process, so if Johnson has the balls to back picking Cipriani again, I can also see the sense in this. He clearly intends to forge Cipriani in the fires of hell and build a team around a pivot with genuine world class potential. If Riki Flutey can provide the correct blend of passing, crashing and guile, that’ll be the start of something very good. I fully believe Flutey can.
Jamie Noon doesn’t belong in the squad though. Guscott fails to mention him and there is an undertone to his article of the classic back blaming the forwards. He says that Care doesn’t get the ball away fast enough. If he has the option to do so, then surely the forwards are generating quick ball? The issues on Saturday, unlike the Australia game, lay predominantly in the English backline and if we can’t all see that, we’re going to fail to improve.
I used to sing Noon’s praises a few years back. In a side that lacked quality and commitment his determination was plain to see. Times have changed though, and I firmly believe that Matt Tait should be an absolute certainty for the 13 shirt. I had the pleasure of meeting him following the Barbarians game this summer and he told me in no uncertain terms that he views himself as an outside centre. It’s the position he’s spent most of his career in, the position England is really crying out for quality in, and in my view far and away his best position. England are not a team who are good at getting the ball out to their back three and by sticking him on the wing or at full back we are basically starving a hugely potent attacking threat of ball. Put him in at 13 and keep him there till he gives you reason to remove him.
Back Three
Currently, we’re relatively blessed at the back. Armitage is a real find and so far has played with the perfect balance of youthful confidence and composure. He’s done little wrong and exceeded my expectations. He deserves to be considered the incumbent full back. There are a number of other impressive options, with Nick Abendanon slightly nosing in front of Olly Morgan to my mind. As for the wingers, Monye has been given very little ball and really no opportunity to show what he can do since the opening match against the Pacific Islanders. His running in that game was superb and I’d keep him. Paul Sackey is a prolific international try scorer these days in a team that doesn’t score many tries, and for this reason alone he has to be selected. His positional play needs work, as kickers have found success getting the ball in behind him, but he’s classy on the run and deserves his place. There are plenty of players waiting in the wings as well. The ever injured Strettle, Lewsey, Vainokolo, Cuthbert, Banahan, Ojo, Brown, Biggs are names that immediately spring to mind. On an aside, Ben Foden should be playing at 15 for Northampton. He’s a decent scrum half, but he was a blistering full back and I’m gutted that he’s been so adamant about the change.
...
We’ve got the makings of a good team in my view but we need to realise what needs changing and we need to find a cutting edge. Our ball retention against South Africa was phenomenal. The platform was there and we even competed at the lineout - a huge feat against the soaring Matfield. In my view, the team has a few ‘dead wood’ players in the form of Payne, Palmer, Vickery, Noon and to an extent Borthwick, but for the most part is a formation that can compete if they play the right way. Matthew Tait is to my mind the essential change. He has guile that no-one else in English centre play can match and despite what some people say, his defense is solid.
I still question Johnson’s selection policy, but wholesale changes are not the way to go. Cipriani needs to stomach a dose of medicinal humiliation and changes need to be made so that promising forward play, possession and territory is matched by incision and points, but despite the margin of defeat on Saturday I disagree with Jeremy, the quality is available.
One final closing point. The thing England do lack though, in my view is a ruthlessness of thought. This is as clear off the pitch as on it. Post match interviews have become filled with corporate rhetoric with players answering questions they’d like to answer rather than the questions they were asked. Nobody wants to face the media after a heavy loss, but the manner in which it’s done speaks volumes about the mindset. When asked whether they had been humiliated, Steve Borthwick’s answer should have been an unequivocal ‘YES’. God knows the supporters felt it, and the blood should be boiling in the England camp. Anger and passion go hand in hand in rugby and as a supporter and observer of the game I’d like to see a little less ‘thoughtful’ consideration in the immediate wake of defeat and a bit more unbridled emotion - it wouldn’t go amiss.
I’ll post more on this final thought in the coming days, but for now, I hope Johnson and co. are clear as day about what went right and what went wrong last Saturday. It’s vitally important.
That said, I think it’s hugely important that this week the coaching staff, pundits, commentators and public are hugely accurate with their analysis of exactly what went wrong and what went right. There are lots of people throwing their hands up saying that nothing went right, and as far as the scoreline goes, they’re spot on, but the point is that there were positives. The key is to recognise them and then keep them positive for next week and target the areas of the play that England were awful in. In all the furore over the result, I have heard very few voices who have managed to notice what was right. Even Dewi Morris, whose barely restrained fury was rightly and understandably prominent, made as many misjudgments as he made accurate ones. I can only hope that this morning Jonno and the England coaching setup were clear in their own minds about why England lost the game. If they’re not, England have even less of a cat’s chance against the clinical All Blacks.
A few caveats before moving on - this will be a thorough analysis of the England v South Africa game, but the England coaches need to crucially distill down the key points into improvements that can have an impact in 5 days time. To put all this into effect at once is impossible, the key is to get as much return from your investment as possible in a very short time frame.
Much of this post will be a response to Jerry Guscott’s column on the BBC website. In my view, Guscott is generally a highly inaccurate analyst. He is a master of picking insignificant, isolated video clips that support his dodgy viewpoint. He’s the punditry equivalent of the school kid who made up the statistics to match his Geography coursework conclusions. However, his article today on the BBC sport site does contain some salient points. The problem is he clouds these accuracies with complete nonsense. I’m going to go through his column and discuss what I mean.
“Martin Johnson isn't going to say this, so I will - the current crop of England players is just not very good.”
This might have been fair a few years ago, but not now. They’re not world beaters just yet, but class wise this England team is miles ahead of the England teams of recent years. The problem is more in a few key positions than a systemic team wide lack of quality. Most positions lack a depth of talent at the moment, but there is talent there. Let’s look through the units:
Front Row
In a traditionally strong area for English rugby, this interestingly is one of our weaknesses. Stevens mobility and obvious desire is excellent and Lee Mears is beginning to become a half decent player, but at the moment we don’t have a front row to set the world alight. Ideally I’d play Sheridan, Mears and Stevens.
Second Row
Another area of ‘apparent’ weakness. I use the word apparent because I think we’ve got the personnel, but we need to find the right combination. Far too much is made of size/power/grunt. Whatever you want to call it, I’d take an ability to turn up to a ruck on time and a comfort with ball in hand over sheer size anyday. Take a look at Ali Williams. Not the biggest man in the world, but a quality lock forward. His mobility is his strength. We clearly need a balance, and looking to the future us important as well. Here again Guscott has an unsettled view when we need ruthless clarity. He suggests the southern hemisphere teams have higher fitness levels than England and then goes on to ask:
“Are we big enough, strong enough and fit enough? Judging by the last two performances you would have to say no.”
These three questions are back to front and symptomatic of slower northern hemisphere rugby. The best teams create a tempo that the opposition can’t live with and worrying about being ‘big enough’ isn’t conducive to that. It’s something best left for lonely late night pondering...
A modern rugby player needs to be fit enough, then strong enough, and quite frankly size should be coming a distant last. The All Blacks isn’t a team filled with titanic players, nor for that matter are most of the SH teams. Being able to do a vast bench press on the other side of the pitch from the scene of the action is an irrelevancy in rugby today and we need to place far less emphasis on size. More cardio, more skills. Less bulk. Strength and bulk are not one and the same.
I think Kennedy just has to be in the team. He is a lineout specialist and the ability to win lineout ball is crucial in a modern team. It’s a far far bigger part of the game than the scrum. Borthwick isn’t a definate starter and therefore his captaincy has to be under question. Shaw isn’t the future, but he has soft hands and mobility for a big man, so I’d say Kennedy and Shaw is the way to go. Here Jerry and I are on the same wavelength.
Apparently Ben Kay has been drafted into the squad as cover for Palmer who has a minor injury. My view is that Kay is most definately the past. He simply doesn’t have the skills to be an effective modern lock. He dropped the ball over the line in a world cup final for crying out loud. I’m not one to hold a grudge, but subsequent performances haven’t shown signs that things have changed.
Back Row
Our area of outstanding strength with quality and considerable depth. Anyone who saw Delon Armitage’s brother Steffan playing at the weekend has to believe that we’ve got some promising youngsters coming through. Guscott questioned the back row link-play, singling Tom Rees out in particular:
“Tom Rees was one of the few England players to get plaudits at the weekend but, for me, he wasn't a good enough link between forwards and backs.”
Tom Rees begun the move that led to England’s closest try scoring opportunity. Passing to James Haskell, coincidentally, who then threw a pinpoint pass to Armitage. Both Rees and Haskell drew men and then passed the ball, creating space and sucking in defenders. Haskell’s pass would have pleased a decent centre. Anyone who says these two can’t link with the backs failed to watch the game in detail. They are the future of English flank-forward play and should be first names on the team sheet. The backrow were playing against Burger, Spiers and Kankowski, one of the most effective, complete and impressive units in the game today. The English backrow stood mostly toe-to-toe with them, and I for one was impressed. Burger alone is a menace and Spiers carries like a tank crossed with an F1 car.
Nick Easter shouldn’t be forgotten. He was for me, the English player of the game. Backrow forwards rarely go an entire game without infringing, but he had a remarkably clean game. He always ended up making yards, and above all, he’s got hands like velcro. He holds onto the ball when frankly, he has no right too. I expect him and Narraway to contest the number 8 shirt fiercely in the future. I’d also consider Easter for captain. Watching him speak on Sky’s ‘The Rugby Club’ he was abrupt and to the point and honest with regards to England’s failings against Australia. I like that in a captain. Nothing more need be said - extra words are just hot air.
Scrum Half
Danny Care and Harry Ellis are both quality players, and usefully they’re different. Care did a better job at not dithering with the ball against South Africa, but he still wasn’t quick enough. Unless there is good reason, the ball should be distributed as soon as it’s available as it’s this pace on the game that makes a team hard to defend against. Whilst defenses are regrouping and tacklers are getting back into position the best teams are getting on with the job of attack. He should be doing the basics first, and getting rid of the ball in a timely fashion to his FH. On this point, I agree wholeheartedly with Guscott. Care needs to do his basics first and foremost. Ellis should still start, Care’s impact later in the game would be more profound.
Fly Half
I hate to have to say it, but the reason we lost. Danny Cipriani had a shocker of a game. He’s got a great arrogance about him, but after his abysmal start this deserted him and he became hugely one dimensional. When he wasn’t kicking the ball into Springbok charges, he was simply shipping it along the line. No invention whatsoever, and on the few occasions he tried to make space with his passing, it was inaccurate and poorly executed. He should have been singled out by Jonno in the dressing room. He’s a big character and it ought to motivate him in the right way. This is international level rugby and when you have a shocker you shouldn’t expect people to tiptoe around you. Flood should probably start at Fly Half till Cipriani has earned his place again. I’ve got a heck of a lot more to say on Cipriani, but for the time being, that’d be my call.
Centres
In recent times an area of weakness, but provided with the right ball, I think Flutey can begin to show some class. Options have improved in the midfield lately. In the long term, I see the Cipriani/Flutey partnership as a central part of the England building process, so if Johnson has the balls to back picking Cipriani again, I can also see the sense in this. He clearly intends to forge Cipriani in the fires of hell and build a team around a pivot with genuine world class potential. If Riki Flutey can provide the correct blend of passing, crashing and guile, that’ll be the start of something very good. I fully believe Flutey can.
Jamie Noon doesn’t belong in the squad though. Guscott fails to mention him and there is an undertone to his article of the classic back blaming the forwards. He says that Care doesn’t get the ball away fast enough. If he has the option to do so, then surely the forwards are generating quick ball? The issues on Saturday, unlike the Australia game, lay predominantly in the English backline and if we can’t all see that, we’re going to fail to improve.
I used to sing Noon’s praises a few years back. In a side that lacked quality and commitment his determination was plain to see. Times have changed though, and I firmly believe that Matt Tait should be an absolute certainty for the 13 shirt. I had the pleasure of meeting him following the Barbarians game this summer and he told me in no uncertain terms that he views himself as an outside centre. It’s the position he’s spent most of his career in, the position England is really crying out for quality in, and in my view far and away his best position. England are not a team who are good at getting the ball out to their back three and by sticking him on the wing or at full back we are basically starving a hugely potent attacking threat of ball. Put him in at 13 and keep him there till he gives you reason to remove him.
Back Three
Currently, we’re relatively blessed at the back. Armitage is a real find and so far has played with the perfect balance of youthful confidence and composure. He’s done little wrong and exceeded my expectations. He deserves to be considered the incumbent full back. There are a number of other impressive options, with Nick Abendanon slightly nosing in front of Olly Morgan to my mind. As for the wingers, Monye has been given very little ball and really no opportunity to show what he can do since the opening match against the Pacific Islanders. His running in that game was superb and I’d keep him. Paul Sackey is a prolific international try scorer these days in a team that doesn’t score many tries, and for this reason alone he has to be selected. His positional play needs work, as kickers have found success getting the ball in behind him, but he’s classy on the run and deserves his place. There are plenty of players waiting in the wings as well. The ever injured Strettle, Lewsey, Vainokolo, Cuthbert, Banahan, Ojo, Brown, Biggs are names that immediately spring to mind. On an aside, Ben Foden should be playing at 15 for Northampton. He’s a decent scrum half, but he was a blistering full back and I’m gutted that he’s been so adamant about the change.
...
We’ve got the makings of a good team in my view but we need to realise what needs changing and we need to find a cutting edge. Our ball retention against South Africa was phenomenal. The platform was there and we even competed at the lineout - a huge feat against the soaring Matfield. In my view, the team has a few ‘dead wood’ players in the form of Payne, Palmer, Vickery, Noon and to an extent Borthwick, but for the most part is a formation that can compete if they play the right way. Matthew Tait is to my mind the essential change. He has guile that no-one else in English centre play can match and despite what some people say, his defense is solid.
I still question Johnson’s selection policy, but wholesale changes are not the way to go. Cipriani needs to stomach a dose of medicinal humiliation and changes need to be made so that promising forward play, possession and territory is matched by incision and points, but despite the margin of defeat on Saturday I disagree with Jeremy, the quality is available.
One final closing point. The thing England do lack though, in my view is a ruthlessness of thought. This is as clear off the pitch as on it. Post match interviews have become filled with corporate rhetoric with players answering questions they’d like to answer rather than the questions they were asked. Nobody wants to face the media after a heavy loss, but the manner in which it’s done speaks volumes about the mindset. When asked whether they had been humiliated, Steve Borthwick’s answer should have been an unequivocal ‘YES’. God knows the supporters felt it, and the blood should be boiling in the England camp. Anger and passion go hand in hand in rugby and as a supporter and observer of the game I’d like to see a little less ‘thoughtful’ consideration in the immediate wake of defeat and a bit more unbridled emotion - it wouldn’t go amiss.
I’ll post more on this final thought in the coming days, but for now, I hope Johnson and co. are clear as day about what went right and what went wrong last Saturday. It’s vitally important.
England Vs South Africa
21/11/08 11:49 AM
England take on the world champions this Saturday at Twickenham and the media is billing it as a battle hardened but tired South Africa taking on a young and inexperienced England team that’s just been told to wake up and smell the coffee. South Africa are definately battle hardened, and after a seriously long season, I’m sure there will be some tiredness, but for one big push against England on Saturday, I’m sure that won’t play a factor. What I’m most interested in is Martin Johnson’s selection policy and what England need to do to win this game and improve as a team.
Last week, prior to the Australia game, I had big concerns over Johnson’s two changes. Vickery was brought in for his apparent scrummaging prowess over Matt Stevens, and Tom Palmer was brought in to offer grunt to the pack. What pundits like to call ‘ballast’. Vickery probably is a slightly more technical scrummager than Stevens, but he offers far less around the park, and for a game plan that clearly involved us getting it right up front at scrum time he failed to deliver. Tom Palmer’s selection had me far more worried though. I’ve never once noticed him playing in an England shirt and as a tall lock, that’s a worry. There are few good players who can go entirely unnoticed over a career of ten tests or more. To me, Tom Palmer is a journeyman player, not bad, but not great either. He might be a bit more ‘powerful’ than Nick Kennedy, but if you’re looking to stick in more grunt, why not opt for Simon Shaw? He is a proven lineout jumper, has incredible size and power and possesses very soft hands for a towering second row. In my view, the right choice was Nick Kennedy, he had a great game the previous week and proved with his off the top to Danny Care that a well oiled lineout is a dangerous thing. By contrast, against Australia on Saturday our lineout was abysmal. A combination of poor decision making, inaccurate throwing, failure to jump, failure to compete and an organised defensive effort completely nullified that aspect of the English game.
Johnson’s strange selection policy continues with the loss of Andrew Sheridan to a neck injury. Instead of promoting Matt Stevens from the bench, a change many have been clamouring for even before Sheridan’s injury, he calls in Tim Payne, the 8th Wasp in the team, from outside of the Matchday 22. This is questionable on so many levels. If Tim Payne is the right replacement, why wasn’t he on the bench in place of Stevens to begin with? He certainly doesn’t offer the ball-carrying crash and bang that Stevens provides so he better scrummage his heart out.
It’s worth remembering that size isn’t everything. If Palmer was in the side to add grunt, then he needs to actually get to the breakdown in time. One of the biggest problems England has at the moment is the inability to blast the opposition of the ball at a ruck. We need to teach our forwards to arrive at a ruck at pace and onside and drive accurately and aggressively. The Munster Vs New Zealand game was a thriller, and played with real intensity from both sides, but the power on display at the breakdown was a sight to behold. They weren’t playing on Tuesday night, but the fact remains - watching Ali Williams, Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino arrive at a ruck is like watching a cannon ball impacting wet cheese. They quite literally ‘blast’ the opposition off the ball. England need to learn this and remember that there is simply no point arriving at a ruck slowly. Either you’ve lost the ball by the time you turn up or the resulting ball is slow and laboured allowing the oppositions defensive pattern to realign. James Haskell might lack Tom Croft’s phenomenal pace and lineout quality, but I want him in the team for his physicality at the breakdown.
Which brings us on to the scrum half option. Danny Care is a real livewire and I think he’s shown genuine class so-far. While Cipriani has looked stressed and pressured, his young half back pairing has positively exuded confidence, so much so that at times it’s been to the detriment of his team. His ability to snipe and break is unparalleled in the English game at the moment, but I can’t help but feel that Martin Johnson has got his scrum-halves back to front. Harry Ellis is a less flashy player, but in this team, one that despite his youth, actually seems quite wise and experienced. Ellis digs the ball out of rucks faster than Care and gets rid of it even faster. He forces the backline to play with ball in hand and he demands that the forwards produce the ball in a timely fashion. Care on the other hand likes to set his runners before delivering the pass which tends to slow the game and reduce the attacking flow. He’s also got a horrible trait of looking at the receiver and not at the ball while he’s doing this and I’ve often seen the opposition disrupt him or even force a turnover by hitting the breakdown hard while he’s fannying about with the ball at his feet. I’d start Ellis for his good quick service and his desire to use the ball, and bring Care on as a 60 minute replacement to inject pace around the fringes and harry tiring opposition back rows. At the moment, Ellis is the player with the cooler, ‘test-ready’ head.
‘Intensity at the breakdown’, ‘decision-making’ and ‘play 15 man rugby’ would be my maxims this week if I was Martin Johnson. We’re half way through the Autumn Internationals now and if we can make it two from four I think we can fairly call that a success. There’s genuine positives in the team at the moment, England just need to add some belief and burning desire.
Good Luck Guys!
Last week, prior to the Australia game, I had big concerns over Johnson’s two changes. Vickery was brought in for his apparent scrummaging prowess over Matt Stevens, and Tom Palmer was brought in to offer grunt to the pack. What pundits like to call ‘ballast’. Vickery probably is a slightly more technical scrummager than Stevens, but he offers far less around the park, and for a game plan that clearly involved us getting it right up front at scrum time he failed to deliver. Tom Palmer’s selection had me far more worried though. I’ve never once noticed him playing in an England shirt and as a tall lock, that’s a worry. There are few good players who can go entirely unnoticed over a career of ten tests or more. To me, Tom Palmer is a journeyman player, not bad, but not great either. He might be a bit more ‘powerful’ than Nick Kennedy, but if you’re looking to stick in more grunt, why not opt for Simon Shaw? He is a proven lineout jumper, has incredible size and power and possesses very soft hands for a towering second row. In my view, the right choice was Nick Kennedy, he had a great game the previous week and proved with his off the top to Danny Care that a well oiled lineout is a dangerous thing. By contrast, against Australia on Saturday our lineout was abysmal. A combination of poor decision making, inaccurate throwing, failure to jump, failure to compete and an organised defensive effort completely nullified that aspect of the English game.
Johnson’s strange selection policy continues with the loss of Andrew Sheridan to a neck injury. Instead of promoting Matt Stevens from the bench, a change many have been clamouring for even before Sheridan’s injury, he calls in Tim Payne, the 8th Wasp in the team, from outside of the Matchday 22. This is questionable on so many levels. If Tim Payne is the right replacement, why wasn’t he on the bench in place of Stevens to begin with? He certainly doesn’t offer the ball-carrying crash and bang that Stevens provides so he better scrummage his heart out.
It’s worth remembering that size isn’t everything. If Palmer was in the side to add grunt, then he needs to actually get to the breakdown in time. One of the biggest problems England has at the moment is the inability to blast the opposition of the ball at a ruck. We need to teach our forwards to arrive at a ruck at pace and onside and drive accurately and aggressively. The Munster Vs New Zealand game was a thriller, and played with real intensity from both sides, but the power on display at the breakdown was a sight to behold. They weren’t playing on Tuesday night, but the fact remains - watching Ali Williams, Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino arrive at a ruck is like watching a cannon ball impacting wet cheese. They quite literally ‘blast’ the opposition off the ball. England need to learn this and remember that there is simply no point arriving at a ruck slowly. Either you’ve lost the ball by the time you turn up or the resulting ball is slow and laboured allowing the oppositions defensive pattern to realign. James Haskell might lack Tom Croft’s phenomenal pace and lineout quality, but I want him in the team for his physicality at the breakdown.
Which brings us on to the scrum half option. Danny Care is a real livewire and I think he’s shown genuine class so-far. While Cipriani has looked stressed and pressured, his young half back pairing has positively exuded confidence, so much so that at times it’s been to the detriment of his team. His ability to snipe and break is unparalleled in the English game at the moment, but I can’t help but feel that Martin Johnson has got his scrum-halves back to front. Harry Ellis is a less flashy player, but in this team, one that despite his youth, actually seems quite wise and experienced. Ellis digs the ball out of rucks faster than Care and gets rid of it even faster. He forces the backline to play with ball in hand and he demands that the forwards produce the ball in a timely fashion. Care on the other hand likes to set his runners before delivering the pass which tends to slow the game and reduce the attacking flow. He’s also got a horrible trait of looking at the receiver and not at the ball while he’s doing this and I’ve often seen the opposition disrupt him or even force a turnover by hitting the breakdown hard while he’s fannying about with the ball at his feet. I’d start Ellis for his good quick service and his desire to use the ball, and bring Care on as a 60 minute replacement to inject pace around the fringes and harry tiring opposition back rows. At the moment, Ellis is the player with the cooler, ‘test-ready’ head.
‘Intensity at the breakdown’, ‘decision-making’ and ‘play 15 man rugby’ would be my maxims this week if I was Martin Johnson. We’re half way through the Autumn Internationals now and if we can make it two from four I think we can fairly call that a success. There’s genuine positives in the team at the moment, England just need to add some belief and burning desire.
Good Luck Guys!