March 3, 2010
The Rolling Maul
Stephen Jones debates the biggest issues in rugby union in his weekly
In the aftermath of the England-Ireland game, Martin Johnson briefed
journalists that England had been done by the referee. More specifically, he
complained bitterly that a driving maul which England had executed near the
very end of the game, and which ended in a turnover and a scrum to Ireland,
should really have ended in the match-winning score and referee Lawrence of
South Africa had been out of order.
The re-run of the maul makes fascinating viewing. England do indeed drive
forward, rather fitfully but perceptibly. They make yard on yard.
Occasionally, the whole thing appears to stop and seems to be on the point
of crashing to the ground, but then you realise how clever the Irish
defenders are, driving in ones and twos when it starts getting dangerous to
try to make the whole thing unstable and to affect England’s concentration.
As far as I can see, from all the angles available, no Irish forward actually
drags the whole thing down in a way that should have drawn a penalty, and
while the whole affair can be seen from different vantage points, I feel
that Ireland were simply too clever for England in the whole moving tableau
and that they deserved to escape without a penalty.
And yet what of the final act, when the referee awards Ireland a scrum because
the ball is not emerging from the back of an England breakdown, and the ball
is clearly up off the floor? What is really fanciful is the idea that
England would necessarily have scored a try even if they had been awarded
the scrum.
England’s attacking prowess throughout that game at Twickenham was almost
non-existent. Apart from one movement involving Danny Care and Nick Easter
and apart from the scrambling forward try which England scored, there seemed
to be no sign whatsoever even of a sustained line break, let alone a
dangerous series of attacks or a large number of tries.
The statistics for possession and territory were telling – they were greatly
in England’s favour. What was even more telling, was the fact that Ireland
deserved to win: because they knew how to, because they knew how to stop
driving mauls, and because they knew how to score.
Gomarsall's latest port of call
If they gave points for durability and ebullience then Leeds Carnegie would
now be near the top of the table, not the bottom. Andy Gomarsall, for whom
optimism and energy appears to be a default mode, is now preparing with the
rest of his colleagues to maintain the recent surge of form which has
bridged what was once a yawning gap with the rest of the Guinness
Premiership.
In fact, so marked has been the Leeds improvement that they stand on the verge
of dragging themselves off the bottom and teams like Worcester, Warriors and
Sale Sharks are now enmeshed in the battle to avoid relegation.
"It was always going to be a late run," Gomarsall said yesterday."There were
new people to integrate at the start and there were a few other issues off
the field, but Neil Back [the head coach] told us that it would come right,
he told us to keep believing."
The conviction in the Leeds win over Wasps last Sunday was obvious.
Gomarsall is a remarkable player and he has enjoyed a remarkable career. He
has played for Wasps, Bedford, Gloucester, Worcester, Harlequins and now
Leeds. It is important to remember that he joined Harlequins in 2006 only on
a short-term contract but did so well that not only was the deal extended,
but he made the England squad for the 2007 World Cup and played at a career
peak in what was often a struggling side. He has had his critics, but they
were all fairly muted during that tournament.
There is no better player for Leeds at present than the experienced Gomarsall.
"Obviously, there have been times this season when it was hard, but I am
really pleased I came here. I love Leeds and I love the club, and what they
are trying to do," he said.
Typically, Gomarsall is also a step ahead because he is now putting together a
career portfolio for the days when he hangs up his boots. Gomarsall is part
of a team behind Mashsport (www.mashsport.com),
which is an ambitious and, in my own experience, unique sports hub website.
It is secure and it is free. It combines all the aspects of a social
networking site, mobile applications and sport mentoring.
The idea is that your amateur sports club or group in any sport or any leisure
activity sign up to become part of the site. It then takes care of all your
internal communications with your group, it acts as a resource for all
communications, all aspects of improving performance, it makes life easier
for your amateur sporting officials. Your sports team and group can manage
their calendars, publish their activities, put up their photo albums and
videos and feed hungrily on the site’s resources in terms of technical
advice, nutrition and all the other branches. Once you are signed up, all
the members of your group can be contacted with one text or one e-mail – no
more panicky ringing round at the last moment when the match is called off
or when the venue is changed.
Each month for the next ten there will be a draw amongst all the groups
subscribing, with the winners each month receiving £500 sponsorship from
Mashsport. Already, groups from 30 different sports and activities have
signed up.
It is just the latest port of call for one of England’s busiest, brightest and
most effective players.
Free the buggy one
Andy Powell has surely now served his time. Yes, it was crackers to drive a
golf buggy down a major road when over the limit. It could have ended in
disaster, even though the fact that it did not has enabled everyone to speak
with affection of Powell and his non-fledgling golf career.
But he has been banned from driving, he has been fined heavily and he has been
kicked out of the Welsh squad. Enough. Please, Mr Gatland, put him back in
without delay, stop the double punishment. The workload and intensity in the
lives of the top players these days is immense, they are indeed impelled to
behave well and to act as role models.
But any remaining punishments aimed at Powell will be over the top. No-one was
hurt, let us not descend into victimisation.
Geech and the links
Last week in Rolling
Maul, I mentioned an outstanding series of coaching videos produced by
Ian McGeechan in conjunction with Asics. They are available through the Asics
site and through Times
Online, and they offer a brilliant clarity in terms of improving your
team as individuals and units, banishing a great deal of the complicated
rubbish which is around these days and which passes for coaching
information.
The slight drawback was that the links we provided last week did not work,
whatever that means. So embedded here are the links again, and I heartily
recommend Smarter
Rugby to you.
>>>>> HERO OF THE WEEK <<<<<
Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
It was not so much that he scored two tries, although he did take them both
with a brutal finishing clout. It was more that Tommy of Ulster and Ireland
provided an object lesson in the art of modern attacking wing play - a
lesson that there is no need whatsoever to stay out on the wing waiting for
the ball.
Bowe’s ability to track moves and to insert himself into those moves at the
perfect time has made him one of the finest wings in the world at the moment
and is a nudge for the back three of England, who, try as they might, simply
did not have anything remotely resembling the same impact.
The Stephen Jones debate
Give me Super-14 rugby over the dire rubbish we have had to endure here in the
northern hemisphere any day of the week. They are streets ahead of us in
terms of skill, movement, pace and power. It's quick, skilful, attacking
rugby played on good pitches in good weather. Contrast that with the kick
and clap of the Guinness Premiership. Andy Green
SJ: The big trouble with the northern hemisphere events, Andy, is that the
defence have a nasty habit of making tackles and trying to stop the team in
possession from scoring its 25th try. Bizarre, I know. The only job with
less to do than a Super-14 defensive coach is Sooty’s scriptwriter.
Can anyone admit to really enjoying the Chiefs v Lions game? I think not - not
even the players and officials. Super rugby is "fast food" rugby.
We don't need it and SJ is completely correct to state that the obsession
that NZ has with tries and razzamatazz has cost them two RWCs. James
Strident
SJ: Amazing though it may seem, yes, they can. Fast food rugby was on view
again from Down Under last weekend, James.
The rugby in the Premiership is the most negative and boring I can remember.
At least the southern hemisphere nations are trying to doing something about
it. And yes, entertainment does count. If someone like me who played and
supported the game since I was a kid is considering for the first time not
to watch England's Six Nations games, there's a problem. Stuart D
SJ: There is definitely a dearth of attacking ideas in the Premiership
which is being mirrored in the England team at present.
The Chiefs game was a shocker (and I'm a Chiefs supporter) but there were
extenuating circumstances which allowed the score to blow out, one being the
direct effect of three Chiefs players being sin-binned. Secondly, the
Chiefs, playing at altitude, were running on fumes by the final quarter
allowing the Lions to run in some easy scores. Statistically, South African
Super-14 referees are involved in more high-scoring matches than their ANZAC
counterparts. The breakdown constantly gets tweaked by the powers that be.
You want real rugby? Let players ruck like we could 20 years ago. I thought
the IRB took rucking out of the game to stop the All Blacks from damaging
those pasty white Englishmen who used to hug the ball on the ground every
phase at all costs. However, once the players and refs get their heads
around the new 2010 interpretations, I believe play at the breakdown will
tighten up considerably. Red Beard
SJ: We will see, Red. There is a hope that when two sides have each gone
too far in opposite directions, to their cost, they will realise that the
happy medium lies somewhere in the middle. And I agree about rucks and the
pasty huggers but now the whole world is hugging the ball.
Was the Chiefs game really a freak? In seven games that weekend, five teams
scored more than 40 points - that is entering basketball territory. I am not
sure I would like watching that sort of game week-in, week-out but (speaking
as an Englishman) where the southern hemisphere teams excel is that they
have the basic skill-set that enables them to play accurate, high tempo
rugby. When it comes to playing northern hemisphere teams they can use those
skills, as well as adapt to the different style required to continue
winning. Northern hemisphere teams have endemically had a lower quality of
basic skills and been very much more one-geared (not exclusively, but over
the years that has been the predominant picture). Mike Henson
SJ: But it is basketball, Mike. Those skill-sets are what they have in
basketball too. I am not denying the skills, but who wants the skills to be
employed in a way that cheapens attack, cheapens tries and cheapens rugby?
I'm sure many will focus on England's backs following this defeat against
Ireland, and a certain Mr Wilkinson in particular. However, I would like to
know how a pack that can produce decent scrum and lineout ball (sometimes)
and possess a strong driving maul can only produce quick ruck ball for their
backs about as often as Halley's Comet passes by Earth? Surely this is where
all the problems start? Kevin, Nottingham
SJ: I agree Kevin. I watched the game again this morning and it is amazing
how often reasonably quick ball becomes very slow ball in English hands.
Maybe it is hard to blame Jonny for all that, but the key to quick ball is
not in the England lock at the moment, that is for sure.
Back in June you wrote that Luke Watson, the then Western Province captain,
was "only a squad man for a Guinness Premiership club, second or third
choice." As a Bath fan who has had the privilege of watching Watson
play this season, it gives me huge satisfaction that he has been playing
some staggering rugby from both the No 8 and blindside positions. Not only
can the man defend like a Spartan, he runs like a bull on heat and also has
a very useful boot on him. I wonder whether you will be brave enough to
front up to your misguided comments. Chris Hyde
SJ: I will be retracting nothing and recommend to you Jake White’s book and
the referances to the Watson family.
Suggestions, fan mail and complaints: rollingmaul@thetimes.co.uk
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