General Rugby Discussion II

Looking at the Welsh squad, my first impression was how little new blood they have coming through up front but, when you actually analyse it, this is largely because multiple guys in there with a good few caps are still quite young. Wainwright is still only 23. Moriarty is only 26 somehow. Rhys Carre is 22. Leon Brown is 23.

They got a lot of caps in over the last few years and will probably start to benefit from this now.

Buer wrote: »

England have outhalf talent coming out of their ears. Sheedy was never going to get ahead of Marcus Smith who is seen as the long term English outhalf and Joe Simmonds is still only 23 and likely to steer Exeter to a Champions Cup and league title double.

Like I said I was referring to experience. In terms of long term view he was never going to be viewed ahead of someone like Smith (another I would throw in who I really like is Umaga who has been in the most recent England squad) but I was referring to him not being able to force his way into the current reckoning. I’ll be interested to see how he gets on for Wales as there has been a lot of talk about him for awhile without her much attention at international level.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/123005971/rugby-legend-willie-john-mcbride-savages-modern-game#:~:text=Willie%20John%20McBride%20feels%20there,size%20of%20modern%20rugby%20players.&text=%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20terrible%20seeing%20all,no%20difference%20to%20the%20result.


Rugby legend Willie John McBride savages modern game

Irish rugby legend Willie John McBride has savaged the modern game, lamenting the loss of rucking, the lack of space for attacking play, and the obsession with increasing player size.

McBride, who captained the British & Irish Lions and went on five tours with the famous side, delivered his damning verdict on the current game in a foreword he penned for a new book titled “Saving Rugby Union – The Price of Professionalism”.

“Rugby today is nothing like the game I played. It is a mixture of rugby union and rugby league – which is a huge influence on rugby union, with players lined up across the field against each other – and American football, with the obstruction and blocking.

“In the modern game, you can theoretically keep the ball for 40 minutes with endless phases. In the amateur era, once you went to ground you had to release the ball and get away. Players could then drive over the ball rucking the ball.

“Today, when guys go to ground they still hold on to the ball and actually place it back with their hands. It enables sides to retain the ball for phase after phase as it is so difficult for defenders to get hold of the ball at the breakdown. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

“There were never any serious injuries in rucks because you really had to release the ball and get away to avoid being raked back. If you held onto the ball you would be penalised.

“Today there are more and more pile-ups with knees and elbows hitting other players, causing injuries. Referees blow up for a scrum when the ball is buried in a pile of bodies. This simply wouldn’t happen in a ruck situation when I played.

“At the breakdown, I just don’t understand why people are tackling players who haven’t got the ball. It’s not sport – they are just charging into people to take them out. Surely the law says you cannot tackle a player who hasn’t got the ball?

“Any game is all about space. The modern game is all about closing down space with players lining across the pitch because of phase rugby. The one thing that strikes me is why did they change our game?”

McBride felt the use of too many substitutes was increasing the injury rate rather than easing it.

He felt players should be equipped to last an entire 80-minute match and, like in his time, should only be replaced when injured.

“I’ve seen young guys from academies who have been told: ‘You’re too light. You have to put on two stones if you are to be successful.’ Kids are growing. They are fed all these food supplements I call drugs and doing all these weights,” McBride, who played 63 tests for Ireland, wrote in “Saving Rugby Union – The Price of Professionalism”.

“Their bones can’t take what their muscles are demanding. This is wrong. The one thing I was taught when I was growing up was to be supple. They are muscle-bound and more prone to injuries

“It is terrible seeing all these people running off and on the pitch in an international. Recently a player was brought on with a minute to go – it could make no difference to the result.

“I once asked my old adversary Colin Meads how would you feel if they took you off with 20 minutes to go? I can’t repeat what he said, but it was more or less ‘you can stuff the game’.”

McBride, now 80, also hit out at the way players were able to choose their allegiances, with players born in one country playing for another.

He felt a 10-year residency rule was one way of addressing this.

McBride was also disappointed with the way English clubs were dictating the game there and felt that had a bad impact on the Lions.

jacothelad wrote: »

...or with 8 stitches less than half an inch from the inside of your right eye on a circular gash caused by being 'rucked' on the head by a player wearing worn out, hollow metal studs. That was always a laugh.

Great days

awec wrote: »

McBride would never make it as a forward in modern rugby. His build seems closer to a back these days.

He absolutely would. He was a massive man. Not only that, his will to win was terrifying.

McBride was huge for his time , I grew up when Neil Francis was a freak , size wise - See Ciaran Fitzergerald around looks tiny for a hooker - not sure what has happened that we have so many 6 foot 8 giants , and 18 stone hookers different from when i played.

Steve Fenwick & Ray Gravell were regarded a big bruising centres back in their day ...... both below 14 st & less than 6'.

I agree with a lot of what McBride is saying ...... the drive for revenue has definitely come at a cost.

Today there is a huge amount of time wasted over scrums, line outs & don't get me going about goal kicking ..... 60 seconds & more ...... takes 15% (of time) out of most games