Does English rugby have its head in the sand?
Roar Guru By Homer, 1 Jul 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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Having just read another article in the English press about the second coming of Martin Johnson and how he will fix all that is wrong in the world, I can’t help but think of the potential fall the great man might be about to take.
Every man and his dog in the UK believes that Johnson is the answer to their prayers and can return the team to its former (boring but undisputed) glory.
How he is supposed to do it is somewhat of a mystery.
He will not coach the team but apparently will dictate their style. How this will sit with the five (yes, that is five) coaches is not apparent either.
What makes it worse is that he has kept the whole coaching team that Ashton had and added another in the form of Brian Smith as attack coach, a role that Ashton used to fill.
This is in addition to Mike Ford (defence), John Wells (forwards), Jon Callard (kicking), and Graham Rowntree (scrummaging).
Apart from that, little has changed in the RFU.
Yes, the new agreement with the clubs will take affect giving the English team greater access to its players. But I don’t see that helping.
The Under 20 team was uninspiring and the senior team lacks any tactical nous, as seen in the recent series against New Zealand.
So when the Wallabies, All Blacks and Springboks all play at Twickenham, the English rugby public still expects Johnson to bring out a miracle and turn the current team of plodders into a formidable outfit.
As Zinzan Brooke says, “you would hate to be him.”
The only real question is how long will it take Stephen Jones to turn against the legend that is Martin Johnson, or will Rob Andrew keep taking the blame?
Oh yeah, I forgot about him. Yet another hurdle for Johnson.
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July 2nd 2008 @ 2:51am
Benjamin Saunders said | July 2nd 2008 @ 2:51am | Report comment
Ian,
erhaps, maybe I misread but the impression I got is that the two squads were comparatively interchangeable. I’ll have another look at the various websites again.
I think it’s shocking that Easter was ommitted and even worse that his replacement was Crane. In the Premiership Final Haskell showed Crane up to be the pedestrian stodge-box that he is and I think over the next season Guest will show his true colours, I think he’s an exceptional talent. Will Skinner must be pretty gutted also.
Worryingly Johnson seems to have a bit too much Leicester in him, if you catch my drift. Robson had a better season than Deacon and I can see no honest reason for keeping Noon and Mears in the squad, Varndell either. I think overall that it is a very confused squad.
July 2nd 2008 @ 8:37am
Matt said | July 2nd 2008 @ 8:37am | Report comment
Just out of interest Benjamin and Ian,
How do you both feel about the inclusion of Flutey?
The guy isn’t even eligible for England yet (as he has not yet been in the UK for 3 years) but has been named in the squad. How can the press (particularly SJ, who is a big Flutey supporter) even try and tout any claims reagarding poaching of players now?
The constant claims of NZ poaching pacific islander players is something which really bugs All Black fans, it is a hollow claim to try and tarnish the success of a team which is Kiwi through and through. Then to have players who have represented NZ age grade sides playing under the foreign colours, especially those nations who make these false accusations, is just dumbfounding!!
Do you find this an acceptable practise? For French and English clubs to buy in foreign talent, see them play out 3 years and then hand them a national jersey? I wouldn’t believe Flutey could care at all about pride in the English jersey, it would seem that he sees this as an opportunity to play international rugby (when he wouldn’t get the chance to do so for his nation)?
It is also not as though he’s a pick for the future either? The guy is already 28?
Just frustrating I guess.
Finally, given the missing players from the touring England team. The other fact to remember is that the AB’s were also without Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver, Chris Jack, Jerry Collins, Byron Kelleher, Brendan Leonard, Nick Evans, Luke McAllister, Aaron Mauger, Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko (from last season) through either foreign ineligibility or injury.
Of those missing, Hayman, McAllister, Leonard and Rokocoko (possibly Collins too) will return to bolster the AB ranks prior to 2011. So both squads were depleted, but I would argue that the AB’s have more to look forward too in regards to temporarily missing talent.
England no doubt therefore have a hill to climb under Johnson. The forward pack they brought to NZ was able to compete with the AB’s for decent periods, but ultimately was found to lack the physicality needed to see out the full 80 minutes.
The backs can definitely improve and I’d imagine that fans of the red rose will still see more than a glimmer of hope that their backline can become more dynamic and attacking until Cipriani has been given the chance to prove or disprove his star quality at No.10.
July 2nd 2008 @ 10:10am
Homer said | July 2nd 2008 @ 10:10am | Report comment
I just read that the RFU will pay the premiership clubs compensation of £146,250 per man in return for having access to the players in uniterrupted blocks for up to 14 weeks. A quick crack on the calculator says that is an additional 4,680,000 pounds to be paid out for the elite 32 man squad. I am not sure what happens with the saxon players.
A large price to pay and hopefully it brings results. The top premiership clubs now have an expanded salary cap and some like Leisceter will have well over half a million extra pounds in their kick, although they will be without their stars.
I do agree with Matt that it is a bit rich for England to pick Flutey after their constant harping about the AB’s islander issue, and considering he isn’t even elligable yet. However everyone does it including Australia, with Japan running fairly short on home grown players these days in their front 15.
July 2nd 2008 @ 10:59am
Benjamin said | July 2nd 2008 @ 10:59am | Report comment
Matt, thanks for the question. I’m a big Wasps fan and in that environment Flutey has thrived. Personally I think he could be a big player for England, he has vision, a good boot, a good pass, a good step and excellent aggression in the tackle. Regarding the poaching of players, I think poaching is the key word. Any foreign players to have played for England, and also France, tend to have travelled independently and then decided to throw their lot in, i.e. Mike Catt. This is in contrast to Ireland who actively poached players, i.e. Dion O’ Cuinnegan. I think Flutey just happens to be in the right place at the right time and I for one cannot wait to see him in a shirt. I understand he isn’t fully English but I also recognise that he is a total professional and also on a practical level that he is far superior to Olly Barkley. Being from Europe I don’t really have an opinion on New Zealand and Australia poaching players apart from the various socio-economic reasons for the Islanders. As long as the NPC teams would release their non-All Black potential Islanders to play for the Islands then there is no problem. If Lomu was proud to play for New Zealand then fair play to him and so on.
I’m a big fan of what the All Blacks have done in recent years and in many ways they played some of the best rugby, possibly ever. In contarst England were successful in 2003 because they had a handful of players who were world class and just happened to play together at the same time. That was lucky for Woodward, but having said that England do have some good youngsters. The only issue is that age group coaching is superior in New Zealand. To that extent I believe that Cipriani and Tait would thrive in the Super 14 environment. Hopefully England will improve but it is worrying that they were making such simple mistakes, i.e. the front row laying flat inbetween the centres on third phase ball. In general the All Blacks despite the World Cup, which I think was an anamoly, are the team to beat. A lot of kudos should go to Henry.
July 3rd 2008 @ 10:43am
Sluggy said | July 3rd 2008 @ 10:43am | Report comment
“I fancy England to give Australia a good winter shellacking.”
Does that mean that this smmer full strength England will win by 2 points at Twickinham against a Wallaby team depleted by injuries and retirements? And on a bad TMO call?
It never ceases to amaze me when an NH team wins a close game by a point or two, against an SH team playing badly and missing players, it and its supporters carry on with a petulant brand of triumphalism s if they’d just won World War II. Same thing happened in the Ashes in 2005 – the pommies won the series by 3 runs on a bad umpiring decision, and proceeded to carry on like they’d won every gold medal on offer at the olympics. It must really grate up there that we are’ gnenerally more successful in sport than they are.
By the way Benjamin, wrt the success of England between 2001 and 2003, I’ve got two words for you: RICHARD HILL.
July 3rd 2008 @ 12:28pm
Jerry said | July 3rd 2008 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
“If Lomu was proud to play for New Zealand then fair play to him and so on”.
You mean Jonah Lomu who was born in Auckland?
Flutey isn’t even slightly English, it’s an entirely mercenary decision on his part and an entirely mercenary selection. NZ has been guilty of this in the past but not on anywhere near the scale you suppose. The only players who qualify as a “poach” comparable to Flutey are Joeli Vidiri, Steve Devine and Greg Rawlinson – two of whom aren’t pacific islanders.
July 3rd 2008 @ 12:58pm
stuff happens said | July 3rd 2008 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
OK gentlemen, leaving aside the sniping for a moment, with England it will all come down to coaching. Those of us who aren’t English don’t doubt they have the players but their coaching has been woeful since RWC in Sydney. Their transformation in RWC in France was the greatest turnaround I’ve ever seen in Rugby ( as I’ve said before.).It’s still a mystery – to me anyway.
One of the ironies of the relatively new era of professional rugby is that coaching excellence is as hard to find as great players.
One of the smartest things the ‘Boks did in retrospect was to employ Eddie Jones to work with Jake White.England will need a similar approach. If they get this 75% right they will be there or thereabouts in RWC2011.
Oh and I agree with the comment about Richard Hill – fantastic player and I think Narraway and Haskell are real finds.
July 3rd 2008 @ 7:36pm
Benjamin said | July 3rd 2008 @ 7:36pm | Report comment
Jerry, as I recall Lomu spoke no English as a child. Where did he grow up?
Mercenary? I doubt this is an English conspiracy. It is a professional game and he is a professional player. Nobody moans when the Italians park up with a team full of Argentines. This is one player over generations. Actually the real problem lies with the NPC teams who say they wouldn’t contract players if they played for their Island teams. Realistically every single All Black team is equivalent of the British Lions.
July 3rd 2008 @ 7:43pm
Benjamin said | July 3rd 2008 @ 7:43pm | Report comment
Sluggy, sounds like you’re rather bitter actually. No, England will win because they know that they can bully the powder puff girls in the pack. Until Australia can find 8 men to front up then they’ll never ever be a world force. I can’t wait to see what Dingo Deans does with that one.
I don’t care about the cricket either. When the rugby team won the World Cup they behaved with dignity and there was not a moment of gloating. When have Australia ever won in England like when England won 25-14 in Melbourne? The fact of the matter is that England always beat Australia in crunch rugby matters. The Australian media always overjoyed in berating any English tourists and yet whenever Australia travelled to England the media were just content to meet and get to know the Wallabies.
Oh, Sluggy, yes Richard Hill was a superb player but the last time I checked so were Woodman, Rowntree, Leonard, Vickery, White, Thompson, Johnson, Grewcock, Shaw, Corry, Dallaglio, Back, Wilkinson, Robinson, Greenwood and Lewsey. Rugby is a team game. I’m sure that these players contributed equally to England’s success given that England did reach the semi-final of that Cup without Hill.
July 3rd 2008 @ 7:46pm
Benjamin said | July 3rd 2008 @ 7:46pm | Report comment
Stuff Happens, you’re right, despite what Dwyer says about good coaching only being worth an extra 7% we have seen recently with Wales what a good coach can achieve. England have had some good men and good coaches, but not head coaches which is unfortunate for Andy Robinson and Brian Ashton, but realistically who is going to turn down their country?
I agree that the smartest thing Whit ever did was take on Jones. It is no coincidence that White hasn’t coached since and he may not again. Frankly I think he has always been slightly overrated.