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Which nation has the best professional rugby system? The debate is conducted
with some of the vehemence of that between the communists and the
capitalists in the Cold War.
Surely, no-one with a brain in working order doubts that the English and
French systems are light years ahead in terms of commercial appeal,
gate-taking and success in the main cross-border events. Leicester's
announcement of the building of a 30,000-seat stadium and the aspirations of
Bath and Saracens to something similar, are evidence that the English clubs
just cannot get all their fans in.
But what about the ability of the various systems to produce players for the
national team? Keith Wood, the former Ireland and Lions hooker, hit the nail
on the head this week so squarely that the hammer shattered. He exposed with
one bash the myth of the professional rugby structures in Ireland, Wales and
Scotland.
Woody was addressing what he saw as the lack of a future for the elite game in
Ireland because he cannot see the line of succession in enough positions. He
is particularly alarmed at what happens when Ronan O'Gara either retires or
cops a serious injury - he offered up a little prayer of thanks that
O'Gara's injury record is so good that he has hidden the drastic failure of
the Irish system to produce fly-halves.
It all sounds great. Reduce the number of professional teams to a tiny number
- in Wales, five and then four; In Ireland four, with Munster and Leinster
going along well and attracting big crowds, but let's not bother about
Connacht, let's under-fund them, so in fact there are only three; in
Scotland, only two...
But say you have four teams. That gives you only four players in every
position on the field from which you choose your Test team. Not many. Say
that one of those four will be a foreign player. Let's be honest. Teams have
to be successful and they need outsiders to give them that edge. Felipe
Contepomi, of Leinster and Argentina, is the heartbeat of the team.
Let's say, too, that of any four professional players, one at the very, very
least will not be of Test class or potential. Or indeed, he may once have
been but by now is past his best. That means that you are choosing your team
from effectively a pool of two players in each position. If one is injured
then you have a shoo-in. Is that the way to build a great Test team?
The net must be cast wider. England have a large number of foreign players but
they have 12 professional clubs and, at present, almost every position has
players bubbling under.
Furthermore, the policy adopted overtly by the Welsh Rugby Union, and tacitly
by the Irish and Scottish, that they will choose only from players who stay
to play at home, is an utter nonsense.
Wales have four pro teams. That gives them a maximum of four contenders. But
Dwayne Peel is going to Sale, Gareth Delve is at Gloucester, Michael Owen is
going to Saracens. There should be many more. While these players are honing
their games in the Guinness Premiership, they are leaving spaces back at
home for the other contenders. Scotland, choosing one from two, must export
their men.
Small, emphatically, is not beautiful. As Wood hints, the best solution in
Ireland is clearly for Ronan to carry on playing till he is 56.
The death of the artful kicker
One correspondent last week bemoaned the dearth of big, booming kickers in
rugby. These days, to find a safe touch from penalty kicks to touch is
everything. It is also vital not to kick good ball away to teams who are
sharp on the counter attack.
But the art of kicking out of hand is the one skill that is now performed
worse than it once was. There are so few kickers who have real length and
penetration. Remember John Rutherford, the great Scot, who could deliver
diagonals towards the distant horizon?
I can also recall the length and artistry of Phil Bennett, the old Llanelli
and Wales fly-half. Benny had so much confidence that to impart torpedo
spin, he would strike the ball with the very outside of his boot, coming
perilously close to shanking it altogether. Quite often, the crowd would
groan as the trajectory seemed way off, but the spin would deliver the ball
back on course, long and true.
Where are the long kickers and the kicking artists, these days?
Winning is everything. Or is it?
Onwards to Paris. That nice Mr Barnes and I have endless debates about the Six
Nations - I say winning is everything, even with a poor performance, because
a win means momentum, confidence and a reduction in pressure.
Barnes always wants to build for the future, to see good signs in defeat. He
thinks that sporting life is a rehearsal for the future. As I write, tens of
thousands of rugby followers will be packing for Paris (and also for Cardiff
and Dublin).
Lads, and ladies. Will your weekend not be made totally by a win for your
team, however it comes? Do you ever come away, having spent hundreds on
flights, hotel, drinks and The Sunday Times, and tell yourself that despite
your team's grisly defeat, at least it was a good performance? I know what I
think.
What do you think? E-mail Stephen at rollingmaul@thetimes.co.uk
with your opinion and he'll reply to the best of the letters next week. Just
remember to enter through the gate - don't stray offside
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500,000
The amount in pounds sterling that Steve Thompson gave up to resume his
career. Insurers had paid the sum to the hooker after a terrible neck injury
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The Stephen Jones Debate
I saw Wilkinson on Sunday at the Falcons/Saracens game. He played well, as
has been reported. He tackled as strongly as ever, he made a couple of
decent breaks, his distribution was spot on and his place-kicking, apart
from one long-range effort, was pretty good too. What was poor, and has been
since he returned from his post World Cup injury nightmare, was his kicking
from hand, for position or to touch. There just seems to be no length these
days. There were a number of occasions on Sunday when penalty kicks to touch
were way, way too short. It seems as if the criticism he has had lately is
getting to him and he is just playing safe. Malcolm, Darlington, UK
SJ: I agree. Jonny was at one stage of his career able to kick massive
distances and even clear the far wing with his diagonals. He is, however,
far from the only kicker who has become conservative. The standard of
kicking out of hand is far lower than it once was.
Even when at his best, Wilkinson was never an exciting, flair player. His
strengths were then, as they are now; tackling and kicking, both from hand
and for goal. He has always had a good pass (Wales game forgiven) and
generally does things in a tidy, efficient way. He was never one to make
scything breaks, he never had astounding pace, but he tackled like an
openside and had a metronomic ability to kick the important points. Jonny,
in his day, had the best back row in the world in front of him, as well as
the world's best rugby captain, Martin Johnson. Let's also remember that at
his best he had the likes of a Mike Catt or Will Greenwood outside him,
assisting in his decision making and generally relieving pressure when
necessary. Things are very different now. We have a captain who is not the
best player in his position, we have at best a fledgling back row, we have a
coach that is trying to get a team to play what is in front of them which
doesn't fit with Wilkinson's psyche. Yes, he has lost half a yard of pace,
magnifying the fact that he never really made many breaks anyhow, but what
used to make Wilkinson different from the crowd is now taken for granted,
his big tackles, those touchline conversions, his ability to clear under
pressure (anyone ever seen a clearance charged down?). His time will come,
no doubt. If it were not for the fact that we have such an exciting talent
in Cipriani, I doubt that anyone would be talking about Wilkinson's demise.
Sure there would be talk of 'he is still establishing his 2003 form after
his long injury lay-off', but not discussions around 'when will he be
dropped'. Wilkinson should play against France, but let Cipriani start
against Scotland. On a different note, something which I am surprised has
not been labelled more in the press - the fitness of England's forwards. On
both occasions against Wales and Italy, they tired badly in the second half.
The pundits have talked about bad tactics but, trust me, as an ex player,
tactics go out the window when you are more concerned about where your next
breath is going to come from. Nicholas Berry, Dallas, Texas, USA
SJ: Nicholas, if there was a prize for the sports post of the week ...
you are so right, and maybe we are seeing the failings of others and laying
them all at Jonny's door. There is a lack of a framework around him and he
clearly feels the pressure of trying to make up for it. Are the team lacking
fitness or simply direction? Maybe we will find out on Saturday, against a
fast team on a fast track.
While I appreciate you have a point of view Stephen I'm not sure it is well
balanced. If you look at the last few games I think Wilkinson has been a
good influence on the game. Certainly in the first half against Italy he
performed and, given his history, you know he will be there or thereabouts,
which cannot be said of Cipriani who has not delivered at the highest level
yet and, looking at the Italy game in isolation, is way off the pace. I
think England should look to play up and coming players in positions held by
other older players but you have to keep JW. He may not have the pace to
worry a defence but he kicks his goals and keeps the scoreboard ticking. The
Premiership is never going to be an advertisement for running/free flowing
rugby: it's smash & bash, kick your goals and you win - exactly how
England play, and based on that JW fits and Cipriani does not regardless of
his presumed talent. Bottom line is if you throw Cipriani in at 10 he'll
sink. Incidentally, which rugby team did you play for that makes you an
expert? Adrian
SJ: Well, I have sympathy for what you say but the Premiership is
expanding all the time Adrian. Last week's Bath-Wasps game was full of
brilliant attacking rugby, orchestrated by English players. I do feel that
with a little more focus and forward power, England can change and then it
becomes a question as to whether JW can change with them.
Big Les has proven over the past five years or so that he is a world class
winger. I expect nothing more from him in his new rugby union career. As
usual, some pompous rugby union commentator has already got him down for a
no-hoper. Having watched both games in which Les has played I see that when
he has been given the ball he has done something useful with it. Perhaps if
King Jonny opened his eyes and went left once in a while instead of
continuing his pointless (and not that successful so far) kicking, we might
see what Les can do. That is, score tries! Maybe Jonny doesn't like the
competition for points! Richard, Nottingham
SJ: The official statistics show that in his two games to date, Big Les
has carried the ball four times. If he was on the factory floor with that
kind of work rate, he'd be sacked!
Leslie Vainikolo scored 138 tries for Bradford Bulls because he got plenty
of ball. Particularly in the second half against Italy, the ball never came
near him and even if he had gone inside it wouldn't have happened. The only
way he could have got the ball was to play on the right wing. Every time
England got the ball at the back they kicked it upfield or into touch on the
right hand side. What a waste of a fantastic player. From a Bradford Bulls
supporter. Clifford Sanders, Leeds
SJ: Clifford, the idea that in rugby union you stayed out on the wing
and waited for the ball to come to you, went out in about 1970. All the true
class wings are endlessly involved, coming in to take the ball on the
shoulder of the fly-half, the centre, and tracking the play. Watch Paul
Sackey tracking the play for Wasps and England and watch the involvement of
Seru Rabeni when he plays on the wing for Leicester. It is chalk and cheese.
In regards to The Volcano: as a Bradford Bulls fan since birth, I am as
aware as most rugby league fans of Leslie Vainikolo. However I feel it is a
ridiculous comment to expect a winger to change everything (or indeed
anything) in only his second international union game. Wingers are there to
finish not to create. Yes, Les can create tries out of nothing (see the try
he created in the Wales game for proof) but his job in the team is to
finish. Given time, everyone will see just how devastatingly effective he
can be. Mark, Bradford, UK
SJ: Mark, very fair point but his work rate is abysmal. No-one is
expecting him to turn games but to at least attempt to take part in them
would be a start. His job in the team in rugby league may have been to
finish but union wings have to bring far more to the party - they have to be
an extra full-back, for a start.
Stephen, I thought you would like 'The Volcano', he fulfils your selection
criteria ie. he is big. Oh, sorry I forgot he is from rugby league therefore
he cannot play. Mike F
SJ: I never said he cannot play Mike. I just said that he cannot play
rugby union, like Messrs Harris, Paul, Rogers, Connolly, Walker, Sailor,
Raynor and all the others amongst the 30 or so who have tried (Jason the one
exception). Have you seen Brian Carney this season trying to play union for
Munster? It is agonising.
Lesley has come to union for better money and an easier ride. Union on the
wing is easy money, you get to see the ball 2-3 times in a game and usually
it's when you have three guys bearing down on you so no one expects you to
score, and you have to make 2-3 tackles in a game ... except Vainikolo
nearly did score. Put any other England winger in that game and they would
have added nothing to the game. Lewsey was a good player but now he's won
his World Cup the foot's come off the accelerator and now he's cruising
toward retirement. Vainikolo still wants to achieve greatness in union and
will therefore work harder to achieve his goal. If you have an asset that is
an 18st winger then use it, give him the ball in a half decent position and
see what he can do. I seem to recall you 'bagging' a certain Jason Robinson
for not getting involved: should be dropped....isn't good enough.... and
then you turn round a few years later and The Times say he was the greatest
England full back. Adrian
SJ: Yes, if you are a lame duck and do nothing bar stand out on the
wing all day, you will probably only handle the ball twice and make two
tackles. Sadly, the other 14 will have to work their nuts off to make up for
you.
Big Les got the ball early in the first half, he broke four tackles and a
try was nearly scored. England then did their best to make sure he never saw
the ball again. Why no kicks for him to run on to? Why no passing along the
line instead of kicking to touch? Where is the vision? I was in Rome and was
able to see what went on off the ball. Les was wandering around looking
lost. Senior team members should have used stoppages to include him. When he
went to talk with teammates during a Wilkinson penalty they turned away. He
needs to be involved and to feel involved to build confidence. As for the
BBC, does the producer know anything about rugby or are they just interested
in effect? England need to define their game and approach to this years Six
Nations. At present they are falling between too many stools. David
Redwood
SJ: Yes, there did seem to be about 29 tactical stools to fall between.
You may also be correct to infer that England players are not 100 per cent
comfortable with having Vainikolo out there as yet.
Big Les? Try passing the ball across the backs with no fear that it is
going to get intercepted or lost before it gets anywhere near him. Try
giving him confidence that the team won't constantly be needing him out wide
to defend (as it is clear they currently do) and then maybe we can see him
in a more attacking role. The BBC coverage? Woeful - the number of times I
was screaming at the screen to show us what was actually happening instead
of what was happening a few moments before, again, in slow motion, when
nothing much had happened, was too many for the good of my preacher's voice.
I went off to preach that evening (Italy game) with a sore throat borne of
frustration at the inadequacy of the pictures, let alone some of the inane
comment! Dominic
SJ: I feel that you have been preaching here to the converted, Dominic,
with your views; while in your Sunday post, I am sure that you are always
doing so! Thanks for writing.
BBC - poor overall, gimmicky rubbish
Sky - acceptable
Rugby Club - very good
Inverdale, Davies - in
Guscott - maybe
Moore - out
Butler - out, out, out
Chalk
SJ: As I have said before, I like Eddie and Brian and in terms of
presenters I would definitely rank Sky's Simon Lazenby up there alongside
the great Invers.
"Journalists are meant to be neutral, for god's sake." Seldom
truer words from a journalist! Far too many TV commentators are blatantly
partial; witness xxxx (insert virtually any name you like) criticism of the
ref when he makes a decision that goes against their team. Having said that,
John Inverdale is a model of an insightful and impartial journo. PMA,
Omagh, N Ireland
SJ: We are probably not as bad as some foreign football commentators, I
suppose. I also feel that maybe we find commentators partial because we
don't agree with what they are saying.
I saw SJ play when he was in his teens. He shares two things with the Welsh
captain - same school and same position. SJ knew what he was talking about
all those decades ago and he still does today! Bassaleg girl
SJ: All those decades ago? Was it that long? And fancy not putting your
name on the bottom. I was in the TA the other day!
This area of the e-mail is reserved for your views and boos. E-mail Stephen at rollingmaul@timesonline.co.uk
and he'll either agree, disagree, add some insight or come back firing...
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>>>>>THE HERO OF THE WEEK<<<<<
MR ARMCHAIR VIEWER
Yes, it could be you. You could be my Hero. Last weekend, did you sit
through every minute of every Super-14 match shown, the first weekend under
the new ELVs (experimental law variations)? Did you stay at your post as a
boring, headless series of tap penalties went nowhere? Did you grin and bear
the ghastly mess? If you did, and for your dedication, way beyond the call
of duty, you are the Hero of the Week. Well done.
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The week in 60 seconds
Thursday:
VICKERY:
ENGLAND MUST STOP TALKING AND START DELIVERING
The England captain wants an end to the finger-pointing that followed the
matches against Wales and Italy and for players to take "ownership and
responsibility" for their performances.
Report by Times Online
WILKINSON
PLANS FOR TRIP INTO UNKNOWN
The England fly half says that France will provide a very stern test on
Saturday because they are "capable of doing things on a rugby pitch
that just don't make sense".
Report by Times Online
WIGGLESWORTH
RELUCTANT TO LOOK DOWN AFTER STEEP CLIMB TO TOP
The Sale scrum half has worked hard for his first England cap and is
determined to make the most of his chance.
Report by David Hands
Wednesday:
CLEAR
WARNING FOR WILKINSON AFTER ASHTON'S PATIENCE STARTS TO WEAR THIN
Jonny Wilkinson, Mark Regan and Phil Vickery have to demonstrate beyond doubt
in Paris that they are the best in their positions in the country. Andy
Gomarsall, under pressure for some time, has been dropped for Richard
Wigglesworth.
Report by David Hands
HODGSON
BELIEVES HE CAN RAISE TEMPO FOR ENGLAND
The London Irish scrum half, in his first England 22, is confident he can make
a difference from the bench against France.
Report by Mark Souster
LIEVREMONT
CONFIDENT THAT FAITH IN YOUTH WILL REAP REWARD
The kernel of the France team on Saturday - the half backs and No 8 - will
have between them a mere five international caps.
Report by David Hands
SCOTLAND
WAIT ON BACK ROW AS WHITE MISSES TRIP TO DUBLIN
Frank Hadden's problems increased before the match against Ireland when his
captain was ruled out. He has made four changes to the team that lost to
Wales, including recalls for Rory Lamont and Simon Webster.
Report by Mark Souster
Tuesday:
COHEN
HAS EYE ON ENGLAND AFTER FINDING FEET IN FRANCE
The wing has regained his enthusiasm for the sport since joining Brive and
hopes to add to his 57 England caps.
Report by David Hands
Monday:
RYAN
READS RIOT ACT AS BRISTOL BRING HIS STARS DOWN TO EARTH
The strangest of Guinness Premiership weekends was completed with the three
leaders losing, yet the table altering scarcely a jot. Gloucester were
ground into the dirt by Bristol at the Memorial Stadium.
Match report by David Hands
HODGSON
SHOWS OFF IMPRESSIVE ENGLAND CREDENTIALS
The scrum half played his way into Brian Ashton's reckoning with a dynamic
performance that drove London Irish to victory over Leicester.
Match report by Mark Souster
Sunday:
LET
LOOSE ENGLAND'S DOGS OF WAR
Why there is no room for flair if England are to beat France.
Analysis by Stephen Jones
ASHTON
MUST DISCOVER CLARITY OF VISION
Stephen Jones is wrong - England can afford to lose but stagnation is not an
option.
Comment by Stuart Barnes
REALITY
OR ILLUSION FOR WALES?
Warren Gatland's men will be too good for Italy on Saturday, but any talk of a
Grand Slam is premature.
Analysis by Stephen Jones
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Things you need to know about rugby: No 3
THE MYTH OF THE DROPPED GOAL
This week Patrick Kidd, of The Times, steps forward with the
lesson...
Dropped goals win matches, so the story goes, and they have become so
commonplace that they should be outlawed or reduced to the value of only one
point, as in rugby league, rather than the preposterous three that you get
now. Blame Jonny Wilkinson and the World Cup final in 2003. Or Jannie de
Beer and his five dropped goals that did for England four years earlier. In
fact, the dropped goal has become a less potent weapon as professional rugby
has developed.
In the Five Nations Championship forty years ago, dropped goals were scored at
the rate of 1.1 per game. By 1987, this had fallen to 0.9 per game and last
year it was only 0.3 - or five dropped goals in the 15 Six Nations matches.
Part of this can be attributable to the increase in the value of a try,
which was worth three points in 1967, four points in 1987 and was increased
to five points five years later. Meanwhile, the value of a dropped goal has
remained constant at three points since it was reduced from four in 1948.
What has increased substantially is the number of penalty goals kicked
during a game, up from 2.3 per game in 1967 to 5.7 last year. Meanwhile, the
number of tries per match has declined from 5.3 in 1997 to 4.3 last year. If
anything should be reduced in points to encourage attacking play, it should
be the penalty.
Another reason for the reduction in popularity of the dropped goal these days
is the improvement in how teams defend against them. The rush or blitz
defence means that fly halves or inside centres rarely get the time and
space to have a crack at goal. This explains the surprisingly low success
rate. Sixty-nine per cent of dropped goal attempts in 2007 missed, while the
success rate of conversions and penalty goals in the Six Nations is edging
ever closer to 80 per cent. Interestingly, teams appear very rarely to
consider a dropped goal when the tryline is within sight. In last season's
Six Nations, only one dropped goal was attempted from within the opposition
22.
All of which suggests that the bookmakers may have got it wrong in suggesting
that there would be an average of 6.5 dropped goals this tournament (ie,
there need to be seven before you start making any money from buying the
market). So far there have been only two in six games (one for Wilkinson
against Wales, one for Dan Parks against France). Dropped goals can still
turn a close game, but chances are that modern defences will make them more
and more a thing of the past.
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