Chris Ashton was speaking at a press conference and is quoted in today’s Guardian about the 2011 World Cup.
He doesn’t think matches will feature so much counter-attacking rugby:
“Teams [will be] trying to cut that out and not give you the opportunity to do it. They will just kick the ball off the pitch. I think sides are going to start cutting it out as soon as they can.
“When they know you have got a threat back there, I don’t think they will make it an option for you.”
He also wonders about the effects of the Tri-Nations games on team preparation so close to a Cup:
“The way you feel at the end of a season, you need that break. For them to carry on straight from a Tri-Nations and then into a World Cup is a tough ask.
“New Zealand and Australia are looking pretty sharp at the minute, but hopefully it will have an effect in a few weeks’ time.”
About Australia in particular:
“A lot of them are [Queensland] Reds players so they have come off a great season. Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it is a bad thing.
“Even if you don’t feel it mentally, your body is tired and you do need a break. The Boks may be going about it the right way.”
kovana
Guest
lol... Lol... lol..
methysticum
Guest
Not just the rule passing back into the 22 but the rule that now alllows the ball to be immediately thrown backwards infield after crossing the line has dramatically changed the balance of effectiveness in kicking to touch, Sides like the Wallabies with O'Connor and Beale and the All Blacks with Jane and Muliana can launch counter-attacks from even great kicks to the side-lines.
Rugby Fan
Roar Guru
Journalists like Ashton because, regardless of the accuracy of his opinions, he rarely falls into the formulaic "take each game as it comes" mantras on which many players rely. The England back three can be dangerous but they aren't on a par with the Australian counter-attack threat. That's one reason all eyes will be on Manu Tuilagi in the centre on Saturday. England's centre pairing has yet to pose a real challenge to the opposition. Now that sides have had time to work out the likes of Ashton & Foden, the centres will need to interest the defence a lot more if the gaps are to open up.
Jerry
Guest
They'll be watching a Masterchef shagging their partners? Each to their own, I guess.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Chris Ashton the ex leaguee is now the expert on Rugby, they must be breeding them soo much smarter these days.
p.Tah
Guest
... I hope England and anyone else for that matter keep kicking back possession to Beale, JOC, Cooper, Ioane... if they (England) do they'll be drop kicking it back to them from halfway quite shortly after...
Kuruki
Roar Guru
This guy forgets the ease at Which the All Blacks swept through another Grand slam after an even longer harder Tri Nations last year. This year is a shorter format and the fact that alot of players have had injury breaks and will be rested, i think helps to make this Tri Nations the perfect buildup to have our Suthern hemi teams peaking and ready to destroy any challenge from the Northern hemi.
sailosi
Guest
That's exactly right, i think we will see the full effect of this law during the world cup, you can no longer just kick for kicking sake to get yourself out of trouble.
Ben S
Roar Guru
I'm taking it that Ashton is saying sides won't want to kick to the England back three.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
Ummm Chris, the rules are now that you can not kick the ball out on the full if you take it back it the 22. that means the good teams will put kicks that end up just before the 22, meaning either the opposing team has to run it out from just outside there 22, or they have to kick it (not out on the full). We will see a different kind of kicking game then from 07.
Rugby Fan
Guest
Warren Gatland holds the opposite view to Ashton and thinks Northern Hemisphere teams might take longer to get back in the groove. He says the Southern Hemisphere teams will be better prepared in terms of game time and clearly doesn't think the upcoming round of friendlies will be sufficient preparation. He's not worried about his players' fitness but would obvioulsy like them to be more battle-hardened. He's even proposed that the Six Nations competition be moved to July and August, in tandem with the Tri-Nations. Mike Tindall has also contradicted Ashton's other prediction. He admits that the 2003 World Cup side didn't play spectacular rugby because they were worried about making mistakes. He goes on: "This time we've got so many young players who enjoy running the ball and have fun with it, we're going to want to take teams on and play fast rugby."
jus de couchon
Guest
While the antipodeans are knocking eachother to bits the best South African players will have their feet up watching Masterchef shagging their partners and generaly chilling with a good Sauvignon. Napolean would be proud of them.