I was reminded over the weekend just how prevalent the ‘runners’ have become on the rugby field. No, I’m not talking about the players themselves. I’m referring to the ‘trainers,’ who invade the field at every opportunity.
All they’re really trying to do, of course, is tell the players how to play the game and to pass on the coaches’ instructions.
The players, it seems, are no longer capable of thinking for themselves. Or they’re not ALLOWED to.
Look at the weekend.
In the Reds game there were even injured players with water bottles telling the players what to do! Why?
Perhaps it a case of over-coaching and enforcing control by the coaches or a lack of confidence and knowledge of the game from the players.
When Lucas went off and Genia moved to 10, you could see Quade Cooper literally trying to coach Genia in the position while he was desperately trying to get his breath back.
The modern player is having the game taken away from him. Coaches are telling them how to think, when to think, and what to think.
When we played, we had a physio, a doctor, a manager, and a coach. That was it.
There were no ‘runners’ because the coach trusted us to use our judgement and he knew we could communicate with each other as we were always on the same page.
And coaches were not allowed on the field.
At half-time, coaches would write a few things down and pass the note onto a reserve, who would pass it onto the captain. Then he would talk to the team about it.
It was all very simple. As it should be.
The message remains the same to this day: let the players play the game, don’t turn them into robots.
Which again all comes from rugby league!
I would love to see the power shift back to the players and see what the results would be: positive or negative?
While on the Reds, it must have been a bit frustrating for the Queensland crowd to see their team lose after trying so hard to make it back-to-back finals. But with the amount of injuries, it made it hard to go all the way.
To be honest, I don’t think it would have made much difference either way. Sometimes even the crowd can’t help get their team up.
The Reds were lucky to make the Semis. They weren’t the same team as last year.
It was disappointing to hear another coach criticise McKenzie for putting Genia at 10. But what choice did he have?
It really highlighted the problem in Australian rugby: we lack depth in our reserve of players. Once Lucas was injured, there were no appropriate players left to take his place.
What is happening to building grassroots development and promoting the game to the wider public and the juniors?
I feel like a stuck record on this and your eyes may glaze over when you hear me saying this again and again, but mark my words: the future of Australian rugby is in trouble.
Still, as it stands, every country gets a team in the semis.
The Brumbies were very much like Adam Scott: they lead all the way, but then went into their shell when the heat came on.
Those are the times when you’ve got to attack. As the old adage goes, attack really is the the best form of defense.
Never defend a lead or your team will struggle. But as a young team, they will great better over time. That’s if they don’t lose players to other unions.
But we have seen Hooper leaving already.
Hopefully lessons have been learned, so next year some Australian teams will be better prepared. Also, let’s hope that coaches will allow the players to take back the game and start controlling things.
mania
Guest
jock - its not fair to compare rugby to sports like tennis, golf and football. those are such classic games that have never had very many rules to start with. would be better to compare rugby to gridIron which has a lot of rules. ther reasons for the changes have been myriad. each rule change has its own stories. eg my pet peev rucking. rucking was removed for marketing reasons. soccor moms werent wanting their kids getting rucked by bigger kids so would take their kids to play football instead. i agree league is relatively more restrictive than union but would argue the imaginitive levels. that comes down to the individual. i will say though that strategically and tactically union has much more options. ella and campo imho would make at in any era at any sport. players like them are rare and you only get a few evry generation. aus was lucky that they chose to play rugby as they could've easily rocked in any other sport that required speed, vision, hand and eye co-ord and intelligence. i've watched a few games from 10-20 years ago and its definately different. on the whole i would have to say that todays game is a lot cleaner, faster and the rucks much more brutal. sure there was rucking in the day but turnover specialists these days are on their feet with their bodies bent in wierd angles to get to the ball and then getting smashed from usually multiple directions. I've played the last 30 years and the game has changed drammatically from what it was when i first started. all in all the rule changes imo have been for the better. sure defenses are tighter but thats part of the cycle of offense dominating defense then vice versa. at this stage tho i reckon the levels are right.
Jerry
Guest
I have it on good authority that the Australian franchises are using outmoded training programs which lead to inferior strength conditioning. Well, I'm pretty sure that's what it is - I keep hearing people going on about the "Weak Australian Conference"
Haha, at least no one saw him blush.
Xiedazhou
Guest
I've noticed this year that there's been substantially more broken bones during the game than in previous seasons. Across the two rugby codes I saw 5 in one weekend alone. One wonders if this is related to larger players/heavier impacts or dietry deficiencies? Strange that most of the breaks seem to have occurred under minimal impact.
Jock Munro
Guest
Mania, thank you for your reply. You are quite correct-the changes have been incremental and have eventually led to the game being something more akin to League than the Rugby of old. Why did the game have to change anyway?Soccer,tennis,golf have not changed the laws of their games and they are immensely popular. I do not believe that Campo or the Ellas would be near as dynamic today-there is too much traffic out in the mid field because the defensive forwards are not committed. The Ella boys and Campo did not go to League and I would not mind betting that part of the reason was because they would have thought League to be too restictive and unnimaginative. We need today's players to play under the old rules in some organised games-they would soon adapt. I would be prepared to accept that players could scrounge for the ball with their hands but the tackled player must release the ball as he makes contact with the ground.There would be no use it or lose it law. The game would open up before your eyes.
mania
Guest
ok jock i'll bite and reply to you. of course the games changed. it changes in increments almost every year. so since campo retired almost 15 years ago there have been huge changes. campo and ella would've still been great players in this era as they were in their own, the only thing is they might have different styles, but their intelligence and desire to suceed is still applicable to todays modern atheletes and would come thru in what ever era (or sport for that matter) they play. i dont think rugby's a complete failure. there are parts that are now worse, eg ruck interpretation, modern day mauling but there are also parts that are better, eg lines outs are cleaner, only being allowed to kick the ball out on the full from your 22 etc. what would you hope to accomplish by getting players to play under the old rules?the players would have to play for a few seasons to properly and intimately understand the law interpretaions.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
This may not sound like a very profound addition, but isn't it remarkable how many players in the Australian franchises get injured and not even on the field but just in training? What are they doing wrong? Most of the franchises this year seem to have shot through half their players off the pitch or very quickly when on it.
Jock M
Guest
Campo, Today's game is nothing like it was when you played.The laws,the money,the type of person playing at the higher level-it is all different. You or the Ellas would not have produced your magic in today's game. The breakdown laws have changed everything.The game has been altered for TV viewing consumption but it is a failure and no where more so than in Australia. I find it very frustrating that ex Test players like yourself cannot see this. I bet no nobody responds to my comments but I could show you how correct I am, if I could get two teams together and play an exhibition match where the break down laws reverted back to where they were in the pre money days.
mania
Guest
awkward....
Mygeneration, hehe, no mate, it started before he was born.
Lorry
Guest
Great article Campo, one of the best you've written! agree with the comment on the trainers. I was at the MCG last weekend, watching Richmond and Nth Melbourne and there were so many runners all the time, it was ridiculous. I dont watch much AFL, but I wonder what the old AFL players think about it? Does anyone know when they first started using them in Aussie Rules? And when did they become so prevalent? As for Alfie Langer directing QLD - what a disgrace!
Patrick Effeney
Editor
The RWC was a travesty wasn't it. I didn't think QC was that bad this year. He added direction to the Reds' attack I thought. I think the push for attractive rugby (what we see here) as well as the success of teams who generally have been playing attacking football is encouraging though.
STU
Guest
paddy, yes i agree but we didnt see it at the RWC or the 5 games cooper played this year---very ordinary really;so perhaps we underestimate Genias influence at halfback.As for Oconnor again a poor super season imo.
STU
Guest
hoy ,totally agree with your logic and the fact Campo cant see that made me disregard everything else he said. i know his disdain of deans but backing mckenzie on that dumb decision lacks any credibility.
Irene Watt
Roar Rookie
Part of the discussion in the forums discusses this exact idea of each Super Rugby franchise having a B team in the competition. Would be fantastic to see it get off the ground.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
But do they blame the regimentation on Rugby League in South Africa, biltongbek? I mean, Les Kiss wasn't there for that long, was he?
Cruise
Guest
Hey guys does Campese not mix on this forum.
Patrick Effeney
Editor
I would suggest that having Cooper, a guy who led the Reds around the park when they won the title, helping Genia, a guy who would have played all of half an hour at 10 in his professional life, would be a good thing. I know that the runners can be a bit obtrusive at times (especially when you see the footage of them almost being smashed by players/forcing players to change direction mid run) but if it were my job at stake I would make sure my team had very clear instructions. I think that with the players we are developing, and moreover the type of player we are developing (QC, KB, JOC) we are moving in a direction of a more free flowing brand of rugby. As onside said, the AB's have been doing it for God knows how long behind a dominant pack. The Reds did it last year behind a pack that went forward. Some of the rugby being played at Suncorp last year was out of this world; the best I've ever watched. I think it's contingent, but your game plan when you have Berrick Barnes or Ben Lucas at 10 is going to differ from when you have Quade there. I have hope.
Justin2
Guest
Not much point having a kicker when you are getting thumped and need 3 or 4 tries to win though is it?
Sircoolalot
Guest
Justin2 Perhaps the reason why he didn't take off Harris was because he was the only kicker left in the team...