I am not the
world's greatest athlete. I never really enjoyed playing football on
frozen pitches at school, watching as the school superstar dribbled the ball
past me. So it was somewhat of a surprise to find myself roped into
becoming a rugby coach for the local children's rugby team. My son had
decided he wanted to play rugby, and as I was going to have to take him every
week, I thought I might as well make myself useful. I attended a training
course and learnt to talk the talk, and walk the walk. I have always
preferred watching rugby to watching football so it was not too hard.
One result of
my volunteering is that I am mercilessly ribbed every time there is an
international tournament. The French people, like their symbol the
cockerel, like to crow loudly. During these sessions I remain non-committal
and wait to see what happens at the actual game. Unfortunately the
premature English team exit from the last World cup was a significant low
point. I am not completely innocent though as my son and I sport English
jerseys whenever possible. I also play on my Irish and Welsh ancestry to
ensure that I have three chances of supporting the winning side. So I was
most pleased this weekend when Scotland beat the French team, even I cannot
claim any Scottish blood. The Scottish victory was particularly faced
with the over confidence of the French before the game. Now even if the
French beat England this weekend, and I hope they do not, England has won the
six nations. However the French will do all they can to win, since
beating England would be compensation for them, and for some would even be
better than winning the six nations.
One thing I
find interesting in all this is the nationalities of the different coaches.
The best performing sides have Southern hemisphere coaches, while Italy
and France both have French coaches. I am not proud of this; England's
dismal performance in the World cup was under an English coach. Is there,
as the All Black's coach suggested, something wrong in Northern hemisphere
rugby?
Personally I
find the French style of aggressive contact rugby, concentrating on big, heavy
players problematic. During the last World cup both Australia and New
Zealand combined speed and strength. Both these nations play a lot of
touch rugby, to develop speed and agility. Touch rugby is not popular in
France and my local team scoffs at any suggestion we play it. Watching a
big New Zealand forward break through the French defence and score a try seemed
to suggest that working on speed and agility is just as important as impact.
There is
another problem however and that is the popularity of foreign players in
national leagues. Racing Metro recently recruited Dan Carter, the All Blacks
fly half star, with an annual salary of £1.3 million. Dan Carter, at 34,
is not a young man and this move is clearly financial, the problem is that he
takes the place that could be used by a young French player. This
situation is not rare in France. Some years ago Grenoble rugby club shook
things up, firing French players and bringing in Southern hemisphere players.
This means that young players do not get the opportunity to play high-level
rugby. This in turn damages the International side who has to choose from
a smaller pool of experienced players, and keeps bringing out players like Mathieu
Bastareaud who isn't getting any younger. In the Southern hemisphere
league sides play national players providing a strong talent base for their
international sides. There is little opportunity or financial incentive for
European players to play in the Southern hemisphere and push out local players.
In my humble
opinion European rugby needs to take a leaf out of the Southern hemispheres
book. Train all-rounders who can combine speed, power and fitness, and
give priority to local players coming up through rugby schools.
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