From Zero to Hero - Mrs Jonny’s Diary
A couple of weeks after my slightly overwhelming, and let’s face it, pretty ineffective debut, I moved onto match number two - another friendly against a ‘beatable’ team. Whereas I spent my previous match like a rabbit in headlights, I had a lot more fun at this one and spent the whole time charging up and down the pitch and shouting at anyone who would listen. And as I found out afterwards, this is apparently what’s required of a back…
I was feeling pretty psyched up on arrival, and felt a pang of disappointment when I was told I would be on the bench - I’ve been training every week, learning the rules (as many of them that are fathomable, anyway) and know I’m fitter and faster than some of the other backs who were in the starting line-up. It was my first lesson, I guess, in having to prove myself, however small the stakes, against girls who have been members for longer and feel they deserve a place on the team. Infuriating, but such are the foibles of amateur sport, I suppose.
Anyway, as it turns out, I was on the pitch from the start after all, after one of our team (a nurse!) pulled a calf-muscle two minutes before kick-off from not warming up properly. Our coach was furious, stomping around telling us all off for chatting and gossiping (well, duh - we are girls) when we should be concentrating on stretching, but I was too delighted to take much notice.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the 80. I was playing at No. 11 and reckon it could really suit me - sprinting up and down the wing, creating space and only having to mark one tiny girl opposite me. Easy! I’m still really bad at tackling - too much of a scaredy-cat - but I reckon I can now handle being tackled. You just have to remember to let go of the ball when you hit the ground so that a beefcake doesn’t stamp on your face. And as I shimmied past one defender and dashed for the try line with a person hanging off each leg, I felt I’d really made some progress.
I didn’t actually score a try, of course - serendipity may have prevented me, thus far, from injury, but there’s only so much luck a girl can expect - but I did get stuck in at various critical moments and didn’t wuss out when it started raining (really heavily, dammit) at the start of the second half.
We ploughed on through the mud, like the gallant little soldiers that we are, but sadly a win proved elusive and a couple of late tries from the opposition sealed our sorry fate. The most frustrating thing about this was that it dawned on me what was going wrong but I didn’t feel I could do or say anything about it. Basically, for whatever reason, and despite a blinding first half for the forwards, we lost every single line out in the second half. Honestly, it was a total mess. And as our kicker kept booting it into touch, because neither she nor our No. 9 had cottoned onto this fatal error, we edged ever closer to defeat. So there I was, poised, ready to run and full of beans with nothing to do but stand there like a drowned rat and watch the opposition take possession over and over again.
With hindsight, of course - and this is where my inexperience betrays me - I should have spoken up. So perhaps, wise sage that I am, I shouldn’t get too big for my boots and expect too much too soon. Some of the backs may be slackers at training, but they would have had the guts to step in!
Still, it was a good team effort overall and for a novice like me, there were some rather splendid moments. And despite their inability to throw in a straight line when tired, our forwards are a pretty impressive bunch. Frankly, I’m glad I’m on the same team as them!
We retired to the clubhouse for food and drink - I can’t believe how tiring this match malarky is - and prizes were awarded to back- and forward-of-the-match on each team. And you’re not going to believe this, but I won back-of-the-match! No sh*t! Mrs Jonny won a prize for rugby! Being a total cynic, I reckon it says more about the standard of my team than my prowess on the pitch, but still… I was very chuffed.
My pride at this accolade turned to horror, however, as I was instructed to down yet another hideous pint of snakebite & black. Whilst standing on a chair. In front of both teams. I’m not a complete wall-flower or anything, but this was pretty scary stuff for me and not really the kind of thing one does anymore, being a respectable grown up and all. I managed about a third of it by the time the other winners had drunk theirs, before one of my team-mates, a flanker, stepped in to rescue me and quickly saw it away. As I was saying, you’ve gotta love those forwards!
So there we go… I am a fully fledged, decorated rugby gal. One more match of the season to go and I can’t wait…
A Tale of 2 coaches – England should learn lessons from the Irish example
What a contrast in the manner in which the Irish and English Rugby Unions have dispensed with their respective coaches in the past month.
The Irish looked their man squarely in the eye and said ‘Eddie, it’s just not working anymore, you and us. It’s over. But we don’t want to just throw you on the street, we will let you depart with dignity, with our praise and thanks ringing in the shell-likes into which we once whispered sweet nothings’.
The English adopted a different approach. They ignored Ashton’s phone calls, told him they were busy and couldn’t meet up. He found out that they were seeing other people through hearsay and was left to feel used, maltreated as the RFU prepared themselves to commit to a new man without even phone call. In the end the RFU told him that they still wanted to be friends but Brian could be forgiven for telling them he never wants to see them again (or words to that effect) and erasing them from his phonebook.
So how did England manage to get themselves into such a mess? Well they are reaping what they sewed the minute they put their head coach in a strait jacket by not letting him pick his own coaches and by bringing in an ‘Elite Performance Director’ to breath down his neck but not take any of the flak. The Irish conversation must have been simple:
‘Things are going badly and need to change. Who’s in charge?’
‘Eddie O’Sullivan’
‘Right, get rid of him’
‘Righto, consider it done’
In England I imagine it went along the lines of:
‘Things are going badly and need to change. Who’s in charge?’
‘Well Brian’s head coach but John Wells has a say in things. And there’s Rob of course’
‘Well what does he do?’
‘Not entirely sure. You’ll find him behind the sofa. He’s sort of in overall charge but doesn’t involve himself in team affairs. Unless the team’s winning of course. But they’re not so it’s probably not his fault’
‘Well who put this stupid structure in place?’
‘We did sir’
‘Ah, well let’s have an interminable series of meetings to talk it over then’.
I’m paraphrasing obviously, but I don’t think I’m too far from being on the money. As soon as a man not involved in team affairs, and therefore removed from accountability when it comes to the team’s performance, was allowed to pick the coaches, a situation like this was the potential outcome. In Ireland, Eddie O’Sullivan reigned supreme, as did Gareth Jenkins in Wales, Bernhard Laporte in France and just about any head coach of a leading rugby team, international or otherwise. It is only England where it seems to have been messed up.
So if Ireland had the right structure, what went wrong? Well the whole thing had gone stale. The long-serving coach needs to constantly keep moving and strive for improvement to avoid stagnation, complacency and too cosy an environment. In private, constantly questioning what you are doing and working for improvement is not a sign of weakness but is an absolutely essential part of the job.
O’Sullivan had become so utterly convinced that every decision he had ever made was correct that he failed to act when circumstances around him changed. He was so set in what he was doing that he failed to see the wood for the trees, failing to realise that some of his leading players were stagnating and that to achieve renewal and progress, an injection of dynamic young blood was necessary.
In the 6 Nations a strange role reversal had taken place in the Ireland team. Usually when you introduce new players, the coach and the established players have to drag them up to the requisite level. But O’Sullivan and his experienced lieutenants were being hauled along by the likes of Jamie Heaslip, Eoin Reddan, Andrew Trimble and Rob Kearney. It was this sight which must have made the Irish powers-that-be realise that O’Sullivan was being left behind in the slipstream. It was time to move on.
Sir Alex Ferguson has always been the master at the art of reinvention. Any time a player, no matter how senior, began to slip below the required standards or was no longer a productive force in the team, he was out. Paul Ince, Mark Hughes, Jaap Stam, Ruud Van Nistelrooy all suffered the same fate. Everyone thought Ferguson was mad when he got rid of these guys but on every occasion he was proved right. He understands probably more clearly than anyone else that no matter how long you have been in a job, in order to stay at number one you have to keep moving, and keep asking ‘What next?’.
This is the challenge which will face Martin Johnson but not for some years. For now he has to put his own procedures in place, bring in the right people and stamp his authority. Everything to do with the England team must be ratified by him first – the kit, the training facilities, the layout of the changing room, everything The groundsman at Twickenham should be consulting him to make sure the pH of the soil meets with his approval. He will obviously surround himself with experts but his is the final word in all matters.
He must keep everything moving. Clive Woodward has admitted that probably 9 out of 10 of his ideas were crackpot and were abandoned but the ones that stuck were the critical non-essentials which created that extra 1% which made his team stand apart. Hopefully Johnson will be allowed leeway to put his plans in place. He is being compared to Woodward but they are very different. Woodward thought so far out of the box he was often in a different post code but Johnson is a basics man and will act in his own distinct way.
The bottom line is that he must be allowed to do things his way. And if it all goes wrong (God forbid) then he’s out, cleanly and quickly. The RFU may have made a mess of the whole process, and Ashton wouldn’t agree but all in all, while the end doesn’t justify the means, we may just have got there in the end.
By Stuart Peel
Johnno’s dilemma: IRB rankings point the way
As England fans welcome another new dawn, the turning of another leaf, and yet another England management structure, thoughts inevitably turn to the future.
The country is once again tingling with excitement about the opportunity to finally see our young guns develop and flourish in the right environment. There is a wealth of talent in England, and with the right man in charge, England’s fortunes may just be on the up at last.
“Select Haskell as captain” they cry, “Pick Care and Cipriani”. It’s all with the future in mind, ideally to foster a team to peak in New Zealand and steal the Web Ellis Cup from under the All Blacks’ noses.
However, this grand plan could fall flat on its face if there aren’t any immediate improvements in England’s performances. Seedings for the World Cup draw will now be based on IRB rankings, rather than the performance of teams at the last World Cup, and the cut off point is at the end of this year.
The top four seeds used to be determined by the four semi-finalists at the previous World Cup and the position in which they finished - hence England, France, Australia and New Zealand were all the number one seeds in their groups in 2007.
Under the old system, South Africa, England, Argentina and France would have made up the top seeds in New Zealand, and with the All Blacks, Australia and Wales to throw into the mix, there would have been some interesting groupings and possibly more than one ‘Group of Death’. However, brown envelopes must have been exchanged somewhere along the way and the system is changing just in time to spare the All Blacks’ blushes.
Seedings will now be based on the official IRB rankings as of December 1st 2008, a system whereby New Zealand has not been out of the top four since it was devised by our sport’s governing body in 2003.
England is currently in fifth place behind Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa, with Wales hot on their heels in sixth. To give themselves the best opportunity in 2011, they must break into the top four this year, which means they simply have to win matches.
Unfortunately, their 2008 fixture list makes worrying reading in this context. Ignoring the Barbarians game, first up is the two Test tour of New Zealand, a country in which England have won once - back in 2003 when Johnno’s men were at the peak of their powers. In the autumn, Twickenham will be opening its doors to the Pacific Islanders (a game which will not affect the rankings), followed by Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
The rankings work on an exchange system, in which teams take points from each other depending on the match result (click here for a full explanation). Australia looks like a vital game to win, since they are closest to England in the rankings, but by then New Zealand may have stolen so many of our points that we are out of contention.
So Johnson’s primary objective is to get through to Christmas with at least three wins out of five, which should guarantee a place in the top four. With that in mind, what approach should he take?
Is it a long term plan, blooding youngsters in difficult fixtures this year, perhaps taking the view that to win the World Cup, you must be good enough to beat every team, so the seedings are in fact a moot point?
Or is it a focus on the short term, with a must-win approach, even if that means playing it safe with a 10-man game? The winning margin affects the ranking points, so should it be a damage limitation exercise, rather than throwing caution to the wind and accepting a 70-point drubbing because the experience will do the players some good?
It’s a difficult dilemma. England fans may need a little patience before we see the team fulfill its potential - consider the next few performances in this context before making judgements about Johnson’s ability. If people start losing faith without an understanding of this predicament, we may end up taking another step backwards.
The last thing we need is another review by Rob Andrew, which ultimately bows to the influence of the baying media and takes an almighty, albeit popular, gamble - but don’t get me started on that one.
By James Hutchison
Johnson takes the reins as RFU finally makes a decision
Martin Johnson was finally handed overall control of the England rugby team today after several weeks of speculation. It is a huge relief that a conclusion has finally been reached and the RFU can hopefully stop embarrassing themselves and the whole English game. In truth the appointment has been on the cards for a while but I for one refused to believe it until it was officially announced, as I rather suspected that the RFU would find some spectacular and original way of messing it up.
And so we welcome back the hero and live in hope that the big man can cure all the ills and right all the wrongs which have bedevilled the England team these 5 years. It remains to be seen whether Johnson, with no management experience, can wave a magic wand and transform the England team overnight. What is certain though he that he will be cut a lot more slack than his two predecessors were by the English rugby public.
I found myself slightly shocked at the amount of vitriol directed at Ashton when he never seemed to me to be the root of the problem. His big error was accepting the watered down terms offered by the RFU in the first place. Once he had done that, his hands were tied rather, although that does not excuse some of the more bizarre selection decisions of the 21st Century.
The best news is that Johnson appears not to have stood for any of the RFU’s pussy-footing. He has demanded full control of his coaching team and the selection of the players, and quite right too. He must stand and fall by that and he knows it. This is best for all concerned as there is no room for doubt regarding accountability and, knowing this, Johnson will leave no stone unturned when it comes to getting precisely what he wants. Hopefully he will act as a rocket up the proverbials of the establishment, a la Woodward a decade ago.
The most interesting part of the next few months, barring who is appointed to take the side to New Zealand, will be how Johnson deals with Rob Andrew. There is an ever-growing suspicion that he is not equipped to take the big decisions and that nobody really knows what it is he is supposed to be doing. Johnson has no use for deadwood and will not be averse to making his point in this respect. Andrew’s big job appears to have been to appoint the England Head Coach but he has messed it up twice and on the third occasion the RFU overrode him, told him who they wanted and did not leave him alone until he had got him. If this is the only way to make things work then what is he doing there in the first place? He is in danger of becoming something of a victim being used by the RFU to shield them from accountability.
The RFU must learn from the whole sorry episode. If Johnson is successful, and there is little reason why he shouldn’t be, there is the danger that they will say ‘Well we got there in the end and the end justifies the means’. It doesn’t. Not by a long way. The whole thing has been a disgrace and you strongly suspect that the grandees, were they to find themselves in a brewery with a load of booze, some guests in fancy dress and a set of party-organising instructions, would hold a series of meetings over several months to figure out what on earth they were supposed to be doing. On the day that those responsible for messing up the launch of Heathrow Terminal 5 were handed their P45s, the RFU should remind themselves that in any other field of business, several people would have been fired immediately for such mishandling.
The treatment of Brian Ashton has been beyond the pale. Had they just sacked him after the 6 Nations then that would have been fine, regardless of whether you agreed with the decision. At least it would have been clean and decisive. By leaving him in limbo for so long as they desperately tried to fudge a way to avoid getting rid of him altogether, they exacerbated the damage. Whatever you think of him as a coach, Ashton has been treated appallingly and it is of huge credit to him that he has retained his dignity throughout. He is just about the only person to come out of this with any credit.
So the future has finally arrived, it is ruthless, grizzled, nasty, no-nonsense and a blessed relief. Johnson is a winner, first and foremost. And for the first time in 4 years, England have the right structure in place, albeit that some have had to be dragged there kicking and screaming. I’m excited about it. Are you?
by Stuart Peel
Heineken Cup Quarter final preview
The Heineken Cup cranks back into action this weekend to hail the start of that part of the season which has, in recent years, produced the best and most exciting rugby to be found in Europe at club or international level. Many of the games which have stuck in the mind of late have come at around this time as sides look to time their run to glory.The Heineken Cup has a very different look and feel to it this year. Many of the big guns have been sabotaged by the bewildering seeding system which happily has been consigned to the garbage for next year. It means that the 1st and 2nd seeds are the sides lying 8th and 6th respectively in the Guinness Premiership. Leicester and Leinster, Wasps and Clermont Auvergne have all fallen by the wayside, being as they were split between 2 groups which were won by Toulouse and Munster respectively. Indeed it is arguable that at least four of the teams playing this weekend are palpably not in Europe’s best 8. This could be lamented but if anything it promises to make the latter stages even more unpredictable and exciting.
Pre-Christmas, all the English teams left in the competition looked excellent and played some fantastic rugby in the pool stages. All have struggled since then and despite having home ties, will have to work very hard to ensure an English presence in the last four. The two Welsh teams, especially the Ospreys, will be buoyant after Wales’s Grand Slam, Munster have been quietly improving during the season and the French sides will benefit from having had more match action after the delayed start to the Top 14. The line-up may look unusual but there is a feast of rugby ahead of us.
London Irish v Perpignan (Saturday 1500hrs)
The first semi final is a hard one to pick. London Irish are capable of playing superb rugby but lack consistency. They qualified for the quarters as no 1 seeds after winning a group which contained Saturday’s opponents. Overall however, Perpignan probably just shaded their head to head encounters, London Irish taking the group by virtue of their ruthless demolitions of the Dragons and Treviso. The positive for Irish is that both games with Perpignan went with home advantage and this could once again prove crucial. They will need the utmost discipline, something they have struggled with this season, and Percy Montgomery’s immaculate left boot will be on hand to punish any misdemeanours.
The game could be loosely billed as Perpignan’s grunt against Irish’s guile but in truth it is far more than that. Irish will need a platform to play from and must achieve at least parity up front to unleash their backs. Shane Geraghty, Peter Richards and Delon Armitage are all in contention after spells out injured and they could make a huge difference to a squad which lacks the depth of some of their rivals. Perpignan do not possess the big names of some of their French rivals but will lack nothing in aggression as they seek a third Heineken Cup semi final. I take Irish to squeak home by less than a score with home advantage once again proving the difference between these two well-matched teams.
Gloucester v Munster (Saturday 1730hrs)
Kingsholm hosts what must go down as the tie of the round. Gloucester have been the coming team in Europe for some time without ever having quite made the breakthrough in big games. They lit up the early stages of the tournament with some scintillating rugby. Their first half against Ulster will live long in the memory but they still have plenty to prove. There remains the suspicion that they go missing in the big games and it is time for their young exciting lads to step forward on the big occasion.
Their recent form however has been patchy. While they remain near the top of the Premiership their form has tailed off. Yet as pitches start to harden and the likes of Tindall (whom they have missed hugely) return, they could start to rediscover their magic. Saturday is the perfect time.
Munster just keep plodding on. Every season seems to be billed as their last chance to make a big impression but they have reached the quarter finals for an incredible 10th time. Some of their players have been around so long they must be well into their 50s by now. Gloucester will still remember being humiliated at Thomond Park a few years back and will be determined to prove their big game pedigree. But Munster emerged from the toughest group in the competition through sheer bloody-mindedness despite being considerably more limited than Clermont and Wasps. Nobody understands the demands required for European success as much as Munster. Gloucester have it all to do and I expect them to fall just short.
Saracens v Ospreys (Sunday 1230hrs)
Saracens, after a season in which they looked likely to challenge for multiple honours are in danger of disintegrating and this represents their last chance of redemption if their season is not to sink without trace. They were hammered by Ospreys in the EDF and Ryan Jones voiced his suspicion that were they still playing now Saracens still wouldn’t have scored. However, this could play into Saracens hands. The Ospreys will be confident in their ability to overcome Saracens. However Saracens have seen what the Ospreys are capable of while Saracens showed very little of their potential in that game. It is likely that Saracens will face a very similar Ospreys team while Ospreys will be facing a very different Saracens outfit, not in terms of personnel, but in terms of efficiency and approach.
Saracens have showed before that they can turn it round quickly at home against Biarritz where they offered very little in the first half before running away in the second half to a 45-16 victory against one of Europe’s big beasts.
Having said that, Ospreys are confident and are on a roll. They will not want to lose the momentum established by Wales’s grand slam in which so many of them played a big part. It is often the case with Welsh teams that much depends on their self-belief. The international season, allied to their progression to the EDF final at the expense of Sunday’s opponents could render them an irresistible force. They certainly feel that this is their time. The loss of Mike Philips will barely create a ripple as they have Justin Marshall to step in and they should once again overcome Saracens.
Toulouse v Cardiff (Sunday 1500hrs)
Toulouse are rightly favourites for the competition and seem to have risen above the malaise which has enveloped French rugby of late. They possess so much depth and with Wasps, Leicester and Clermont Auvergne having been knocked out, they have a squad without peer in this year’s tournament. They should really fancy their chances. The loss of Michalak has barely been felt because all they really need at 10 is someone to transfer the ball from Kelleher or Elissalde to the likes of Jauzion, Heymans and Clerc. Not a bad position to be in.
Cardiff did well to get out of the dogfight that was Pool 3, taking the scalp of a strangely subdued Stade Francais on the way. But this will surely be a bridge too far for them. They have ended some years of underachievement by getting to this stage and it could be a platform for greater things to come. They have been unfortunate that they have got the toughest trip possible despite winning their group. I suspect that they will give a good account of themselves but Toulouse will prove too strong. It would be a gargantuan effort for Cardiff to prevail.
I don’t know about you but I love the Heineken Cup. So charge up the cold box, surround yourself with nibbly snacks and pizza menus, pack the other half off to the cinema, sit back and enjoy.
by Stuart Peel
RWC 2011 - It’s in the bag!
Picture this: It’s 2011 and soon-to-be-Sir Martin Johnson is standing amongst a group of 22 sweaty men in white shirts, with his big mitts wrapped around the William Webb Ellis trophy, holding it aloft for the second time in 8 years.
An unrealistic dream? Absolutely not.
Add to that dream this contrasting picture: a white-haired man with droopy jowls sitting at home on his sofa witnessing the scene described above. His name appears in all the papers the next day as the antithesis to the heroic Johnson; a man who presided over England’s demise after a lucky 2007 World Cup, where the players led England to the final, before finally being dumped out with the RFU rubbish in 2008.
Now this is starting to form a likely projection.
Martin Johnson has spent his career making the correct decisions, intervening only when necessary at the critical times. Take the way he orchestrated the players’ strike in 2000 or how he broke the half-time routine in the 2003 world cup quarter-final against Wales to turn around a lacklustre first half. Both are examples of his leadership qualities, his business acumen, his tactical brilliance. And hence why, should he be appointed, he would be a truly great icon to lead England forward and out of the inconsistent underperformance that blights the national game at present.
However, Martin Johnson is also very shrewd and knows when the cards are stacked in his favour. As undoubted as his captaincy, leadership qualities, and skills on the rugby field are, he was in exactly the right place at exactly the right time in leading England to victory in 2003, with a team that consisted of at least 6 or 7 world class players at the pinnacle of their game. A team of world class players who played as exactly that: a team. A team who experienced a run of 2 or 3 years with minimal injuries and minimal changes to the squad. A team who thrived in the elite environment laid out by Sir Clive Woodward.
Contrast that with the tenures of formerly Andy Robinson, and latterly Brian Ashton. Robinson, dire though his run was as England head coach, was faced with a returning squad with no motivation, a changed management, the retirement of aforementioned icon MJ, the fall-out of retirees, and a downturn in the performance of a number of key players. Combine that with the insane number of injuries in the ensuing years and the poor guy didn’t have a chance.
Brian Ashton had much the same bitter pill to swallow, albeit with a number of ‘sweeteners’. The recognition of the RFU board that something had to change helped (though the ‘change’ ended up as a fudge), as did the return of some key players (Robinson / Wilkinson / etc) in time for the 2007 World Cup. His tenure can be regarded in one of two ways: with optimism – are we forgetting he took England to the RWC Final against all the odds? Or with pessimism: once we reached this plateau, Ashton should have used it as a springboard to introduce the new guard and dive headlong into future development.
And so in steps Johnson the saviour. Following 4 ½ years of exasperation from the rugby public, the masses are baying for the return of the biggest name in the game to lead them to glory and make these old farts see sense. And what attraction is there for Johnson? Well consider this.
- We are led to believe he will have carte blanche over selection, both of players and coaching staff.
- He will be following 2 coaches who have failed to make their mark, therefore making any progress stand out.
- He has an embarrassment of riches in terms of new, young players throwing their hand up to be counted. Cipriani, Haskell, Tait, Reece, Care, Geraghty, Stevens, Hartley, Croft, Strettle, Allen, Flood…. I could go on.
- The club-country clash is finally resolved, and the new agreement is coincidentally due to kick in in July, allowing the England coach far more control and time with the players each year.
Under such terms I think my granny would give it a good shot of taking England forward.
This article is not aimed to pass judgement on who should be England coach for the foreseeable future, but to point out that should Johnson take the helm, he has the odds stacked well and truly in his favour for a successful tenure. He possesses wonderful management skills alongside a rugby brain second to very few and an intelligence belying that of every other forward I’ve met.
We shall never know how much of an input Brian Ashton made to taking England to the RWC 2007 final, and perhaps we shall never get the chance to find out. We may well, though, be amongst the masses chanting the same name in adulation in 2011: Johnson, Johnson, Johnson…
By Justin Aylward
Mrs Jonny makes her debut
Here is the long-awaited match report from Mrs Jonny’s rugby debut, and her subsequent initiation into her new club. From all of us at The Rugby Blog, I’d like to offer huge congratulations and thank you for keeping us posted and thoroughly entertained.
If you’d have told me 4 months ago that I would, by now, have played not one but TWO full-blown rugby matches I’m not sure I would have believed you. Re-reading my earlier blogs, the concept of me (or, dare I say it, any sane girl) playing rugby still seems mildly ridiculous. And yet I’m now so hooked, I’m already thinking about my post-season summer training and how I can improve for next winter.
My first scheduled match was a false start; a disappointing, last-minute cancellation by the opposition followed by two lacklustre training sessions with only half a dozen players.
So it was with some excitement that I packed my boots and set off to the heart of the south-west a couple of weeks later for my debut. I had an overwhelming, and somewhat alien, sense of pride and camaraderie as my new official post-match kit was thrust into my arms and I donned my team colours.
But this was quickly replaced with near-panic as I walked out of the changing rooms and realised that (a) I’d never actually been on a pitch before, thanks to our evening training sessions being held on the floodlit fringes of our club ground and (b) when faced with the real thing, I really don’t have a keen grasp of the rules after all. I managed to hang back and watch the first half but then jumped (or was thrown?) into the deep end for the second half, where I was installed at full-back.
It went pretty well I think. I put in an early tackle on someone smaller than me, just to make myself feel better, and managed to catch a few long balls - though I didn’t quite know what to do with them once I had them. (Though that hasn’t proved problematic in Ian Balshaw’s career…) And though I took what I consider to be a pretty big bash to the nose, no visible injuries ensued and I was told to stop fussing if there wasn’t any blood.
We lost, rather heavily, but despite this everyone trooped into the post-match meal and then onto the pub where I was initiated into that other great rugby tradition - downing pints. Though friends from Uni, who have seen me flourish in many a drinking game, will be amazed to hear this, I no longer seem to have the capacity for alcohol consumption I once did. As I slowly ‘downed’ a hideous pint of snakebite & black - in a record-breaking 15 minutes - I decided I may be taking after my namesake in at least one area of rugby tactics.
And as the other girl who was celebrating her debut in much the same fashion (but 10 times faster) is now known as ‘Chucky’ for her resultant downfall, I reckon I made the right move.
I’ll share the delights of the second match with you next week…
Wilkinson poised to join Johnson’s England coaching dream team
Reports emanating from Newcastle this morning have suggested that Jonny Wilkinson is poised to join Martin Johnson’s coaching team if the World Cup winning captain chooses to accept the management of the England team. In an extraordinary development, it is thought that Wilkinson will be installed as kicking coach and as a consultant on back play, including attack and defence. While there will be another full time backs coach who will concentrate more on the skills side, Wilkinson is likely to have significant input into the tactics and approach of the team.
Wilkinson has only been out of the England starting line-up for one game and is certainly not retiring, but this is evidence that he is already thinking about the next stage of his career in rugby. With the emergence of a string of young rivals led by Danny Cipriani, but also including Ryan Lamb, Shane Geraghty, Toby Flood and Charlie Hodgson, perhaps Wilkinson has reconciled himself to the fact that his days at the top are numbered. This would be an extraordinary admission for a man as dedicated and ambitious as Wilkinson but after Cipriani’s performance against Ireland, perhaps he thinks it is time to carve out a new niche for himself.
This news is further evidence of the fact that Johnson appears likely to agree to manage England and that he will have full power to hire and fire as he sees fit. It appears that he wishes to surround himself with trusted lieutenants whom he knows and trusts. Wilkinson will still be available to play but this news also casts further doubt over the future of Brian Ashton. Were Johnson to take over, then the only way Ashton could really be retained is as backs coach. The introduction of Wilkinson, even in a consultative role, may be the thing which leads Ashton to decide that there is no future for him in the set up. It would undermine him even more than he has been already.
Still, the prospect of Johnno and Jonny pooling their vast array of knowledge is an enticing one. What price a role for Neil Back as defence coach to create a World Cup winning coaching triumvirate? If they cannot create a winning mentality then we are beyond redemption.
Enough compromise, Johnson must be offered complete control of the England squad
The news that Rob Andrew has approached Martin Johnson to offer him a role as manager of the England rugby team should be greeted with a healthy degree of circumspection. Andrew’s record of taking decisive and forthright action in his current role is not exactly impressive and I for one will be reserving judgement until the exact terms of the offer are made public.
Until now, Andrew appears to have utterly failed to grasp the key point of management in top level sport. This is that one man must be put in sole charge, must pick his own lieutenants, have full licence to select his own team and must have the first and last word in all matters relating to the squad. Clive Woodward has often stated that he would have rejected the England job had these terms not been granted to him. Eddie O’Sullivan, Warren Gatland, Graham Henry and almost all other successful international coaches have been all-powerful in their domains.
Whether through pressure from the RFU, or through his own reluctance to put his head on the block, Andrew has thus far produced only fudge and compromise. It was very clear during Andy Robinson’s tenure that the problem lay as much in the structure of the coaching set-up as his own individual limitations. When Woodward jumped ship, the RFU did not seek a replacement but grafted the role of manager on to one of the coaches. This represented a failure to realise the truths that lay at the heart of England’s 2003 World Cup success – that one man was in complete charge and built a coherent team with a clear chain of accountability, with all members buying into and sharing his vision. The move was akin to removing the Chief Executive of a large business and not replacing him.
Andrew has had multiple opportunities to right this wrong and has taken none of them. When Robinson’s position became untenable, he was replaced by another individual who was pulled from the ranks and given a ‘compromise’ role. Another coach who’s strengths lay on the training field was asked to deal with the management side as well. The fact that it was presented as a short-term solution to get through to the World Cup yielded the hope that Andrew knew what needed to be done but judged, correctly, that now was not the time to do it. His actions after the World Cup have blasted those hopes out of the water in no uncertain terms.
This time, there must be no compromise. If Martin Johnson, or anyone else for that matter, is to be offered the job, it must be on their terms and they must be given licence to do whatever they see fit. The positive is that Johnson, unlike Ashton and Robinson, will not accept the job unless his demands are granted. The negative is that the noises coming from Andrew, and indeed Ashton, are not all that encouraging.
Ashton has requested the installation of a manager, but with the caveat that they have no say in rugby affairs. This shows that he does not appreciate the root of the predicament in which he, and England rugby finds himself. It also betrays the fact that he merely wants someone else to face up to the questions of a frustrated media.
The concern is that Andrew will accede to his demands. First of all, the introduction of a nominal manager would further cloud the accountability at the top of England rugby, already muddied by the lack of an overall team supremo and the presence of Andrew in his apparent non-entity of a job. Secondly, no decent, ambitious, top-level manager - Johnson, White, Gatland etc - would even consider agreeing to such a role as they are fully aware that it is unworkable.
There is no room for sentiment or compromise this time. Andrew and the RFU cannot hide behind bare and overly-flattering statistics for they are deceptive. In years to come a casual observer may look back at the 2007-08 season, see that England finished second in the World Cup and the Six Nations and assume that it had been a fairly successful period. Those of us who sat through the debacles against South Africa, Wales and Scotland and the stuttering win over Italy will remember otherwise. In 20 years of watching England, the only other time I have watched 4 such grisly performances in quick succession was on the Tour to Hell in 1998. Yet that was the 3rd/4th team being thrown to the lions on an ill-advised and ultimately meaningless tour. On this occasion it has been the 1st team, with all possible resources at their disposal, playing at the sharp end of international rugby and producing a quite staggering level of inconsistency. That inconsistency is symptomatic of a squad receiving mixed messages and who are unclear on what is being demanded of them on any given day.
Reports suggest that we need not worry that the status quo will prevail as certain members of the RFU have informed Andrew that the retention of the coaching team in its present form is not an option. This puts even larger question marks over Andrew’s role. He has been asked to make a recommendation to the Board but has been told that certain options are unacceptable. That the RFU feel the need to tell him this does not reflect a huge amount of confidence that their man will come up with the right answer. If they think they know the solution, and are not convinced Andrew will find it, why not cut out the middle man?
For all his lack of experience in managing rugby teams at any sort of level, Martin Johnson knows what it takes to succeed in elite sport. He was a central figure in one of the most successful and innovative elite sporting organisations of modern times and will bring that experience with him. It remains for us to hope that Andrew and his men are brave enough to dispense with sentimentality and compromise and realise what it takes to achieve success. If they really believe Johnson is their man, then they must give him undiluted power; not just a job on the estate, but the keys to the mansion. Evolution has failed, revolution and a full clear-out is required. It is not just one of many options, it is the only way forward
by Stuart Peel
Today Europe, tomorrow the world for rejuvenated Wales
It is common knowledge that Wales only won the Grand Slam because they have Shaun Edwards, an Englishman; and Warren Gatland, a Kiwi; and they had Iain Balshaw playing for them at Twickenham. They played okay but had the luck of the bounce. They were in this position three years ago and stuffed it up – they will inevitably do it again. This is another false dawn.
These are just some of the barbs with which Englishmen throughout the land will be attempting to wind up the nearest Welshman. And the Welsh will simply be able to smile smugly and invite the English to ‘show us yer medals’.
Sadly none of the above is actually particularly true. Wales won the Grand Slam because they have very good players, played fantastically well as a team and were the best side in the tournament by a distance. However begrudging some of the congratulation being aimed their way by disillusioned Saxons, they heartily deserved their success.
We may have to get used to it as well. Many of this Welsh team are young and this time they are likely to retain their hunger. 2005 was the ultimate false dawn and many of the players looked like they felt they had made it. I’d like to see the players team up and try to overthrow Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards. Good luck with that boys, you may not live to tell the tale.
There is absolutely no reason why Wales should not be there or thereabouts in the 6 Nations all the way up to the 2011 World Cup and beyond. They have the players, the coaching structure and staff and there should be no shortage of desire in such a rugby-mad country. If they shake off their traditional inferiority complex when playing the Southern Hemisphere, they could even challenge for the next World Cup. They share with Ireland a lack of belief when playing the Tri-Nations and look as though they do not expect to win. They should no longer have any fear.
The traditional Welsh weaknesses have been ironed out extraordinarily quickly. Their scrum was competitive, they were physical around the fringes and their defence was organised, aggressive and nigh on impregnable. Ally that to the traditional strengths of pace, skill and ambition and the rest of the world should be a little scared.
The key thing now for Wales is to realise that this is when the hard work starts. After the 2005 Grand Slam they failed to win a match in 2006. Amusing as this was, it was also a little tragic to see players with such ability playing with no direction or conviction. Gatland and Edwards will not let this happen. They have both known sustained success and know precisely what to do to achieve it.
So hearty congratulations to Wales, and while we are at it to the RFU for bottling it after the World Cup and letting possibly the finest coaching team in the world fall into the hands of one of our rivals. How comforting for us Englishmen to know that the game in this country is run by indecisive invertebrates.
by Stuart Peel
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