It was interesting watching the Super Rugby over the weekend, knowing the Reds needed 5 points to be in with a real chance of making the finals, yet seeing them quite content to just win the game.
I don’t understand the tactics.
With that carrot in front of them, you’d think they’d be pushing a little harder to score tries.
But, like the other Australian Super Rugby teams, they don’t appear confident enough in their skills to take a few chances with the ball.
And it’s not much different in South Africa.
I called the Stormers game on the weekend, which was lackluster at best. I believe that the priority for the team this season is
defence, not to score tries.
We saw the Blue Bulls also struggle to score tries when they are behind.
How can you seriously threaten the top Super Rugby teams if you go out onto the field with a mindset to not score tries?
It’s all very strange and I think these two teams will struggle if they are faced with trying to play catch up rugby.
Contrast the performances of the Reds and the Stormers with the pulsating Chiefs vs Crusaders encounter, which was not only exciting all the way down the final minute, but was played in a positive, attacking manner, which made it entertaining to watch regardless of whether you supported the teams or not.
It was one of the best games I’ve seen all year. And the skill factor was unbelievable.
But they have so many talented players in New Zealand willing to back themselves on the field.
Speaking of which, it was very disappointing to hear the news about Sonny Bill leaving New Zealand rugby. Mind you, it was no great surprise. Every time you read the paper lately, you’d hear about his manager trying to sell him somewhere.
And while Sonny is old enough to make the right calls himself, I can’t help but feel that he has been given poor guidance along the way.
He has a great profile in rugby. So why would he want to go to Japan unless it’s all about the money?
He’s 6’3; the Japanese are 4 foot nothing. For an athlete in the prime of his career, it’s pretty bad judgement and a sad realisation that loyalty and pride for your team is a thing of the past.
Back on Super Rugby, last week’s games were chalk and cheese.
The Kiwi sides run with the ball, and they have a real go at each other. The Waratahs and Brumbies: how boring was that?
Australian teams just struggle to score tries, and to be dominant in the finals, they will need to be more agressive with the ball.
A great example was during the Brumbies vs Waratahs game.
From the 64th minute till the end of the game, there were no points scored. It demonstrates that NSW are lacking players with flare and vision to keep them out front.
Alarmingly, this seems to be a pattern that has consistently occurred in NSW rugby over the last few years and it is very frustrating to watch.
With the talented Mitchell on the wing, we have no players inside him that allow him space to move. I still believe Foley should be number 10. He would provide them the flair and vision that they so badly need.
The team that wins this tournament will be one that can score tries and turn defence into attack. My money’s on the Crusaders: skill, flair and team work, they have got it all.
Let’s hope one of the Aussie teams can prove me wrong.
AWCMONREF
Guest
Whats wrong with winning with a bit of panache, granted the ABs beating Ireland 60 to Nil a bit over the top but some of the Kiwi derbies are brutal, hard running,, try scoring games, which are also very entertaining to watch, keeps fans on the edge of their seats and you just don't know who's going to win......
mania
Guest
agree sheek. mark u need to show some respect. rugby was played before you were born and u cant just dismiss everything everyone has done beofre you just because u didnt see it. campo was a great and the thing the highlight reels dont show is the work he did around the field and how hard and often he gave for his country. u dont appreciate what campo has contributed to history and australia. he was part of a golden era and has a true love for the game. so what if he's stuck in the "...in my day..." mentality, he's still the worlds top try scorer vs 1st tier nations and this was before tests were a dime a dozen, predominantly in the amatuer era
sheek
Guest
Mark, Playing the man again, I see. I know how galling & frustrating it must be not to have been around to witness the wizardry of Ella & Campese. It explains why today you are so bitter & twisted, & you do have my sympathy.........
mania
Guest
onside - nah its a common injury in all sports that i've played in either countries.
onside
Guest
Come on Mark,please.The written word is unforgiving as it can be interpreted in many ways .At the very least, the remark deserved a huge smiley face.
onside
Guest
'when on solid good running track your so much faster' Mania ,do you reckons this contributes in any way to what appears to be many Australian players out with torn hamstrings, or is the injury as commonplace in NZ on their softer,slower grounds.
Blue Blood
Guest
I agree more was needed but this is a WA based team and traditionally O'Neill has taken not given from them. It is a start. So much more needs to be done but alas it looks like O'Neill's legacy in the West will be clearly defined for his lack of insight and consideration of their situation. In stark contrast to the increased favouritism for NSW and QLD. Nothing new really
mania
Guest
onside - grounds and weather has a lot to do with ball and running skills. heavy ground means your fighting more friction so when on solid good running track your so much faster. wet weather in NZ is where our ball handling skills come from. we throw the ball around in the wet, muddy conditions. when we're on a dry track its just that much easier and really it would be criminal not to when the weathers in your favour. no one can play in the rain like the AB's can.
onside
Guest
'lack of intensity' I agree with your observations. NZ has depth of players ,so even if a new player is not quite up to scratch,he often is, after some game time. Lack of depth in Australia results in players having to pace themselves,to do enough without breaking down. NZ players cannot risk pacing themseves.It must be all or nothing,because there are plenty waiting in line. Those 'waiting in line' dont have to be anything more than adequate.Good serviceable players who are hard at the ball.Some of them are large fit lumps of muscle.Sharing the hard work takes the pressure of the 'stars' In that hot house environment,intensity personified, some adequate players then develop into stars. I often wonder what effect climate and ground conditions have on your ' ïntensity' question. Australia plays its rugby on quite hard surfaces compared with NZ .The style of rugby played on the heavier NZ grounds is quite different to that played in Australia. Does this have anything to do with the question of intensity.
soapit
Guest
i think he sees it as a fairly significant part of the game
soapit
Guest
this is one article where you probably could have avoided the sbw cheerleading if youd tried hard enough mate.
soapit
Guest
yeah mate, all in theory. pretty sure it relies on you actually making ground and or getting a quick recycle which very rarely happens when they actually do it so i do question the logic of it for many teams (some teams have the personell to pull it off).
soapit
Guest
there is good and bad forward play though. endless pick and drives which take 30 seconds to set up and make zero metres makes you question what ur watching. i dont mind forward play as long as there is a point (ie making ground). if a team can succeed this way then great, i can appreciate a game played that way. the other thing i'm against is teams that rely on the other team having the ball as their major strategy for getting points. against the spirit of sport in my opinion.
Derm
Roar Guru
Interesting stats on tries scored. As a comparison, albeit they played more matches, Leicester topped the Aviva with 70 tries across 22 matches, and Ulster topped the Pro 12 with 53 tries, and Toulouse scored 56 across 26 games.
mark
Guest
are you campo's ex lover or something? or are you his current one?
mark
Guest
yawn i read recently that ella kicked more drop goals than scored tries. campese let in as many tries as he scored.
Peabody
Guest
What rot. Anthems Whittaker was nowhere near as good as Gregan at any point.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
"Why aren’t Australian teams scoring tries?" Because Mark Ella and David Campese aren't playing anymore :(.
jeznez
Roar Guru
agree there was no need for that Reds team to have played as conservatively as they did - excellent pack and even better backs.
WQ
Guest
I wish Campo could offer up something just a little different to the old 'Australian Rugby is boring' and 'they no longer know how to score tries' rant.