What on earth is going on in Australian rugby?
With travel and other things, I have missed a lot of rugby news in recent times, so I cannot claim to have any answers to my question.
There is scarcely an aspect of the game we are proficient at – from the set plays right through to our dreadful passing and alignment problems. Yet I cannot accept that the assortment of coaches and specialist staff right across this country are all dills.
There has to be an explanation. Of the many offered, which are the ones most likely?
I do not readily accept that the dilution of player strength from having too many teams is the cause of all our problems. For example, you can teach an under 19 team to align and catch and pass beautifully. Occasionally our teams do these things well for short periods. The Kiwis regularly do them well for lengthy periods.
Does pressure cause our skills to fall apart? If so, how have we addressed that problem?
One of Australia’s greatest deficiencies is the poor quality of our decision-making – which, for me, is the key rugby skill. How is it being taught these days?
I realise we old buggers always see the sugar coating of the past but today the game is 24/7 for months on end. For the rest of the year coaches can watch, think and learn. That is a luxury for today’s coaches.
I was once lucky enough to watch an old master coach run opposed training between two sets of players. I saw players learn, on the run, to appreciate the simple five Ws and an H approach to decision-making.
These days, coaches have access to all manner of technical aids and to a variety of specialist staff. Would it, or would it not, now be useful to have your number two set of players replicate, in training, the tactics and style of play to be expected from the number one’s next opposition team?
While that may be a benefit to the number one set, in fact both sets might well benefit from the mental exercise involved. Is that common practice or not? While variety might be the spice of attack, many clubs do actually have their own individual, basic and predictable approaches to playing the game.
The causes of this particular problem need to be addressed as less than wise decisions occur far too often.
On another topic, I would be sorry to see the Force or Rebels get the axe. On current form, today, the Waratahs and the Reds are the ones for the choppers (yes, I know there are other considerations).
I doubt either of these sides would have the gumption to hold the Chiefs to a single try. The game on Saturday between these two teams may have been exciting as the lead changed. The blunt truth, however, is =the Reds blew a number of opportunities because of dreadful decision making and the Tahs could not score a try in the second half, despite a flood of penalties – a rare one to the Reds.
The Tahs did kick four penalties but wasted the rest of the flood. The one-sided penalty count may or may not have been justified (the laws are beyond we mere mortals) but it was pivotal to the outcome. Neither side won me.
Did I hear somewhere that the Force are now getting the benefit of the work spent in developing local talent? Lately the Rebels have been up and down (more down this weekend) but how many of the other Aussie teams will beat the Brumbies (well, the Brumbies playing the way they did for those 21 points in the first half the other night)?
I suspect the Brumbies would win most.
I have many questions, but there are far too few answers.
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