Have your say on the ELVs
There have been several threads about the ELVs on here recently, with some strong feelings among rugby supporters.
The RFU have obviously been reading the comments from Spike, Rob Watson et al and are inviting the rugby public to share their opinions on the proposed law changes.
The web address is below, and without wanting to sway you in your opinion, make sure you follow the link and tell the powers that be not to meddle with our brilliant game!
Feel free to post your arguments here as well, so that people can make an informed decision.
Ospreys win the EDF non-event
The final of the EDF Energy Cup took place on Saturday, with the Ospreys freezing the Leicester Tigers out of the game in a defensive bore.
The thrill-less final brought to an end the cup competition that has become almost meaningless, and the performances of both teams suggested that neither was really that bothered who won.
It has long been a bugbear of mine that the Anglo-Welsh cup has replaced the national cup competition. I’d like to see a return to the all-inclusive club competition, whereby teams in lower leagues can compete against those in the top-flight.
The Premiership teams could still use it as a development opportunity, and it would give the lesser teams valuable exposure on a big stage. I don’t really like looking to football for examples, but look at the ‘magic’ of the FA Cup.
What are your thoughts? Does the Anglo-Welsh format do it for you?
Wales: Long-term resurgence or yet another false dawn?
The big story of the Six Nations so far has clearly been the performance of Wales. It is also the big question. How on earth has the rabble who were run off the park by Fiji in the World Cup just a few short months ago suddenly turned into Six Nations table toppers? And is this a false position as they still have to play Ireland or France, or could they seriously win a second Grand Slam in four years?
It is precisely because it would be their second Grand Slam in four years that I remain slightly dubious as to whether this Welsh side are the real deal. In 2005, Wales scraped past England due to a late Gavin Henson penalty, produced a coruscating second half display in Paris playing gung-ho rugby, and suddenly there was no stopping them. Their tails were up, momentum was with them and they took full advantage. ‘Wales are back’, everybody cried, expressing with unanimity that this was excellent news all round for the game of rugby.
But then, nothing. Mike Ruddock was overthrown as coach and Wales spent two years chucking the ball around with gay abandon, often going backwards as they had no platform to build on. The result was 2 wins and 1 draw in the next two years. The removal of Mike Ruddock was troubling as he was a fine coach and by all accounts a ruddy good bloke (sorry). When players can pick and choose the coach then you are in trouble and from a distance it certainly looked as though this talented group of players had got somewhat above themselves. The suspicion was that they felt they had made it, the hard work stopped and the fun started.
In 2008, Wales narrowly won their first game and history (or at least the first bit) could be about to repeat itself. They were outplayed for 50 minutes by England and took merry advantage when their opponents imploded. Since then they have look sharp, witty, inventive and ruthless. However this was against Italy and Scotland, both of whom admitted to having played pretty poorly. We will know far more in a couple of weeks’ time when Wales will have travelled to Croke Park and hosted the schizophrenic French. And we will know a lot more in a year’s time as it will be clear whether Wales have simply found good form or whether they are the genuine article.
But what has made the difference thus far? I am not convinced that Gatland and Edwards can really have worked their magic in such a short period. Their record at Wasps speaks for itself and it is unlikely they will let the team slump as they did after their last successful championship, but they are not miracle-workers. Their influence may be that the motivation to impress a new, hard-nosed, unknown coaching team has put a rocket up the players. This is a talented generation of Welsh players who have let themselves down in the recent past. We are now seeing how they can perform and it is an impressive sight.
The worry is that the second bit of history could repeat itself as well. The key job of the new coaching team will be to harness the undoubted talent on a long-term basis. The raw material is there but has not utilised its potential. Surely they can’t make the same mistakes again but it does give the right for the outsider to reserve judgement at least for a while. The circumspect reaction of the Welsh public to their 3 wins thus far suggests that they have their doubts.
So what do people think? Wales for the Grand Slam? Are this current crop of Welsh players thoroughbreds or show ponies? Is this finally the resurgence of Welsh rugby or just the umpteenth false dawn in the past 25 years?
by Stuart Peel
Two home wins and England beat France in Paris…again
England beat the French 24-13 at the Stade de France last night, amid scenes reminiscent of the semi-final triumph in October.
I was reminded of that old cliche about which French team will turn up, but last night no team turned up at all. England dominated throughout, with the front five looking much more effective and generating quick ball for the backs.
Let’s not get too excited though - England still aren’t that great, and if Balshaw is picked against Scotland, I might start following a different sport. I’ve seen tighthead props more comfortable under the high ball.
The result means that Wales are the only team still chasing a Grand Slam after their impressive performance against Wales, whilst Ireland scored 5 tries to beat Scotland 34-13.
We’ll feature some analysis of the games on here during the week, but let us know your thoughts. Are England back on track? Will Wales win the Grand Slam? Should Scotland be relegated to a competition where they might win a game - like the U13B National Trophy?!
The Fly Half Debate – Wilkinson vs Cipriani
It’s been simmering for some weeks but the debate over the future of Jonny Wilkinson and the emergence of the young pretender, Danny Cipriani has burst forth with renewed vigour in the wake of England’s startling collapse against Wales. Wilkinson has been made a scapegoat for the defeat with people citing his extravagant and wildly inaccurate pass inside his own 22, ironically to Cipriani himself, as evidence of his decline. Cipriani didn’t get the chance to show what he could do, brought on out of position through necessity, clambering aboard a ship which was already sinking beyond retrieval.
This attention on Wilkinson in the wake of Saturday is unfair. Fly half is the most exposed position on the pitch. He is the player who looks fantastic when all around him is going well and awful when they are going a little pear-shaped. Saturday was a case in point. Wilkinson played a controlled first half, prompting and probing from a much flatter alignment than we have seen from him for a while. James Hook meanwhile was largely anonymous as the machine around him spluttered and misfired badly.
In the second half, Wilkinson suddenly found himself receiving poor ball with a dearth of options at his disposal. The unbalancing of the back row and the loss of Tindall had much to do with this. He was criticised for kicking too much but having re-watched the second half, it is clear that he really did not have many other options. He is not a breaking fly half and therefore there was little else he could do. He was not blameless for the collapse, but it was hardly all is fault. Hook meanwhile was assuming the controls and playing a very effective role but he did no more than a test fly half should in the circumstances. That he received the man of the match award demonstrates amply the ‘all-or-nothing’ nature of the number 10 shirt.
As Jake White correctly observed after the game, a seemingly flaky fly half is often a symptom of a team falling apart, not a cause. The same goes for a successful team. The 10 will be the one pulling the strings but for every game where he is the standout player, there will be several in which he is having an armchair ride as all around him excel, often doing unseen work clearing a ruck to create quick ball, or running a dummy line to hold a defender.
This brings me on to Cipriani. He undoubtedly has electric talent and his raw materials in attack constitute a more impressive package than Wilkinson. He is quicker and plays flatter meaning that defences cannot take their eye off him but he is just a capable of fizzing a pass out to put a man through a gap. His support play is also impressive. But before he is handed the task of replacing England rugby’s favourite son, let’s look at the evidence objectively.
Cipriani has played 10 at Wasps for half a season and has put in a string of excellent performances. But as said before, the fly half’s display can be as much a symptom as a cause of the team’s performance. Cipriani’s stellar efforts have come in matches where James Haskell, Eoin Reddan, Riki Flutey and Fraser Waters have similarly excelled and should be seen in that context. This is not to take anything away from Cipriani. He is hugely talented, tremendous to watch and plays the game with a refreshing ambition. But let’s not get too carried away too quickly. He was outstanding for half a game against Clermont when his team were on the front foot, exposed in the second when his team struggled. Neither was entirely down to him.
Many of the key attributes of a fly half are not so obvious but are just as crucial considerations. These include ‘game management’ and the influence the player has on a team. These are immeasurable and often only become clear when that player is absent. The effect Wilkinson has on those around him was shown in the World Cup. While there were many other factors at work, his belated presence galvanised his team. It is to senior players such as him that the team will now turn.
Yet it is in this part of the game that Wilkinson did let himself down on Saturday. The team was crying out for leadership, for someone to (pardon the footballism) put his foot on the ball and inject some calm into the proceedings. Wilkinson did not provide this leadership. Granted neither did anyone else but his influence on the team is such that he was more culpable than most. This is the area in which he weakened his cause.
In light of this, would the team be galvanised by the introduction of the young tyro? Would his boyish enthusiasm and refreshing confidence inject new life into the team? Possibly, but now is not the time. Firstly, there were promising signs on Saturday and evidence that England’s game was taking shape – it was the mental side where they were found wanting. Secondly, you should not overhaul your team after one game. I called for a Cipriani-Wilkinson 10-12 combination before the tournament. But having picked Wilkinson and Toby Flood, Ashton must stick with them and give them a chance to shape the team.
On form alone, Cipriani is the more compelling contender. He will win many, many caps and could be something special. But to take Wilkinson out of the team would destabilise it even further. Drop Wilkinson after one game in which he made only one glaring error, and the players will see that nobody is safe. This would send out all the wrong messages to the players and fear would creep into their performances. This would be disastrous. Beyond that, Wilkinson has earned his place indisputably over time. He is not in the team because of who he is, but because of what he has achieved and what he is still capable of. Let us not forget that 3 months ago, Wilkinson was a hero, perceived as having rescued England’s World Cup. Are we really that fickle?
By Stuart Peel
The England team to face Italy will be announced at lunchtime today - will Cipriani be picked? Have your say this morning and check The Rugby Blog later for the full team line-up.
England beaten by the Welsh at ‘Fortress’ Twickenham
Cruising at half time, Jonny slotting a few goals, Balshaw playing reasonably well, Haskell looking outstanding, yet they still snatched a defeat from the jaws of victory.
Where did it all go wrong? No doubt there will be some post-mortem articles on here once we’ve had a chance to digest it, but feel free to post your opinions on the game.
Concerns over England’s forwards
There’s less than a week to go until the 2008 Six Nations, and Brian Ashton must be facing a few dilemmas over selection today - the weekend saw a number of probable England starters trying to impress for their clubs, with fairly mixed results.
A headline on BBC Sport this morning reads, ‘Regan concerns ease for England’ - not in my book. That story is about a shoulder niggle, but I’m more worried about his lienout throwing.
The veteran hooker was almost single-handedly responsible for giving Worcester their first Guinness Premiership win, since he could hardly find his lineout targets all afternoon.
The lineout will be one of the key battlegrounds for England in this year’s campaign, and hooker appears to be a problem position, given that the only alternatives are George Chuter and Lee Mears.
Whoever is selected will need some top-quality lineout jumpers, but this again appears to be an issue. Steve Borthwick and Ben Kay are the pick of the bunch in this area, but neither is really a number 2 jumper. With Simon Shaw injured, Ashton may have to turn to Louis Deacon - where is Danny Grewcock when you need him?!
With these concerns in mind, I’d turn to Tom Croft at blindside as an extra lineout option, with Lewis Moody at openside and James Haskell at eight. Sadly, I think Ashton will want to stick with Nick Easter, but I’ve never been a massive fan of the Quins Number 8.
Here’s my suggested pack: Sheridan, Mears, Vickery, Kay, Deacon, Croft, Moody, Haskell.
What do you think will start against Wales on Saturday?
Dreaming of the Lions
Stu Peel clearly has a lot of time on his hands and has spent the afternoon pondering a Lions XV.
“Gerald Davies has just been appointed Lions manager and we’re at the midway stage between tours, which leaves me wondering who would make the team if there was a Lions test match tomorrow.”
Please help him out with your suggestions for selection, since he goes on to say, “I’m thinking of picking myself at 15.”
Can Warren Gatland lead Wales back to greatness?
Warren Gatland looks set to take over the reins as Wales’ head coach after Gareth Jenkins was sacked after his dreadful tenure.
The former London Wasps and Ireland coach has been in Cardiff to discuss terms, and will be tasked with dragging Wales upwards from tenth in the IRB world rankings.
Gatland has a good rugby CV, but is he the right man for the job? He appears to be second choice after Robbie Deans who ruled himself out last week, and he may come under pressure from his family who persuaded him to return to New Zealand in 2005.
What are your thoughts? Can Wales be a force again? Will they challenge for the Six Nations title, rather than the wooden spoon?
New discussion forum on The Rugby Blog
The Rugby Blog has launched a new discussion forum where rugby fans can share opinions, start their own debates and interact with each other.
Every Friday, we’ll start a ‘Friday Debate’ so check back for the topic of the week and feel free to start your own threads.
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