I am currently on a tour of France with my squad of English rugby league juniors. After eating, sleeping and playing rugby league with the best young players in England, I feel I have learnt a lot about how they operate.
More importantly, I have learned how these players fit together to form a team.
Firstly, there are the skilful players. These guys can run, pass, tackle and kick to a high level. These players are the eye-catchers.
They are the ones who love being with a rugby ball, and could kick for hours on end. Most of these special fellas are enthralled by the game and love to play it. They are always trying out new things.
However, some of the skilful players might take a breather on the blindside and not push on the ball carrier. They maybe take a set or two ‘off’ in order to recompose themselves. Skilful players love to execute the big plays, but sometimes forget the one percenters.
Then you have the middle of the road players. They are not the most skilful, but often these guys are the most complete players. These fellas do their job to the best of their ability. They may never win the game for you, but they will work hard to ensure it isn’t lost.
Finally, you have the mentally-tough players. There’s a guy on tour, who was sick during training, but came back on the pitch and carried on. You won’t see these players throwing passes out of ‘the back door’ or taking any flashy risks
These guys aren’t after highlights reels, they are after tonnes upon tonnes of work. These players cover the inside pass, they harass the kicker, they push hard on every play. They never switch off.
So, which player makes up a successful team?
The answer is a mix. A mix makes the team balanced and capable of grinding out a gritty win, as well as scoring a freakish try on the last tackle of a game.
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