Scotland's Impossible Dream

There is setting an ambitious goal and there’s setting an impossible one. Unfortunately, Scotland have opted for the latter.


The board and coaching staff at Scottish Rugby have sat down and discussed a four year plan from which they concluded that a realistic target would be:

 

• To win a Six Nations Grand Slam.
• To win the World Cup.

 

"The goals we've set reflect our ambition for the game in Scotland," said chief executive Mark Dodson.

 

"With unity, and support from the whole nation, there is no reason we can't achieve those goals."

 

He added, "There's no reason why we can't win a World Cup or a Six Nations.

 

"We've got some fantastic athletes working in Scottish rugby who are capable of great things.

 

Legendary goal-kicker Chris Paterson has recently joined the coaching team and he was equally delusional stating,

 

“In the Six Nations, Scotland won zero out of five, and certainly the first three could have been wins against England, Wales and France.

"So you could have been going into the last two games against Ireland and Italy looking for two wins for a Grand Slam.”

 

If they genuinely believe what is coming out of their mouths and actually think that they can win the next World Cup, they’re in dream land. Yes, theoretically they were the most successful Northern Hemisphere team to tour the Southern Hemisphere by beating Australia in the driving rain and the Pacific Islands of Samoa and Fiji. However, it comes on the back of a World Cup in which they failed to qualify for the knockout stages and a Six Nations campaign in which they lost every single game.

 

Just in case you need any more reason to doubt their optimism, this should put it beyond doubt. First of all there are only two full-time professional teams in Scotland following the collapse of Borders Reivers in 2007. Neither Glasgow Warriors nor Edinburgh have enjoyed any success since the Celtic League was formed and their most prestigious moment came when Edinburgh managed to smuggle themselves into the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup this year. Glasgow made some considerable progress this season in the league but they’re by no means a good rugby team.

 

England pick the bulk of their national team from the 12 Aviva Premiership teams, the French have the top 14 teams at their disposal as Wales & Ireland have their 4 regions and provinces respectively. Even if both teams were filled with Scottish players, that would still only mean 44 players to pick from.

 

One of the reasons that the Borders team folded was a lack of funds, a situation that hasn’t changed. There is no money in Scottish Rugby despite increasing their surplus from £1.6m to £3.1. Ireland and Wales are still in the economic shadow of England and France while Scotland is a mere spec in the distance.

 

Part of their economic frailty comes from its constant competition with football. For reasons unbeknown to most of us outsiders, the Scottish population worship the distinctly average Scottish premier league. In spite of Glasgow Rangers all but being shown the door of top flight football, the coverage will be all football. Anyone who’s been to Scotland know that the back pages are dominated by football even more so than in the English tabloids and the fact that Celtic will have the title wrapped up before Christmas next year won’t make a blind bit of difference to the column inches is receives.

 

Although Edinburgh is a beautiful city and an international match-day experience is simply superb, Scottish rugby as a whole is probably the least attractive in World Rugby. It starts at the clubs; with Edinburgh themselves playing their home matches at the 67,200 capacity Murray field Stadium. Anyone who’s sat in the stadium will know how cold it can get, even with a full house. It’s hard to comprehend that it would be an enjoyable viewing experience for those that go and watch a league game. The average attendance for all Edinburgh’s matches was less than 3,500 and their record highest crowd came this year when they played against bath in the Heineken Cup, it was a meagre 5,850. On average, the stadium is 5.08% full, which is an absolute disgrace and anyone who works on the marketing team at Edinburgh should consider themselves very lucky to still be employed. There is absolutely no reason for them to be playing their games there and why they’re not seeking relocation is a mystery.

 

Scotland have always been the ugly sisters at the pantomime when it comes to playing styles and the way in which they’re perceived in the Southern Hemisphere is quite comical. When New Zealand’s Fox Sports were covering the 2012 Six Nations, there was a weekly review show on Sunday evenings. On this show there was a weekly slot reserved for the tongue-in-cheek segment of ‘Scotland’s Highlights’. In this part of the show, they showcased the best of Scotland’s negative play. Regular features included the up-and-under, slow ball at the back of a ruck, the rolling maul and the aimless kicking from turnover ball. The panellists ribbed Andy Robinson’s men and their incapability of playing even the most remotely entertaining rugby week after week.

 

If the summer tours have taught us anything, it’s that the skills required at the top of the game are at an all time high. With defences so well drilled nowadays, genuine try-scoring opportunities are few and far between; it’s the sides that are have the ability to convert these chances into 5-pointers that win games. New Zealand are comfortably the best at this followed by Australia and South Africa. Some way behind them are England, Wales, France and Ireland. Meanwhile, in a land far, far away you’ll find Scotland.

 

They play the most negative brand of rugby on the planet and their lack of enterprise has strangled the life out of Scottish rugby. It’s understandable that with the lack of player quality, Andy Robisnon would have seen conservative selection of Dan Parks as a kicking back as the right way to go. But with Chris Paterson and Parks calling time on their international careers it’s a perfect opportunity for him to adopt a more inventive game-plan.

 

Scott Johnson is the coaching staff’s newest recruit. Johnson first burst onto the British scene as a long-haired, short-wearing, arm-waving Aussie lunatic who was the mastermind behind Wales’ 2005 Grand Slam success. Stephen Jones, Shane Williams, Gavin Henson, Gareth Thomas and Martyn Williams all noted in their autobiographies the positive impact he had on that Welsh squad while he was skills coach. Yet, since, these characteristics have somewhat deserted him. As Ospreys’ Director of Rugby, he turned into a much more defensive rugby man. His pedigree and rugby brain are undoubtedly astute, but the percentage kicking game seen at the Liberty Stadium under his reign was painfully uninspiring. Given the decline of his adventurous side, it’s going to be a waiting game as to whether or not it’s a decent appointment.

 

The pinnacle of any British rugby player’s career is a British & Irish Lions tour. There have been very few Scottish representatives on these trips in recent years which is further evidence of their shortcomings as a rugby nation. From the original selected touring squad, in 2001 there were 3 Scots, there were 3 again in 2005 and a rather lonely 2 travelled to South Africa in 2009.

 

Back in 2007, the representatives of the Scottish Ruby Union set out some objectives in their strategic plan. They were:

 

• Achieve a top 8 IRB World Ranking status by 2012.
• Reach the quarter finals of the 2007 & 2011 World Cups.
• Increase the 6 Nations win rate from 25% to 40%.
• Win the 6 Nations at least once by 2012.

 

After their summer tour they moved up from 12th to 9th in the world rankings. They failed to progress from their group at both world cups. Scotland’s win rate percentage dropped from 25% to 13% in the 6 Nations where since 2007 they’ve come last twice and last-but-one the other four times.

 

Whoever comes up with these strategic plans needs to check thems4elves into rehab, because there is absolutely no hope of Scotland winning the next world cup or even the 6 Nations in the near future. If the powers that be genuinely think that if by some miracle they managed to trespass into the knockout stages of the world cup, they’d be able to beat the Wallabies in the quarters, the Springboks in the semis and then the All Blacks in the final; they’re bigger idiots than we originally thought.

 

Despite declining since 2007, they’ve increased their ambition in the 6 Nations. They’re no longer contempt with just winning it, they was the grand slam. You need to win 5 games in a row in order to win the grand slam as Wales did this year. Scotland have won 5 games in the last 6 years in the 6 Nations, but they’re confident that they’ve turned that corner now? They’ve also realised that they’re better than a top 8 finish in the world cup and they deserve to be the best team on the planet.

 

You’ve got to admire their farfetched ambition, but the audacity of the whole concept is laughable. They will not win the next world cup; neither will they win a grand slam; that’s one of the safest sporting predictions that can be made. That is of course unless they have a source at the Met Office and they’ve been told that the weather forecast for the next 4 years is heavy rain and gale-force winds across the globe. Even then, they’d be up against it.

 

Come on, you sweaty’s. Get a grip.

 

Six Nations Selection

Warren Gatland has included 6 uncapped players in his six nations training squad who will take to Poland to endure a rigorous training regime. The chosen six are in-form Ospreys duo Rhys Webb and Ashley Beck, Cardiff Blues flyer Harry Robinson as well as Rhodri Jones, Liam Williams and Lou Reed of the Scarlets.

The squad in full reads:

Backs: Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Rhys Preistland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Gavin Henson (Cardiff Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), George North (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Harry Robinson (Cardiff Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Lee Bryne (Clermont Auvergne)

Forwards: Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Lou Reed (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Sam Warburton (capt, Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks).

The most talked-about inclusion is that of the marmite man of Welsh Rugby; Gavin Henson. Your opinion on his selection will either be greeted with welcome optimism or it will make your blood boil, dependant on your views of the ex-Osprey. Those who love him will say that he offers something at 12 that no one else can offer. He’s an absolute rock in defence, he’s got a siege-gun boot and he can unlock the most rigid defences with ease as well as class. He’ll be viewed as an alternative to the uber-physical centre partnership of Jamie Roberts and Jon Davies. Those on the other side of the fence will question the validity of his selection given that he’s only played 3 games of rugby for the Blues and only one of which was at his preferred position at inside centre. Added to this, Henson has failed to make even the match-day squad for their crunch Henieken Cup match against Racing Metro this weekend. Henson’s inclusion has meant that Stephen Jones’ international exile is extended further from missing out the only autumn international against Australia in December.

Gatland’s foreign player policy is all but extinct with French trio Lee Byrne, James Hook and Mike Phillips all making the cut as well as English-based Rhys Gill, Andy Powell and Craig Mitchell.

Sam Warburton keeps hold of the captaincy from the returning Matthew Rees following his well documented success as skipper in New Zealand. Both have publicly stated their desire to wear the captain’s armband and Warren Gatland has stuck to the theme of breeding youngsters in the international environment by backing his 23-year-old over his 32-year-old. This could be the main reason; however, Matthew Rees isn’t guaranteed his place given the World Cup form of Osprey Huw Bennett. Bizarrely and typical of the Ospreys, since returning from New Zealand, Bennett has played second fiddle to Richard Hibbard in the Celtic League as well as the Heineken Cup. The Ebbw Vale man must be wondering why he’s starting the majority of his games on the bench when he’s in possession of the national number two jersey. Furthermore, the man keeping him out of the starting berth at the Ospreys doesn’t even feature in the Welsh squad. Yet another head-scratcher for those on the outside looking in to the Liberty Stadium.

One man in particular must be sat questioning everything that surrounds him today. He’s a stand out performer for his region and has all the physical attributes for the international stage. Although his performances for Wales have not been as eye-catching as his performances for his region, he’d have still been confident of a spot in the 35-man-squad. One can only imagine the rage circling Aled Brew’s body as he see’s young pretenders Liam Williams and Harry Robinson get the nod ahead of him. There is no denying that they are both unquestionably talented and their inclusion in the squad will stand them in good stead for the future. However, if these wingers are deemed good enough to be exposed to the full national set-up, surely there’s a case for Ospreys fly-half Matthew Morgan? With Gatland only opting to name Rhys Priestland as his only out and out number ten, is there no place for a third option alongside James Hook? There are five wingers in the squad as well as Lee Byrne and Scott Williams who are more than capable of deputising on the wing. Understandably, the selection committee are looking for a long-term replacement for retired hero Shane Williams, but Brew must be seething that he’s not seen as one of the five front-runners.

Although 35 players have been named in the squad, Gatland has expressed,

"We are also taking the opportunity to look at one or two youngsters before probably cutting our numbers even further before the start of the RBS Six Nations.

"We have kept a couple of older heads and we have injuries, with Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Turnbull, Rob McCusker and Luke Charteris all unavailable to us, but the emphasis on development and planning for the future is there for everyone to see.

"These are exciting times for Welsh rugby.

"We showed a huge amount of potential at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and we will be working as hard as humanly possible to ensure that we reach our potential in this year's Six Nations championship."

The potential that the Wales Head Coach refers to is indeed quite staggering, especially in the backline. Barring injury, the team could look like this;

15. Lee Byrne
14. George North
13. Jon Davies
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Lee Halfpenny
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Mike Phillips
8. Toby Faletau
7. Sam Warburton (c)
6. Dan Lydiate
5. Bradley Davies
4. Ian Evans
3. Adam Jones
2. Matthew Rees
1. Gethin Jenkins

16. Huw Bennett
17. Paul James.
18. Andy Powell
19. Justin Tipuric
20. Rhys Webb
21. James Hook
22. Gavin Henson

If this squad takes to the field for the majority of the six nations, there won’t be many teams that will match it for talent. The only area of concern for Gatland’s men is the second row. This heaps yet more pressure on Robin McBryde as he looks to sure up the lineout which has been an area of limited success in the past. With his two main jumpers gone in Alun Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris, he’s got his work cut out. Sort this area out and Wales will be a serious force in the tournament, if it remains creaky, all that potential in the backline will go to waste.

New-Look England

Stuart Lancaster has bravely named an inexperienced, new-look Elite Player Squad ahead of the 2012 Six Nations tournament. The caretaker manager has included nine uncapped players in the squad including exciting talent Owen Farrell who is in a battle with his Saracens team-mate Charlie Hodgson for the number ten shirt when the competition kicks off in February. The eight other uncapped players are Calum Clark, Lee Dickson, Phil Dowson (all Northampton Saints), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Jordan Turner-Hall, Joe Marler (both Harlequins), Rob Webber (Wasps) and Ben Morgan (Scarlets).

Following England’s shambolic showing and the world rugby showpiece last summer, there has been a huge player fallout, which was expected as well as needed. Many selection issues have been taken out of Lancaster’s hands with Steve Thompson and Jonny Wilkinson calling time on their international careers. Add to this a host of players such as Toby Flood, Manu Tuilagi, Courtney Lawes and Andrew Sheridan but to name a few being ruled out for at least the opening game at Murrayfield and it’s obvious that changes were imminent. Mike Tindall, Mark Cueto, Nick Easter, Shontayne Hape and Riki Flutey all drop out of the squad to make way for a fresh batch of internationals.

Refreshingly, the selection committee haven’t been afraid to call upon form players despite their lack of experience, or indeed in cases such as Charlie Hodgson, in spite of their experience. The amount of uncapped players involved speaks volumes of England’s future as they look to put the disappointment of the World Cup behind them. It shows that the management may have finally realised that picking players that are playing well for their clubs may result in that form being replicated on the international stage.

With only Graham Rowntree remaining from the old boys club that have lingered around Twickenham since 2003, it finally looks as though they’re moving forward. Nevertheless, this hasn’t stopped the old guard chipping in with their ancient opinions. Lawrence Dallaglio has taken time out from his busy schedule of bolognaise making to weigh in with his views.

When asked about the inclusion of Scarlets’ phenomenon Ben Morgan, he said,

"No, you need some experience in the squad first.

"The lad needs to experience the culture and the environment.

The 2003 World Cup winner then went on to say,

"Owen Farrell is playing well and England have got some interesting selections at 10.

"Jonny Wilkinson has retired, Toby Flood looks like he might be injured. Do you think putting Owen Farrell in against Scotland away is a fair baptism? I think Stuart Lancaster might look to the likes of Charlie Hodgson.

"I'd certainly have Farrell in the squad, he is definitely an England number 10 or 12 of the future. I remember Jonny Wilkinson coming into the England team and he made his debut on the wing at home, he didn't make his debut at 10 away from home."

This is exactly the sort of prehistoric, dinosaur-like mentality England have to rid themselves of. Just because a player has experience doesn’t necessarily make him a better candidate than someone without. Wales lead the way in this field at the moment by playing the players that are performing consistently for their regions. Warren Gatland has shown this by handing leading roles to the likes of Toby Faletau, Rhys Priestland, George North & Sam Warburton. In doing so, he’s not been afraid to cast aside tried and tested internationals such as Lee Byrne, Stephen Jones, Jon Thomas and Martyn Williams. These young players coming through have made world rugby stand up take notice of their performances, least of all their neighbours from over the bridge.

Now that Martin Johnson has left, taking with him the mindset of “this worked in 2003, so it must be right”, England can begin to look forward to an exciting period. Stuart Lancaster has said all the right things surrounding his selections,

"We've picked a side which is exciting, talented and committed to get us back to where we want to be - at the top of the game.

"I've spoken to those not selected and told them the door is not closed.

"But I want to use this Six Nations as an opportunity to develop the next players in those positions and develop a leadership group that is strong and wants to be the best.

"We think it's a tremendous opportunity to build a squad that has potential for now and for the future.

"They have been on the cusp of it for a while. Now they deserve their chance after proving themselves in big games for their clubs."

Not many England supporters will be overly confident going into the tournament, but we all know how important momentum is during the competition. If they can return from Scotland with a win, they then face the Italians in Rome, a team which they have never lost to; before a homecoming at Twickenham against the Welsh. If they can go into that game with two wins under their belts, anything is possible.

Now that he has retired and can not inflict any further damage upon any team he comes across, it's safe to say that for the rugby neutral, it's a great shame that Jonny Wilkinson will never grace the six nations again. His legacy for England is immeasurable, but for everyone else in the competition, they can breathe a simultaneous sigh of relief. But even without the great man, England certainly have the potential to be an exciting rugby team that achieves results at the same time. Hopefully, under the guidance of Stuart Lancaster who has absolutely nothing to lose, we’ll see the best they have to offer.

The Great Escape

There are an alarming number of players being linked with moves away from Wales in the wake of their World Cup campaign which could undo all the good work Warren Gatland has done since his reign began in 2007. Nobody could have thought the way in which the Welsh players went about their work would end up being detrimental to the national game, but at the moment, that’s exactly what’s on the verge of happening.

There was a time where players went to France to develop their game and to test and hone their skills in a different environment with the overall goal of enhancing themselves as test rugby players, a la Stephen Jones. These days are a thing of the past with the players moving abroad for two reasons, lifestyle and money. Unfortunately, French clubs have funds that stretch much further than the Welsh regions and there’s no way for them to compete.

Most rugby players have families to support and given the short nature of a professional rugby career, they’d be idiotic to turn the pay rise down. Adam Jones has been linked with a move to France when his contract expires in June and discussing Gethin Jenkins’ reported offer of a £500,000 salary, he revealed:

“If they have to do something that is financially right then they have to go…It is the world we live in. If the region is not going to offer you a new contract or the type of money on offer elsewhere, you might have to go.”
This seems to be exactly the case with the re-invented dragon, Luke Charteris. He’s announced that he will be leaving the Gwent region at the end of the season with Perpignan in prime position to snap up the giant 6’ft 9”in second row stating:
"The chance to live in a different country and enjoy a new culture and way of life is one not everybody gets.
A player's career doesn't last forever and I want to experience as much as I can."
With so many frontline players already playing in France and England, Warren Gatland’s foreign player policy is no longer. He can’t possibly dismiss anyone playing outside of Wales because he simply wouldn’t have the players to pick from. Whereas before, players moving to France would mean possible exile from the national set-up, this is no longer the case. Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins are two of many players allegedly being offered big-money deals to play in the Top 14 or the Aviva Premiership. Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Priestland, George North, Scott Williams, Jon Davies and Aled Brew but to name a few have apparently been approached with big offers to lure them away from Wales.
If the majority of us were in their positions, we’d already be brushing up on our French because despite the game being the national sport of Wales, the elite domestic competition is failing miserably to capture the imagination of the public. All four Welsh regions have recorded all time low figures this season in the Celtic League and it’s becoming a genuine cause for concern. The Cardiff Blues have been especially outspoken, expressing their concern over the dwindling numbers:
· Scarlets – 7,243 (7 games)
· Blues – 6,723 (6 games)
· Ospreys – 6,528 (8 games)
· Dragons – 4,766 (4 games)

Regions are battling against themselves in many ways and this is acting as a deterrent to the Welsh players. They must be asking themselves what has happened to the 65,000 people that crammed into the Millennium Stadium at the break of dawn to watch their world cup semi final. From the highs of the word cup, the Welsh squad have returned to their regions and the accompanying bland, generic and empty stadia. Compare that to the partisan crowd that watched Clermont Auvergne beat Leicester at the weekend and is it any wonder that the Welsh elite are being drawn abroad?

With the regional game unable to draw the crowds despite every region boasting many internationals, it’s adding to their economic struggles. Even if we take a look over the bridge, you very rarely find a 25,000-seater stadium occupied by 6,000 shivering souls. These shortcomings are completely self-inflicted from the regions’ point of view. Ask any Cardiff Blues fan and they’ll tell you that the move to the Cardiff City Stadium has been a drastic flop. Why on earth they aren’t playing their home games at the vacant Arms Park is anyone’s guess. At least 6,000 people in there would create an atmosphere as opposed the cauldron of awkward silence that currently fills the new stadium. Those attendances would have more of a chance of rising if the matches were held at the heart of the capital. The atmosphere developed upon the arrival of Jonah Lomu to Cardiff in was meteoric and it saw attendances soar to upward of 20,000 packed into the old, traditional ground. It seems that the board think that bigger is better; it most certainly is not. If they were drawing the 44,000 people that watched the Blues lose to Leicester in the Heineken Cup penalty shoot-out in 2009, their perseverance with the Cardiff City Stadium becomes justifiable, but let’s face it, they’re nowhere near.

The Ospreys are in the same boat, struggling hugely to fill the Liberty Stadium. An LV Anglo-Welsh match was shifted to the Brewery Field with relative success. On a horrid Friday evening in front of the sky cameras, 6,662 came through the turnstiles of the 8,000 capacity ground when the Ospreys beat Leicester in front of the Sky Sports cameras. They proved that there’s a niche in the market, yet that’s the first and last time it’s happened? Their relationship with Neath Rugby has effectively evaporated, but if they were to re-establish that connection, The Gnoll would be another option open to them as well as The All Whites’ ground down the road at St Helens. Again, moving the fixtures to these alternative grounds would at least create an atmosphere and this could possibly increase the numbers.

The Dragons’ new stand has failed to spark an interest in Gwent despite landing deals with Toby Faletau and Dan Lydiate to keep them at the region. Their problem has always been not having the superstars to bring in the numbers, that isn’t true any more. The Scarlets’ new stadium was doomed to fail before it even began to be built with so many supporters opposing to the move. This has been the catalyst for so many empty seats at the ‘home of heart & soul rugby country’. For them and the Dragons, they have their hands tied because there’s no other significant sports ground in the area. The Scarlets should play some games in North Wales given that it’s in their region and the fact that it’s produced a certain 6’ft 4”in winger.

An area that isn’t being explored is the heartbeat of Welsh rugby. Since the collapse of the Celtic Warriors in 2003, the valleys have been without first grade rugby. Sardis Road could be the perfect tonic both for the area of Pontypridd and any region brave enough to take the gamble.

With the regional game in its current state, more and more players will opt for the glamour of French rugby. Rugby Union is Wales’ biggest marketing tool bar none and the national team is the pinnacle in advertising power. Without these players, there is nothing. Therefore, the WRU and the Welsh Assembly Government need to urgently come up with a plan to keep players in Wales. The money on offer abroad is obscene in comparison to their current wages. The only foreseeable solution is for a top-up system where the regions pay half of the players’ wages and the rest made up from the WRU and governmental budget, equalling the money they’d be getting abroad and hopefully stifling the player’s potential move.

It’s a very complicated issue, but it if the Welsh game is to continue developing, the players need to be playing in Wales and be available for national duty as and when Warren Gatland sees fit or the good work he’s done thus far in his tenure could be nil and void. WRU, over to you.

The Outside-Half Factory

It’s not a report than can be documented often, but there is somewhat of an embarrassment of riches in the Welsh rugby game at the moment. The flamboyant Scott Johnson has come out in the press revealing that he thinks his protégé, Dan Biggar, was born in the wrong country and that he isn’t appreciated by Wales. Many have criticized the 22 year old over the past two seasons, but he must be doing the business on the training paddock at the Ospreys seeing as he ousted James Hook from the 10 shirt to such an extent that he left to Perpignan to get his career at fly-half back on track.

Johnson believes that Biggar is suffering on the Wales backburner down to Wales’ “fascination with certain types of 10s”, referring to the likes of Barry John, Cliff Morgan and Phil Bennett of yesteryear. The Aussie also makes the valid point that the days of the product of Max Boyce’s famous outside-half factory gracing the famous red shirt are a thing of the past.

“You’re going back a long way before you have the so-called flairy type 10s”

Very true, with the exception of Jonathan Davies’ 37 caps between 1987 and 1995, Wales’ outside halves have been much more reserved since the great Phil Bennett’s last game in 1978. His immediate replacement in Gareth Davies is renowned as being Wales’ first kicking fly-half and his 7-year tenure contained little flair. Following Jonathan Davies came Neil Jenkins who was ultimately replaced by Stephen Jones who claimed 87 and 104 (and counting) caps respectively, a point raised by Wales’ former skills coach:

“Stephen Jones & Neil Jenkins don’t fit into that type of category but they have stood Wales in pretty good stead as a nation.”

James Hook can be the only exception and although his early international career was blazed with glory, his recent performances in the hallowed jersey left much to be desired. The selectors in the professional modern era have opted for a more sturdy, point-accumulating figure; much like the Ospreys talisman, Dan Biggar.

Why is it then, that he finds himself at 4^th on the pecking order? His big-game temperament has come under scrutiny, but he went some way to silence those critics when he produced a match winning 23-point haul against Biarritz on the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup. This isn’t a one off either with the Swansea-born product averaging a shade less than 16 points a game in the Celtic League. Despite not selecting the ‘traditional’ outside-halves, Wales are still playing a very positive brand of rugby. This is where Biggar finds himself behind the others and unfortunately it’s through no fault of his own.

In spite of having arguably the most talented squad in Europe two or three years ago, The Ospreys still played a monotonic, droning style of rugby. Hugely frustrating for the spectators and pundits alike, but it proved relatively successful down at The Liberty Stadium, producing some regular Celtic silverware. They’re by far the most successful of the Welsh regions, but fall well short of the European elite. The amount of kicking is a constant source annoyance for anyone watching the Neath-Swansea outfit. If we take the 1^st weekend of the Celtic League as an example, the Ospreys were comfortable winners over Leinster at the Liberty Stadium. In open play, they kicked 29 times, passed 125 times and ran the ball 96 times. Compare that with the Blues who travelled away to Edinburgh who kicked 14 times, passed 196 times and ran the ball 112 times. The Dragons were also on the road against the fearsome Munster and even they only kicked the ball 16 times. This paints the picture as to what sort of game they are playing down in Swansea and the orchestrator is Dan Biggar. This may well be what is holding him back in that he’s restrained by his region’s preferred style of play and although his workmanlike kicking talent is admirable, Warren Gatland isn’t able to see him showcase his full array of talents. Without this, it’s unlikely that he’ll be included as a solid, kicking, controlling 10 whilst steady eddy himself, Stephen Jones is still in the fold.

However, the fact that Wales are even in a position to discard Dan Biggar as they have done is somewhat reassuring given the nature of other countries’ fly-half flaws.

If we take the home nations for example, England’s Jonny Wilkinson is under relentless pressure to perform as he has done in the past and Toby Flood is seen to be his predecessor. If these two were simultaneously incapacitated, there aren’t many 10s they could call upon. Owen Farrell is untried and untested at international level, Charlie Hodgson has unfortunately proven that he’s not up to the mark for England. Apart from these Saracens, who else is there? Joe Carlisle, Ryan Davis, Freddy Burns and Joe Ford all show promise, but would the English readers be comfortable with one of these four stepping into the playmaking position for England in the six nations? Probably not. Danny Cipriani was dubbed England’s next 10, but quite ironically he’s being a rebel in Melbourne and the injury-ridden Olly Barkley has shifted into the centre. Not ideal.

The Scottish situation is even worse, first choice Dan Parks wouldn’t make it into any of the other home nations’ squads let alone the starting 15 and their backup is a who’s who of distinctly average rugby players. Duncan Weir, Greig Laidlaw and Ruaridh Jackson are hardly going to make a game-changing appearance from the bench are they?

Ireland have two proven international outside halves in Ronan O’Gara and Jonny Sexton, but with the former’s imminent retirement, who is pushing their way through? Ian Humphries has all the makings of a quality fly-half, but he’s never been exposed to the international stage and at 29, he’s no spring chicken. Apart from him, there’s Connacht’s Niall O’Connor and that’s about as far as it stretches.

In which case, from a Welsh perspective, things are hugely promising. Dan Biggar’s credentials have already been discussed, yet despite only earning 9 caps, Rhys Priestland is the man in possession of the number 10 shirt following his outstanding showing in New Zealand. Behind him, you have Stephen Jones’ 917 test points pushing him all the way and the newly invigorated James Hook who will hope consistent selections in his favoured position will take him back to the form he showed in the 2008 six nations. Consider the way Nicky Robinson has played for Gloucester and Wasps since his move over the bridge and you have the deepest pool of outside halves Wales has seen in some years. With the likes of Jason Tovey and Matthew Morgan shining for the Dragons and Ospreys respectively, the future is bright.

One of the many things in recent years that the Welsh rugby nation has been criticised for is a lack of strength in depth. This is categorically not the case any more. If Dan Biggar had been born in a different era, he may well be right in contention for the jersey, but for now he’s going to have to bide his time and take his opportunity when it comes.

The Welsh outside-half factory may not be churning out the glitzy produce of days gone by, but rather focuses its attention on delivering good, solid internationals en masse.

Heineken Cup Preview

Tonight sees the beginning of the 2011/12 Heineken Cup campaign, and it’s one that is met with anticipation and a sense of the unknown. With the start of the Celtic League (still refusing to acknowledge the ridiculous rebrand of the league), Aviva Premiership and the Top 14 going ahead without the world cup stars, there is an element of ambiguity surrounding the form of the teams around Europe. The return of the internationals almost signals a second beginning for the regions, clubs and provinces of Europe, and where better to kick it off than the pinnacle club tournament in world rugby?

As is the level of competition, every year produces a group of death. Last year saw the Ospreys battle it out with Munster, Toulon and London Irish for European supremacy. This year it’s the turn of their neighbours from down the M4 to take the trip to Thomond Park as well as Franklyn’s Gardens and Stade Pierre-Antoine. Pool 1 is a hideous concoction of Irish muscle in Munster, English superstars in Northampton, French juggernauts Castres Olympique and the raw Welsh talent of the Scarlets. Two or three years ago, anyone looking at this group would see Nigel Davies’ team as the whipping boys, not now. Since their heroics in 2006/07 when they beat the giants Toulouse 34-41 on French soil, they’ve struggled in the Heineken cup. However, the big returning names from the world cup coupled with the return of their captain Matthew Rees means they are fully equipped to deal with the trials and tribulations that is the pool of death. If everyone is fit, the potential is staggering, especially in the backline: 9.Tavis Knoyle 10.Stephen Jones 11.Morgan Stoddard 12.Scott Williams 13.Jonathan Davies 14.George North 15.Rhys Priestland. Unfortunately, these groups are usually so competitive that only one team progresses through the knockout stage. It’s very difficult to look past Munster given their history in the tournament, but absolutely anything can happen in this group. Northampton’s improved squad will take some beating at home and travelling to Castres won’t be easy. This group will be the tightest in terms of points, but home form is absolutely crucial and given that importance, Thomond Park will produce an Irish victor, just.

Pool 2 is intriguing in a different way. The teams are all considered 2^nd tier European sides apart from maybe the Scottish outfit, which finds itself flirting with Connacht in the 3^rd tier. However, Edinburgh along with the Cardiff Blues, Racing Metro and London Irish will all fancy their chances of winning the group given the lack of a European colossus in their ranks. Edinburgh and the Blues find themselves 10^th and 5^th in the Celtic League respectively whilst Irish are flying high in the Aviva in 3^rd spot leaving Metro a respectable 6^th in the Top 14. This group will again be a tight one, but with the feel-good factor that still lingers in the Welsh capital following the World Cup, if the Blues can take something away from France this evening, expect them to qualify as winners.

The holders Leinster who will be without the talismanic figure of Brian O’Driscoll for the entire qualifying campaign as he undergoes surgery on a shoulder problem that’s been dogging him for the previous couple of campaigns. It’s a great shame that he won’t feature during the group stage, but there’s a fair chance we’ll see the man they call BOD in the latter stages of the competition given their relatively uncomplicated qualifying schedule. Montpellier lie one off the bottom of the Top 14, Bath continue their unremarkable last few seasons at 7^th in the Aviva and although Glasgow are sitting pretty at 4^th in the Celtic League, none of these teams will trouble the Irish giants and expect them to qualify easily for the last 8.

There is always a team that’s seemingly there to make up the numbers, this year it’s the turn of Aironi. The group is the most likely to produce a qualifier through the backdoor as best runner-up, simply because Aironi are very likely to leak 4 tries home and away to each team. Whoever can remain unbeaten at home and pick another victory up on the road will qualify automatically; the other two teams will battle it out for the next best place. With Leicester’s uncharacteristically shaky start to their premiership campaign and Clermont Auvergne placed on top of the pile in the French Top 14 it’s a difficult one to call. Add Ulster’s outspoken ambition to the mix and you have a cracker of a group. Clermont have recruited ambitiously adding Lee Byrne, Benoit Cabello and Sitevini Sivivatu to their already star-studded squad and their dominance is likely to carry them through as group winners relatively comfortably. Given the Midlands outfit wretched start to their domestic campaign, Richard Cockerill will demand a European backlash. Leicester’s Heineken Cup pedigree speaks for itself and it’s this experience that will see the wounded Tigers scrape through as runners-up.

Pool 5 will be decided at the Stadio Monigo. Those unfamiliar with the Celtic League newcomers in Benetton Treviso are likely to think that they will be the whipping boys of the group that includes Premiership Champions Saracens, Basque country’s finest Biarritz and the now non-Galacticos Ospreys. In the same way that Connacht is a ‘tough place to go’, any side in this group that has aspirations of European success has to come away with a bonus point win. Anything less will simply mean, they won’t qualify as group winners. It’s a step into the unknown for Biarritz and Saracens, but the Ospreys are all too familiar with struggling to victory against Treviso. Although the Welsh side have tried to rid their Galacticos label by banning fake tan and coloured boots, in truth they didn’t have much option. The players that made them the elite in Welsh rugby have left them, tired of failure and constant underachieving. Lee Byrne, Mike Phillips, Marty Holah, Jerry Collins and James Hook to name but a few are plying their trade elsewhere. If they couldn’t make an impact with some of world rugby’s biggest names, how are they expected to do it without them? Saracens have invested smartly over the summer bringing in some real quality in Charlie Hodgson and John Smit and their 2^nd place position in the Aviva proves that there are great things happening at Vicarage Road, with the egg shaped ball anyway. This will push them through to the last 8 as group winners. Biarritz have always shone in Europe, but their league form suggests that this year might be a step too far. Lying at the very bottom of the league in France, it’s strange to say that it’s going to be a toss-up for the runners up spot between them and the Ospreys, who are top of the Celtic League, but it’s exactly what it is. In their comfort zone of the Celtic League, the Ospreys are a very good club side, constantly in and around the Top 4 of the league, but their European woes are evident for all to see. With the departure of so many big names, it’s difficult to see their shortcomings changing. Biarritz, like Leicester, will be keen to right their domestic wrongs. For this reason, the Basque outfit will just hold on to the runners up spot, but they’ll be pushed all the way by the Neath-Swansea coalition. The two teams meet on at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday and will shape the group; it’ll be a ripsnorter.

The final group sees Connacht, Gloucester and league-leaders Harlequins take on the irrepressible Toulouse. It’s simple, Toulouse will win this group, they are a cut above the rest and their squad oozes quality. No one will go to France and pick up anything more than a losing bonus point and they’ll go to the Sportsground to pick up a routine win as well as a win at Kingsholm. If the Quins can remain unbeaten at The Stoop, and pick up a bonus point win at Connacht, their chances of qualifying will hinge on the game at Kingsholm, which takes place in the second round of matches. It’s a huge game for a Quins side that desperately want to return to the top of the English heap.

This year, like last year, gives all the teams in the competition a reprieve. Once the final 8 has been decided for the main event, the next best three teams will fall into the Amlin Challenge Cup. This is a route that the Cardiff Blues took to win the competition last year and it’s a move the ERC can be proud of. It’s given the tournament a real fillip, and last year proved that having the calibre of Toulon, Munster and the Cardiff Blues dropping down produced greater spectacles and quality of rugby.

If everything goes as predicted, the draw for the final 8 will look like this:

Ø Munster (Q)

Ø Cardiff Blues (Q)

Ø Leinster Rugby (Q)

Ø Clermont Auvergne (Q)

Ø Saracens (Q)

Ø Toulouse (Q)

Ø Leicester Tigers (q)

Ø Harlequins (q)

This means three places being up for grabs for the Amlin Challenge Cup. If the Scarlets can gain parity against their group opposition, their backline can match anyone in the competition. Leinster’s expected dominance in pool 3 opens the door to one of the other three teams, Glasgow simply aren’t good enough, Montpellier are indifferent while Bath are good enough to push their way through with world cup hero Stephen Donald joining their ranks. This could be the catalyst that could catapult the West Country outfit out of the lull that’s been humming around The Rec for the past few years. If this is to be the case then the teams joining the likes of the London Wasps and Stade Francais will be:

Ø Llanelli Scarlets

Ø Bath Rugby

Ø Biarritz Olympique

Predictions are of course predictable, and one thing that the Heineken Cup is not is predictable. That’s what makes the tournament not only great, but the best domestic competition in the world.

Off-Field Issues

In the light of recent misbehaving by yet another international rugby player, it seems that we have an epidemic of unruly behaviour in the world of rugby union and the problem is visibly magnified in Wales. Mike Phillips was suspended indefinitely by the Welsh Rugby Union following an incident outside a fast food restaurant in Cardiff city centre in the early hours. Although the former Osprey was on an agreed holiday period, he was asked not to report to training with the national squad due to a clear breach of the standards Warren Gatland’s men have set.

With anyone else, it could be argued that it’s a one-off. However, anyone who has seen the 6’3” scrum half out in Cardiff on a night out knows that he’s no angel. He recently dropped the charges for an assault made on him back in October which left him knocked unconscious outside a Mill Lane bar. We’re in no position to say for sure how he gets himself into these positions, but the line “do you know who I am?” is one that the Camarthen-born star has made a bit of a trademark for himself.

The worrying thing is, Phillips is not unique in finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Andy Powell’s most recent antics ended up with the ex Wasps man losing almost two pints of blood following an altercation with Queens Park Rangers fans on a night out in London. This added to the back-rower’s feeble track record that includes the infamous trip he took up the M4 in a buggy following a dramatic victory over Scotland in the 2009 Six Nations Tournament.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to write anything about Welsh rugby without mentioning the name that sends a shockwave of fury and excitement from Blackwood to the Beacons of Brecon, not Haldane Luscombe but Gavin Henson. Since taking his sabbatical from rugby 21 months ago, he’s been nothing short of a desperate cry for attention. When he closed the rugby door following his departure from the Ospreys he found himself opening a door to a room full of like-minded individuals. Such creatures go by the names of Jodie Marsh, Kerry Katona, Paris Hilton and Chantelle from big brother but to name a few. Luckily for everyone involved in rugby it looked as if he’d finally decided to concentrate on the one thing that he was put on earth to do (because let’s be honest, there’s not much prospect for him as an academic). Saracens had offered him a reprieve and a chance to play rugby and be a father at the same time. A month after his debut, he was in the South of France allegedly beating up his team-mates on nights out. Needless to say he wasn’t offered a full time contract and he’s now, once again, looking for someone who is willing to work with his given his wretched history of being a nob.

Of course, these players aren’t alone in getting themselves into trouble off the pitch. There are plenty of non-Welsh examples of disciplinary problems. Danny Cipriani, Matt Stevens and the Bath drug trio Alex Crocket, Michael Lipman and Andrew Higgins are just a few recent examples of this. It’s very rare, though, that you hear of Dan Carter, Quade Cooper, Richie McCaw and co involved in a booze-fuelled fracas, so why is it becoming a regular occurrence in the home nations?

The media in this country doesn’t help by scrutinizing players’ off-field antics, but the players are their own worst enemies the majority of the time. The players know that the goldfish-bowl environment they find themselves in requires them to act whiter than white on and off the field. It was argued that the South Wales goldfish-bowl was the reason for the rebellious nature of the players’ actions. However, it took one career move of notorious wild-boy Andy Powell to prove that this is just not the case.

Gone are the days that international rugby stars socialize with supporters following games. The pre-professional era allowed this. Players weren’t contracted to behave in a certain manner, they were just rugby players that fought hard for club or country for 80 minutes, showered up and had a beer, much like the rest of us. The game has changed infinitely since 1995, which has led to the elite being very isolated. In bygone years, bumping into an international rugby superstar in the local pub was nothing out of the ordinary. Nowadays, spotting a famous face in a social environment triggers a frenzy of camera phones and a bombardment of praise or abuse. With the amount of rugby played in a season, these social outings are limited for the elite level sportsmen. Perhaps this is half the problem in that if they do go out, they go out all guns blazing because they don’t know when their next drink is going to be.

Of course, this isn’t a defence for the minority of players that do go over the top and end up with their face in a Queen Street/Fat Bouncer sandwich. There is a licence for us to go out and do as we please, these people are being paid to play rugby and with that comes a responsibility off the field.

Rugby is becoming increasingly professional with every season, but it’s vitally important that the sport doesn’t forget its roots. In order for the game to move forward, it must look back. Coaches, physiotherapists, analysts and the rest of the laptop crew are developing their skills year on year which is being passed onto their playing staff. Unfortunately in doing so, the rich history and tradition of the game is being left further and further behind. Socially, a lot could be learned from the past players and the way that they go about their business when they step off the field.

One of the great claims rugby union has is that it is constantly compared to other sports, and in many facets, it comes top of the class. Ground atmosphere, respect for officials, respect for opposition for example are areas that we, as rugby fans, can hold our heads high. For socializing, we used to be right up there too, but over the last few years rugby has started to slide down the pecking order. It’s by no means a crisis, but if something isn’t done to nip it in the bud, it’s a matter of time until a rugby player turns up at the training ground and shoots a work experience student with an air rifle.

Hook, Line and Sinker

So this week confirmed the final details of Wales’ biggest export. James Hook had previously stated that he’d be leaving The Liberty Stadium at the end of the 2010/11 season, but his final destination had yet to be established. He had originally been linked with the Cardiff Blues in the summer after their outside-half berth had been left vacant when Sam Norton-Knight(mare) moved from the club having (extremely) unsuccessfully deputised after the departure of Nicky Robinson in 2009. When talks amounted to nothing within Wales, clubs outside of the land of the leek showed their interest. Leicester, Harlequins, Toulouse, Biarritz and Toulon all expressed their want for him, but the likely winners were always going to be Perpignan. With Nicholas Laharrague, Thomas Bosc and Manny Edmonds sharing the number 10 shirt in the South of France, Hook has been promised regular rugby at outside-half, a position he has publicly spoken of his desire to play at the Ospreys.

The mule-like stubbornness of the Ospreys coaching staff has essentially cost them their most skilful and all-round footballer. Sean Holley and Scott Johnson have reiterated their beliefs that Hook is better suited to the 12 or 13 shirt, which has riled many rugby fans in Wales and further a field. The constant selection of Dan Biggar at 10 is somewhat similar to a fire alarm singing its tune when you’re trying to butter your slightly browned toast. The Ospreys academy product is an undoubted talent for a 19 year-old, but nevertheless, he is still a teenager. Hook had barely turned 24 when the Ospreys management began looking for a fresh-faced number 10 to replace him. It’s a mystery to many why he hasn’t been employed at 10 more often for region or country. Of his 44 Welsh caps, only 13 of them have been at fly-half and the ratio is even less compared with this season’s statistics with his region.

The fact that James Hook isn’t playing regular rugby at 10 has sparked comment from a number of past and present players. Phil Bennett stated:

“James has had to move with Wales and the Ospreys into the centre or sometimes to full-back and has become a bit of a utility player. I think he needs to be the star man. When you look at the recent great international teams, who are their star men? For New Zealand it's Dan Carter and Matt Giteau and Quade Cooper for Australia (playing at outside-half).”

This lack of game-time at fly-half is made all the more staggering by the fact that he was the 1^st choice 10 when Wales won the grand slam in the 2008 Six Nations Championship. Scoring 44 points along the way and only missing with one kick, the then 22-year-old was already being hailed as the latest product of the ‘Welsh Outside-Half Factory’. Staggeringly barring Marty Holah, Justin Marshall and Filo Tiatia the remaining 13 Ospreys took the field in the opening game of the tournament against England at Twickenham. At this time, he was starring for the Ospreys at fly-half having made a big impression playing for in the Principality Premiership with Neath RFC. Since then, the boy from Baglan has found himself out wider at 12, 13, 15 and sometimes in the distant, bitter 21 and 22 shirts. His versatility has probably cost him at times, but his class cannot be argued and is the first name on the team sheets of Messer’s Gatland and Johnson the only decision to me made is where to play.

In recent years, French rugby clubs have developed themselves into real driving forces in the European game, reflected in the fact that 4 of the 8 Heineken cup qualifiers ply their trade in the French Top 14 Championship. These powerhouses of club rugby boast squads jam-packed with internationals and produce some truly thrilling rugby. However, this doesn’t come cheap. The wage bills of Welsh regions compared with their French counterparts are miniscule and in reality, if a French club wants a player, they’ll get that player. It’s a reality that rugby fans have to deal with that careers are short and players can’t make the fortune that footballers can make in the same time. The Ospreys have had their wicked way with every player they wanted from within Wales, but now, players are being attracted elsewhere to gain more money and experience rugby outside of the goldfish bowl that is South Wales a la Andy Powell, Gavin Henson, Nicky Robinson and Stephen Jones.

For those that will argue “well look what it did for Stephen Jones’ career”, here’s a short summary of why you are wrong. Stephen Jones went to France and developed his skills tenfold. James Hook is the most skilful ball-player in Wales and his skills will remain at the level they are regardless of where in the world he plays rugby. Stephen Jones came back galvanised and had added a running game and unnerved kicking to is armory, both of which James Hook has in abundance. The thing that James Hook needs is regular rugby at outside-half to develop him as an outside-half (ground-breaking stuff isn’t it?) again regardless of where in the world he does it.

Fundamentally, the move will do him a world of good as a stand-off, for the simple reason that that is the position he will be selected. From an Ospreys point of view, it’s a dark day, but for all other Welshmen, it’s a great day. Why? Because finally, the likes of Barry John, Phil Bennett and Jonathan Davies have a chance of being joined by another great Welsh fly-half as opposed to a great Welsh utility back.

Law Variation is Huge Success

Finally, the new law interpretation introduced by the bigwigs of the International Rugby Board has had a positive effect on the game of rugby, almost making up for their recent failings to do so. As such, the law hasn't been changed, but re-enforced by the IRB in order to speed up the play of the ball at the ruck. Rule 15.4(a) reads:

“When a player tackles an opponent and they both go to ground, the tackler must immediately release the tackled player. Sanction: Penalty kick”

Last season, the tackler was given free reign to compete for the ball, whether he'd released the player or not. Anyone who has played any rugby this season will have noticed how much the referees have been ordered to keep an eagle eye on this particular area. Formally, law changes or experimental law variations have been met with grumblings from the players, coaches and spectators, but this time, it seems to have been a breath of fresh air for everyone. What the board committee members have done, cleverly, is eradicate to the best of their ability the grey area in the breakdown. Whereas before, it was a battle of interpretation, one team might see the law as one thing, their opponents another and crucially, the officials had a completely different stance on it. Everyone involved in a tackle is now aware of exactly what is expected of them. If you are in any way involved in the tackle as a tackler, you must return to your feet and make it clear that the tackled player has been released before competing for the ball. The tackled player, once released, has no excuse but to place the ball, thus releasing it from his possession. This has given the attacking team a greater opportunity to retain possession from the breakdown and therefore the rewards are much greater for keeping the ball in hand as opposed to kicking possession away to gain territory.

This has resulted in a much more enjoyable spectacle, with considerably more running rugby and substantially less kicking. The aerial ping-pong that dominated the game post ELV's was something the viewing public had become accustomed to because of the perceived fear of losing the ball in the ruck. At that time, Scrum V pundit and BBC commentator Jonathan Davies made an extremely valid point of saying that no team is forced to kick the ball, if both teams want to go out and play rugby they will, similarly, if they want to go out and kick the ball for 80 minutes, they'll do that too. Whether it's the law variation or just teams consciously going out to throw the ball around remains to be seen, but the evidence is that the IRB have at long last found the right balance.

If we take the most recent English domestic game, that of London Irish versus Gloucester, as an example, the statistics make for pleasant reading:

London Irish			Gloucester Rugby
2008/09	2009/10	2010/11	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
Kick : 37	Kick : 28	Kick : 18	Kick : 36	Kick : 23	Kick : 18
Pass : 77	Pass: 109	Pass : 152	Pass : 113	Pass : 88	Pass : 136
Run : 71	Run : 68	Run : 108	Run : 86	Run : 53	Run : 85

It's clear to see the changes that are evident from as little as 12 months, the corresponding fixture from last year saw 15 more open play kicks, 91 fewer passes and 72 fewer runs with the ball. A further 12 months previous again, there were a staggering 73 kicks in open play. Bearing in mind the ball is in play for roughly 44% of the 80 minutes (35mins 12secs), staggeringly that means that in the 2008/09 season, the ball was being kicked over 2 times every minute. These changes aren't only evident domestically. The recent Tri-Nations competition was rugby in it's purest form, a fluent, fast and beautiful game. The matches left spectators In awe of some truly electrifying skill and physicality. Again, taking the penultimate game from the tournament, Australia against the All Blacks, the changes are equally visible:

Australia			New Zealand
2008/09	2009/10	2010/11	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
Kick : 38	Kick : 33	Kick : 20	Kick : 27	Kick : 32	Kick : 22
Pass : 69	Pass: 118	Pass : 119	Pass : 103	Pass : 101	Pass : 117
Run : 70	Run : 55	Run : 94	Run : 74	Run : 113	Run : 106

From these statistics and just by watching rugby in general, it's plain to see that there is less kicking, more running and passing and therefore a much more enjoyable experience. The breakdown is a vital part of the game, but the chances of the ball coming back on the attacking side has been increased significantly by the emphasis of the laws by the officials. There are of course exceptions to the rules, players such as David Pocock is a master craftsman at the ruck, and his technical and physical capability shouldn't be outlawed. His ability to turn ball over almost at will is a phenomenal sight within the game, with the odds stacked up against him he achieved some incredible feats during the Tri-Nations. That said, rugby is better for these feats being achieved less frequently.

However, coaches aren't idiots (apart from Martin Johnson that is), and the fear is that some coaches will completely neglect the breakdown and commit no numbers to it. That will mean 15 players defending the width of the field leaving virtually no space for attacking teams to penetrate, leaving little option but to kick. Hopefully though, this won't be the case and all teams will buy into the current brand of pure rugby, possibly even the men who wear the red rose.

Warming Up For The World Cup

The buzz of the World Cup is upon us. The population of a nation crazy about the sport are set to flood the turnstiles in their tens of thousands to grab a slice of the action. Adrenaline-fuelled players are already preparing themselves for what is set to be a gruelling few weeks in the southern hemisphere. The goldfish bowl environment will take its toll on the management and the unforgiving nature of the media means the players must call upon all of their professionalism in order to conduct themselves in a manner that isn’t detrimental to the game. Last, but certainly not least is the 48 action packed games where players will crash their bodies through their physical boundaries and beyond in a sport where commitment is absolute. I am of course talking about the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand 2011.

With the northern hemisphere teams currently touring the merciless backyards of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, there is a devastating reality that has hit the European rugby world. The three games today have unfortunately shown once again that the southern hemisphere nations are on a pedestal and seemingly out of the reach of the six nations. The signs aren’t great with this being the last opportunity the teams will have to experience rugby in this part of the world before the seventh tournament to decide the Webb Ellis Cup.

The first match saw Ireland take on the All Blacks at New Plymouth, home of Taranaki. The visitors were well in the game until Jamie Heaslip’s rush of blood to the head. The Leinsterman was contesting a ruck on New Zealand’s 5-metre line following a flurry of attacks by Declan Kidney’s men. With Richie McCaw over killing the ball (shock!), Heaslip in the words of official Wayne Barnes made 2 “deliberate knees to the head”. Although anyone who plays rugby outside of New Zealand would probably greet Heaslip with a firm handshake, a wink and a “thanks mate”, the same can’t be said of his Irish team-mates or management. With the game just 15 minutes old, it was the beginning of the end for the land of the shamrock. The All Blacks ran in 6 tries in the first period which ended 38-7. Tries from Dan Tuohy (Ireland) Kieran Read, Ben Franks, and Jimmy Cowan grabbing a brace was the end result of an impressive showing from Graham Henry’s outfit. Kieran Read’s 21^st minute touchdown was arguably the most significant of the evening because the subsequent conversion from Daniel Carter saw the fly-half surpass the 1000 point mark in international rugby. In doing so he became only the 4^th man to do so following in the footsteps of Neil Jenkins, Jonny Wilkinson and Diego Dominguez. The playmaker was instrumental in the success of the All Blacks as they romped to a nine-try victory. Graham Henry had experimented with his side looking to expose his younger players to the atmosphere and intensity of the test match environment with half an eye on next year’s world cup. Ireland won the second half 28-21 with further tries for the home side by Conrad Smith (2), George Whitelock and giant prop Neemia Tialata and Brian O’Driscoll, Tommy Bowe and Gordon D’Arcy hitting back for the Irish, but the game was effectively over as a contest when Heaslip saw red and when Ronan O’Gara was sent to the sin-bin after holding back Kiwi flyer Cory Jane.

New Zealand’s eerie dominance sent shockwaves to the rest of the world of rugby, but will it carry to the world cup? The land of the silver fern has an infamous knack of peaking too early with regards world cup years. One thing it did do, however, was assure the demanding New Zealand public that their squad are heading in the right direction.

The rugby universe then switched its attention to Perth, where Martin Johnson’s England took on the Australians. Much of the talk before the game was of the scrum and England’s expected supremacy, which is a talking point in itself with the English pack featuring the utterly dreadful Tim Payne at loosehead. The Wallabies lead 14-0 at half time with tries from the sublime Quade Cooper and Rocky Elsom. The half was all Australia’s, with a blend of power, panache and unforgiving accuracy. Many pundits have already tipped Robbie Dean’s men as favourites to lift the World Cup in 2011 and this performance did nothing to prove them wrong. The second period saw England begin to press home their advantage in the scrum. The Australian front rowers were under constant pressure in the tight and referee Nigel Owens ended up with his arm raised under the Wallabies posts twice having lectured the men in gold for their “unwillingness to scrummage”. Eventually, tighthead Salesi Ma’afu was sent to the sidelines with the Welshman sending him on his way saying that “he had probably been too lenient” on the Brumbies Product.

It was an exciting enough game (when the Australians had the ball), but it was always going to be two sides of complete contrast. England looked to take the ball up the guts of the Wallabies, while the home side looked to counter-attack and run the ball from any position they found themselves in. England were, in short, abysmal. They looked laboured, they kicked poorly and they lacked physicality. Even Wasps strongman Simon Shaw struggled in a Ryan Jones-esque manner to cross the gainline, only managing 11 metres in his 8 carries before leaving the arena on 59 minutes. Quade Cooper finished off a move he started having released the immense Digby Ioane, following his pinpoint pass and receiving the offload from his winger to touchdown in the corner. The Queenslander then slotted a 78^th minute penalty goal in a manner that reflects his unique way of playing to extinguish any faint flame of an English comeback in a perfectly rounded game. Question marks were asked of Cooper following the late withdrawal of the Australian midfield genius Matt Giteau whether he would have the same effect without his partner in crime. He answered these questions with aplomb and blasted his name up in lights on rugby’s Broadway as he stole the show.

Martin Johnson’s men came up short with a very limited game plan. Johnson himself told journalists prior to kick off that a scrum won’t win you a test match, yet this was the only tactic that seemed to have been employed by the world cup winning captain. He also relied heavily on his kicking strategy, which makes the omission of Jonny Wilkinson all the more astonishing. Toby Flood had an average afternoon, while Shontayne Hape had a debut to forget. The midfield Martin Johnson had selected suggested the ball would be in the hands of the centres running hard and straight, but these scenarios were far and between. The English were not in the same league as their illustrious opponents who were missing some key players in important positions. Despite their endeavours, England were never really in the game and certainly never looked dangerous even with the likes of Chris Ashton and Ben Foden who seemed to have had their rugby flair sucked out of them by the sour-faced Johnson. England are undoubtedly a worldwide rugby force when they are at full strength. The problem seems to lie with the director of rugby (whatever that means). He has built his side on the same principles Sir Clive Woodward swore by with the class of 2003. The difference is England and indeed the game of rugby union is not that type of game in 2010. England don’t have Dallaglio, Johnson, Vickery (pre-“beasting”) or the under-rated Hill. They have Cole, Croft, Haskell, Lawes, Moody and the like who are all very mobile runners. Johnson however is persisting with the same gameplan of keeping the ball tight and going through endless, droning, insomnia-curing phases of play with the desired result of a scrum or penalty. If England are going to want to be considered genuine title challengers come New Zealand 2011, they must change their ways, or change their personnel.

Europe’s hopes lay in the hands of the grand slam champions France as they took on World and Tri Nations champions The Springboks in Cape Town. With another competition in town (the football world cup for those of you who have been on the moon for the last month), could South Africa focus in the hype surrounding their country at present. The answer to that is yes they could, and very convincingly. The lineout maestro Victor Matfield was in full force again for the Boks as they pick-pocketed 5 of France’s 11 lineouts. Giant back-rower Pierre Spies crashed over for a hattrick and loosehead prop Guthro Steenkamp capped an impressive showing with two tries. Rougerie and Andreu claimed the tries for the French but they were completely outplayed and outclassed by Peter De Villiers’ team who were ruthlessly clinical in a razorsharp showing at Newlands.

Statistically, there’s not much to pick from the contests apart from the English game. England kicked the ball 33 times in contrast to Australia’s 24 and made only 86 passes to their victorious opponents’ 126. England only made one less carry with the ball than the Wallabies (86-85) but the difference in metres gained is quite staggering. England struggled their way to 216 metres while Australia used their 86 carries to glide over 461 metres of the Subiaco Oval’s turf. On reflection the southern hemisphere teams just look better on the ball than their opponents from the other side of the world. There is always the talk of the draining seasons and a prolonged Lions tour hangover, but is this really justified? The tri-nations look sharp and penetrating while the Europeans look lacklustre and seriously out-of-sorts. If the world cup were to start tomorrow, the odds of a six nations team winning or even coming close would be slim.

There is still plenty of time to turn this grim situation around with Wales’ two-match tour to New Zealand starting Saturday, England have another shot at the Wallabies in Sydney, Italy have the impossible task of facing South Africa on a two-match tour and Ireland have a week to recover from the humiliation to face Australia in Brisbane. You’d be a brave gambler to bet on an away win in any of these games, but they absolutely must find a way to do so, otherwise the Northern Hemisphere teams will be faced with a monumental psychological struggle when they come to playing their southern hemisphere counterparts next, which will be in the ruthless surroundings of a World Cup Competition.

Still, it’s not all bad. Dan Parks registered all 24 points for Scotland against Argentina in their 16-24 triumph over the pumas. So there will be at least one European side with their heads held high. Perhaps when the football world cup is over, the European rugby world could benefit from Robert Green as a skills coach in preparation for 2011, no?