Selling the jersey?

Players often chose to step down from the International game and pursue their club career, and a lot of the time this decision is completely understandable. There are many reasons which legitimise the decision; age, injuries, living and personal circumstances, an attempt to prolong a career. But as more and more money is being thrown around at professional clubs, is this possibly going to hinder our game at International level?

When your club is your primary employer there has to be full commitment, and as the money at stake becomes higher, the more power these clubs can claim over a contracted player. For years there have been circumstances when clubs have not released player for International duty, but it has usually been involving less pestegious and important International games such as "A" team sides or mid-season friendlies. It has also usually been at a time of vital importance to the club when they need all their players to be fully committed to a certain competition or tournament.

This has almost been accepted in the past, but there are very different circumstances cropping up. In  the last few days it has been revealed that Luke McAlister has requested an early release from his NZRU contract after being omitted from the All Black Tri-Nations squad. McAlister had already signed a three-year deal with the Top 14 champions, but was set to start after the Kiwi domestic season, ma king him available for the Tri-Nations and the World Cup McAlister's ommission from the initial squad obviously hit a nerve, as he failed to turn up to training for the preparation of North Harbour's  ITM Cup opener against Otago.

Excuses have been made, but they are not convincing to all, and on the back of his request, McAlister may well be off to Toulouse early, all be it with a NZ$60,000 fine to pay him out of his existing contract. As NZRU CEO Steve Tew has said , "It's a pretty messy situation" as the the NZRU have usually been reluctant to release players from their contract as it could set a bad precedent.

So instead of playing in his domestic tournaments and fighting to regain a place in the All Black's squad, McAlister seems to have given up and taken the "money" option by leaving early to play in France. He has essentially accepted that he will not play in the 2011 World Cup, but it is more than just this. Surely he must release that the friction caused by his decision will certainly jeopardise any potential involvement he could  have with the All Blacks. At 27 years old, already with 30 caps, how sad to see such a talented player potentially burn the bridges for any future in playing for New Zealand, the most prestigious team in World rugby.

The NZRU is different to many Nations in that, as well as the clubs doing so, it contracts it's players in an attempt to have them all playing domestically. OK, this takes away opportunities for players to play abroad, but it certainly works, as a tight unit is created. As mentioned in the opening paragraph there are going to be situation in which players will give up this opportunity to play for their country and make use of other options abroad, but in McAlister's case, it just seems there is so much more he could offer.

Luke McAlister's case has been highlighted because his situation is current and the world cup is just around the corner, but there are many other players looking for the extra money by sacrificing International opportunities. Now, McAlister may have genuine and legitimate reasons for his decision which aren't purely based on money, but at the moment they certainly aren't apparent. If the pessimistic view of the McAlister saga is in fact the correct one, will other players start to prioritise potential earnings over the possibility to play for their country?

Code of conduct

Many modern day rugby players have swapped from rugby league to union with varying degrees of success. Some have come and gone, being forgotten fairly quickly, whereas some have adopted to their new roles and had huge impacts. Current Leeds Rhino, Lee Smith’s had a rather anonymous stint at Wasps which lasted little more than six months and included just one game, while Chris Ashton has enjoyed a meteoric rise to rugby union International superstardom. It really seems to depend on the player.

The next big name in rugby league to make the transfer to union is Kyle Eastmond. A natural half back in rugby league, Eastmond is set to move from Super League’s St. Helens to Aviva Premiership’s Bath Rugby at the end of this years rugby league season. Eastmond and the two clubs confirmed this in February 2011, and Eastmond promised to be 100% committed to his current club for the rest of the season.

This commitment looked to be seriously questionable when in March 2011 the St. Helens website stated that Eastmond had been suspended by the club pending an investigation into serious misconduct. The club also said that no further comments would be made until the completion of the investigation.

It was then revealed the ban was based on “rude and offensive” gestures to Harlequins fans on the 11^th March, and the ban was lifted on the 25^th of March. However, since the ban Eastmond has failed to find the scintillating form that gained him interest from union clubs. This is primarily due to the fact that since the return from his ban Eastmond has struggled to regain his first team place.

While new half back pairing Lee Gakell and Jonny Lomax have undeniably provided an exiting new pairing, it does ask the question whether Eastmonds decision to swap codes as well as his antics have caused friction between himself and the club. Whatever the reason, we will be able to see his skills and talent once again when he gets a fresh start at Bath.

On the question of whether Eastmond will succeed in union, one aspect to look at is the position he will play. As mentioned Eastmond has been a half-back who can also play in the centres in rugby league. His feet are lightening quick, and he certainly has an eye for the gap, but he is essentially a playmaker. Yes he can create openings for himself, but his handling, kicking game and footballing vision are what have made him stand out as a top scrum half/stand-off in rugby league.

There have been rumors and speculation from Bath and the rugby union community since his signing about where he will play, but it is still a question without a confirmed answer. There has been no talk of stand-off or scrum half, but winger, full-back and centre have all been mentioned.

Perhaps the reason for not regarding Eastmond as a stand-off in union is due to the fact that he is new to the code and will take time to learn the style of play, tactics and skill of controlling a game. However, in each of the other positions, as well as positives, there are potential problems the man could face.

Kyle Eastmond is 167cm and 79kg, one of the smallest players in Super league. In rugby league he can be protected defensively by being positioned on the fringes, away from the big men. At centre he will come up against opposite number who could have 30kg weigh on him, and no matter how good a tackler he is, this is some weight to make up for. Centre in union is also a lot different in union than in league, and while he can still play a playmaker’s role at this position in league, in union there will be questions asked of him physically. The defensive line is also slightly different, and at outside centre defensive decisions are arguably the most important ones in the game. Without having experience of these decisions before, how will he cope?

It has been said that his evasive running is similar to that of Jason Robinson in his day, so there has also been talk of him playing on the wing. Eastmond is fast, but it his speed is shown in bursts. He is good in traffic using his footwork, and getting out of trouble. However, as a winger he will be put in the positions he is used to creating for people, so is his full-out pace enough to outstrip the rest of the field?

Again size comes into the wing position. Will Eastmond be able to deal with the likes of Leicester’s Alesana Tuilagi at 117kg? Not only this, Eastmond is 167cm and will almost always be smaller than his opposite man. Will he have the positioning and presence to deal with cross-field kicks? Eastmond is also used to being a playmaker. If he is stuck to his wing, will he become frustrated at not being able to act as creator?

Although at full-back Eastmond will be able to come into the attacking line at various positions and angles, it could also potentially cause negative concern in other aspects. Positional play is essential at full-back, and if it is not right, a team will kick to gain territory and position all day long, putting Eastmond and the rest of the team on the back foot. Having not played union, and with his height disadvantage, how will Eastmond deal with high balls, particularly in winter when the balls are wet.

The issues for Eastmond in union have been highlighted, but take nothing away from the level of his skill and talent. If he can single handedly take apart Super League teams, he may well in time be able to do the same in the Aviva Premiership. The question is where will he play, and whether it sensible not to consider him in the role as a playmaking stand-off. 

The Growth of 7's Rugby

Seven-a-side rugby is a form of the game which comes around every year when the 15's season is done and dusted. Different players have conflicting views on this abbreviation game, usually to do with the position and body type of the player. A 20 stone prop who specialises in scrummaging will struggle to cope with the pace,intensity and lack of structure of sevens rugby, while an outside back with fast feet and gas to burn may revel in the extra space on offer.


Sevens is and always had been a more social form of the game. It is played at the start of summer when the weather is dry and the grounds are hard. Beer tents usually have 10 minute long queues, and groups of grown men dressed as females or nuns will often be seen stumbling around the tournament's grounds. It is the end of a hard rugby season and there is in general a party atmosphere, deservedly so.


However, the coverage, reporting and exposure of sevens rugby has recently given it a surge in interest. The major tournaments are becoming more prestigious than ever, and the HSBC World Sevens series is becoming a highly regarded tournament, not just in sevens rugby, but in rugby in general. Couple this with the fact that rugby sevens is now a recognised Olympic sport, making its debut in Rio at the 2016 Games, it's fair to say the game is continuously reaching higher heights. But what does all this mean for the traditional 15's game?


Raised exposure of the sport, despite it being played in a different form will allow for more World recognition. Sevens will be played in the Rio Olympic Games, and what a sight it would be to see kids throwing around rugby balls on the beach having seen the game for perhaps the first time in 2016.


Sevens is also a faster, less predictable and generally higher scoring version of the game. Players have more opportunities to express themselves and many feel it is more of a spectacle. Many of the top Nations use sevens as a development tool for recognised young talent to hone their skills at a high level which, due to the coverage, also has added pressure.

This not only allows these young, talented players to develop their game and skills, but it readies them for the pressures of the higher level in the 15 man game. Developing rugby Nations have also recently shone and impressed. The likes of Kenya and Portugal have strong sides due to a continuous effort in development and expansion of seven-a-side rugby in their countries.


These positives cannot be denied, but are they all of the benefit to rugby in its truest form? Development is great, as is exposure of the game, but the the reality is that sevens is a very different game to regular 15-a-side rugby. If the developing Nations are putting so much into the sevens form of the game, taking into account the difference in the way the game is played, is it really helping them develop in rugby as a whole?


Again, more coverage of the game in any form is great, but could viewers start to prioritise sevens rugby? Will the more casual rugby fan look forward to throwing on a pair of shorts, grabbing a beer and watching sevens in the sun rather than tune in or turn up to 15's games during the regular season?


To many, especially the die-hard rugby fans, sevens is an inferior version of the sport. Some feel competition from sevens is not a good thing, and is in fact a potential hazard to rugby union. When the issue was discussed on Sky Sports' Rugby Club, newspaper columnist and rugby analyser Stuart Barnes voiced his concerns for exactly this reason. He stated that he was concerned that what is essentially an inferior form of rugby could have the potential opportunity to overshadow the true form of the sport.


Different people will have their own views, and time will tell if the expansion of sevens rugby will continue, and if it does, will it do so to a level which will threaten the 15-a-side game? There are thoughts of both optimism and pessimism, but most will agree that to see rugby in the Olympic games is certainly an exciting prospect.

Central Role

A vital element for any rugby union side is a midfield combination that works. Even with a dominant pack, silky half-backs and a genuine try-scoring back three, a midfield unable to combine and play well with each other can be the difference between a good team and the complete package. As physiques in rugby have changed due to more physical confrontation, centres of all different sizes and attributes have been seen at international and professional levels.

From the skill and vision of Wales’ James Hook, to the sheer power and size of England’s Matt Banahan (recently fielded in this position at International level), centres rely on varying qualities for their individual success. Of course high level centres will be able to do every basic requirement of a midfield player, but there is always one trait that stands out as their bread and butter.

Defence is a massive part of both an inside and outside centre's game, but even this needs to be broken down. There is a difference between a good tackler and a good defender. Following in rugby League's footsteps, big hits and upper body collisions are more prominent than ever in rugby.

Often a player with a strong, sizeable physique is at an advantage here, but there are exceptions. Former New Zealand International and current Sale player Sam Tuitupou stands 1.75m and weighs just over 85kg, yet is known as a king of the collision. Using technique, timing and the momentum of the attacket and himself Tuitupou is been able to turn men of over 30kg heavier than him horizontal in the air. A big hit can not just turnover ball or take the wind out of an opponent, but creates a wave of buzz and inspiration throughout a team.

Although being a good tackler is of course necessary, the less glamorous role of a technical defender is in fact even more important. Organizing a defensive line, and recognizing potential holes and correcting them on instinct is something that not every player is capable of doing. Deciding when to rush, drift or hold off in defence is difficult when watching on tape in slow motion, but when done in milliseconds, it is no mean task. To the average viewer this quality may not be recognizable, but it certainly is amongst fellow players especially midfielders. A handy all round player to say the least, Australia's Stirling Mortlock is an example of a player who holds a defensive line that even a Jonah Lomu and Jason Robinson clone would struggle to break.

Strength is an element that is not only useful in defence, but a strong upper-body also gives a centre an advantage in attack. Former Springbok Trevor Halstead was renowned for his “fend” and he had the ability to palm off opponents as if he was swatting off flies. Now we have the phenomenon Sonny-Bill Williams. As well as fending off and holding opponents he has the ability to grip the ball in his other giant hand and offload the ball from seemingly impossible positions.

As we know strength isn’t everything, and as well as pretty much every other position in the backline, James Hook has been played in the centre many times. What he lacks in size and perhaps even pace he makes up in vision and footballing ability, and he is an example of how important these skills are. The skills Hook possesses of reading of the game and vision enable him to create gaps and opportunities for himself, but for his team-mates also.

While different centres have different qualities, physiques and styles of play, they are more often than not more suited to the inside or outside birth. Each centre has a certain strength, but what are the most useful and create the best combination for their postion?

Let’s start with the inside centre. An inside centre who is equally comfortable at fly-half (a second-five-eighth) is sometimes used by teams. This will offer more vision and opportunities for players further out in the back line, but if the fly-half is good enough to do this alone, can it be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth? A full-back and even outside centre can offer this vision too, so it may not be completely necessary that an inside centre can play fly-half.

Certainly the modern day inside centre needs vision and handling skills, he will need to be able to release his outside backs with long passes and a kicking game is also a useful skill in this position. However, a physical presence is also needed. Size and strength will come in extremely handy if the correct technique is applied to create dominant collisions in defence. Also when the opposition has closed down an attack there is no time for slight of hand or fancy footwork, so a powerful hit-up becomes a vital skill.

There will be less space for an inside centre compared to an outside centre, so quick footwork rather than a gliding outside break is perhaps more useful. Leg drive and a strong base will also allow a platform, and if a player can keep his feel and the skill level is high enough the option of an offload can be very effective.

An inside centre will also need to be “noisy” especially in  defence. To take pressure off the fly-half, the inside centre is a good position to lead the defensive line. Both tackle technique and defensive alignment are vital skills here, so it is no use rushing out of line trying to make a big hit if it creates a hole for the opposition to run through.

These are the fundamentals for an inside centre, and I am sure there are arguments that are many more that have been missed out. Using this guideline, a current player that fits the bill the best is Sonny-Bill Williams. His strength, offloading, defense and running skills are obvious, and his passing game is ever improving. He doesn’t miss many tackles, and run straight into him and you’ll be lucky to stay on the field. Try to tackle him, it’s likely you’ll be moved around and fended off, or you'll dive for his legs only for him to get an offload away to someone running off him at pace.

The outside centre may have some similar attributes to an inside centre, but there are some very different elements to the game one position further out. With good ball, on the front foot, an outside centre will have a lot more space. As much as a sliding defence is the works, there is no substitute for speed, so an electric outside break from outside centre can cause an opposition defence problems all day.

There are also more chances to make a clean break, so a greater pick-up in pace is useful for an outside centre, with the option of using his winger or full-back or simply finishing himself. Decision making comes into play here, as chances to score at the highest level can be hard to come by, so squandering them can cost a game. The basic skills of attack, 2 on 1’s, 3 on 2’s, are essential for an outside centre, as he is there to convert opportunities into tries.

Rather than fast footwork, the ability to change direction without losing pace is devastating in an outside centre. Fainting an outside break as a miss pass is thrown to cut an angle back against the drift defence is an example of this and although it looks simple, it is a very skillful act and extremely difficult.   

Like an inside centre a good “fend” and offload game is important. Controlling your opposite man with one hand and setting your winger free with the other again is extremely difficult to deal with. This is one part of an integral part of this position, being a link for the inside and outside backs.

 

Defending at outside centre is different to inside centre, and in fact a lot more important and difficult. With a drift defence an outside centre cannot push out until he hears the call from his inside centre, but at the same time getting stuck on his heels and being beaten on the outside is one of the most visibly obvious mistakes that can be seen in defence.

The outside centre needs to weigh up the options for every attack sent at him, and he must make the right choice, or the consequences will often be 5 or 7 points. Almost like an open-side flanker an outside centre must be able to read the game. If a backtracking defender makes a try saving tackle a world-class outside centre will most often be the man doing this cleaning up.

Again there are many more important skills and tasks an outside centre must perform, and one man who does all of these pretty much every game is Brian O’Driscoll.

Initially O’Driscoll burst onto the scene with his scintillating pace, but over the years we have seen so much more. From one off memorizing pieces of skill to heavy colliding tackles, he has proven he is the best outside centre in the modern day era. He is a leader and often an inspiration for the team he is playing for, and he has also scored an incredible amount of tries, not to mention the ones he’s created.

There are many quality centres right now, all with different attributes, but if it’s hard to think of a more exiting and devastating centre partnership than Sonny-bill Williams and Brian O’Driscoll.

Tackling the tackle

Over the past few years the skill of defenders ‘stealing’ ball in rugby Union has developed into a recognised and valued skill. While some are obsessed by the offensive tackle, coming out of line to make a big hit or lifting an opponent a meter in the air before dumping or dropping him, the ball stealers have proved to be the most affective and destructive defenders. However, new rules, more penalties and stricter refereeing of the breakdown means that one of the sport’s most affective defensive tools may be in threat of becoming stamped out of the game.

The fairly recent rule of a defender having to release a defender once the defender hits the ground has not only brought about more penalties and confusion to the game, it has also hindered many talented players. It is now commonplace to see a defender tackle an opponent, remain on his feet, and before attempting to steal the ball quickly and aggressively, throw his hands in the air in attempt to show the match officials he has ‘released’ the man with the ball. This not only looks ridiculous, but it is these vital seconds that make the difference between a front foot attack and a turnover.

There have been different ways of turning a tackle into attack, and over thee years we have seen many players master the art of each different scenario. First of all we saw the guddlers, the disrupters. Players whos hands seem to be ankle-long, and who seem to run with their heads scraping along the ground. Australian back-rowers Phil Waugh and George Smith are examples of players who thrived on disrupting opponent’s breakdowns.  Seeing a grounded or semi-grounded opponent they would almost surgically attach themselves onto the man with the ball, adopting a stealing position on the ground. The position and technique had to be perfect, compact with the head in and over the ball, body position low, knees often offering balance resting on top of the opponent, and of course no hands or body parts falling over the man with the ball.

This developed over time, and the vultures hanging around the tackle area looking for scraps of loose ball to clear up have sometimes not been needed. Irish centre Brian O’Driscoll has been another master of turning ball over, more often than not from the position of primary tackler. A technically gifted tackler, O’Driscoll could take advantage of a dominant tackle, either gaining his feet before any support arrives for the ball carrier or in some instances performing the tackle without actually going to deck himself. In one swooping movement players such as O’Driscoll could use the same strict and brave techniques as the Waughs and Smiths to steal the ball without  once letting go of an opponent.

These are skills which have been learned. Players have spent years perfecting such techniques, repeating them on the training pitch as a scrum-half may repeat his passes from the ground. To change the rules is not only detrimental to the game as these skills become at risk of becoming extinct, it also stops certain players from fulfilling their true playing potential and showing their full skills.

Rugby Union has often been accused of stealing techniques from its rival code, and being late to develop its own skills. This rule change may play directly into the hands of  voices claiming such statements. Rugby Union had developed  its own skill of ball stealing, a difficult and often very impressive technique. Now this technique is becoming limited, and in time it could change the shape of the game, and bring it yet closer to Rugby League.

Upper body hits initially came from Rugby League, but not necessarily for their potential to inflict harder hits. If a defender can hit up top in Rugby League, wrestle, and hold the attacker up before controlling him on the ground, he can buy a defensive line which needs to retreat 10 metres a good few seconds. If a second, a third defender can aid this ‘wrestle’ and become dominant before the ball carrier hit’s the ground, they can insure he is slowed down and cannot offload the ball.

Like in all aspects of each code there are techniques used in this wrestle, many of which are very complicated. Unlike Rugby League, there is there is no rule disallowing multiple defenders from stripping the ball in Rugby Union, so this position could become very important for defenders. If the first tackler holds the attacker up, and the second and third attack the ball, it not only offers a great potential for turnovers, but it also avoids the risk of giving penalties away on the ground.

It may be a long time off, but we could see a change in the way the game is played. As much as body shape and types could change with the emphasis on grappling and ’squeeze’ strength  rather than the scurrying techniques we have seen adopted by back-rowers in Rugby Union up until now. No matter how long the emphasis takes to change, even if it doesn’t, the rules of Rugby Union should be promoting fast, original defence rather than the slow, suffocating defence which can often be seen in Rugby League.

We're up and running!

Well, Everything 4 Rugby is now officially up and running and we're ready to start helping amateur rugby clubs take their game to the next level!
Amateur and grassroots rugby are the foundations of the game, and if we want to compete with the World's top Nations we need to catch up in the area of development. We feel that if we can help raise the standard of the amateur game the knock on effect will be integral in the success of the UK Nations.
We all know what it's like to train in the same kit we've worn for 5 years, we all know what it's like to hold a tackle bag which doesn't have any handles, and we all know what it's like to be go into training and games unprepared nutritionally and without the necessary protective support. Mentally and physically we can't perform to our full potential.
Now imagine training and playing in top of the range Nike kit. Imagine using the latest and most innovative and specific training equipment created by Centurion who are the sponsors of many top professional clubs. Imagine having proper nutrition for games, and advice on how to prepare properly, and not having to worry about to playing without strapping on that dodgy ankle that stops you going into contact 100%. Now we're training and playing properly!
If we start to train, prepare and be treated more professionally, we will play to a better standard. It will be more fun, more of a spectacle and it will allow amateur rugby to become the force it should be. The communities surrounding the clubs will become stronger, and there will be far greater potential to generate crowds and fill the club house after games.
On top of these sponsorship benefits, Molson Coors are partnering us to offer your club house massively discounted beverages. From cans of juice and energy drinks to ales and spirits, the supplies will cater for everyone involved in the club. 
For more info have a look at the website http://www.everything4rugby.com/ or contact us by phone on 0131 629 0853 or by e-mail to tom.philip@everything4rugby.co.uk
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