Refereeing at tipping point

A very contentious issue but here are some thoughts on the current tip tackle situation. A different approach is needed. Referees have a very difficult job and should not be under so much pressure to send players off. Tackles are physical movements and body positions when returning to ground can be awkward but very few tackles are malicious (with the aim of spearing a player to the ground, with force).

I'd much rather tackle situations are reviewed after matches and players are banned, if found guilty, instead of being sent off.

The 1990's saw a similar escalation of red (and yellow) cards in football and the sport has reached the point of no return. Let's hope rugby does not go down this path. 

Blog link is below. Thanks all.

http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/refereeing-at-tipping-point

Elite England after toppling the All Blacks

My latest blog can be found at the below link (thanks again to James Hutchison). Lots of interesting comments.

http://www.therugbyblog.co.uk/elite-england-after-toppling-the-all-blacks

Selecting the 2013 British and Irish Lions

In a recent interview with the Daily Telegraph Rugby journalist, and former England lock, Paul Ackford, Lions coach Warren Gatland admitted that based on recent test match performances, no Lions candidates would make a current World XV.

The New Zealander will not lose too much sleep when mulling over this thought, but it will concern him that certain individuals underperformed in the Autumn Internationals. As of now only a handful of players have cemented their places in next year’s Lions squad.

However, this is also because of more positive circumstances. Firstly, there is strong competition in certain positions, especially in the back row and on both wings. Secondly, many stars will return to action in the coming months, after missing the end of year tests. Rory Best, Dylan Hartley, Adam Jones, Paul O’Connell, Alun Wyn Jones, Sean O’Brien, Stephen Ferris, Tom Croft, Dan Lydiate, Brian O’Driscoll and Rob Kearney all missed out on playing the southern hemisphere’s finest this autumn but most should be fit for the Six Nations, which starts in February.

So as we near the end of 2012, who are the certain Lions 2013 tourists; who are those in the bolter (making a late surge for selection) category and who are the outsiders that Gatland might be tempted to gamble with when the tour party is finalised in April next year?

The Certainties:

Jonathan Sexton – the first man on the plane and certain to head to Australia, via Hong Kong. No other home union fly-half is playing close to Sexton’s consistent level and he continues to shine for province and country.

Dan Cole – Cole’s efforts at the breakdown, where he now looks like a natural openside flanker, have significantly improved since last year’s Rugby World Cup. The Leicester Tiger is also a world class scrummager, a facet of play that the Lions must dominate if they are to have any chance of a series win in Australia.

Cian Healy – The Leinster loosehead is beginning to transfer his Heineken Cup winning form onto the international stage. Mobile in the loose, he could provide the perfect foil to Cole on the opposite side of the scrum.  

Manu Tuilagi – Tom Wood was deservedly awarded the man of the match award in England’s win over New Zealand but the Kiwi press were quick to portray Tuilagi as the main catalyst for New Zealand’s downfall. Many pundits are still unsure on whether he is more effective as a 12 or 13, or even on the wing, but Manu’s powerful running could be equally as devastating on the hard grounds of Australia.

Leigh Halfpenny – Wales’ smallest player but possibly their bravest, certainly based on Wales' recent defeats. Safe under the high ball, dangerous in attack and crucially provides kicking options both out of hand and going for posts.

Jamie Heaslip – only a very brave man would head down under without the experienced three time Heineken Cup winner and three capped Lion. Ben Morgan, David Denton and Toby Faletau are all possible candidates for next year’s touring party but are likely to fight it out for one remaining number 8 spot.

The Bolters:

Craig Gilroy – a hat trick in the Ireland XV, uncapped, fixture against Fiji and a try in his first full international against Argentina, Gilroy is evidently a man in form. The Ulsterman looks like a Lion in the making and a successful Six Nations could see Gilroy force his way into Gatland's squad, ahead some of the more experienced wingers.

Freddie Burns – he may only have fifteen minutes of international rugby to his name but Burns looked completely at ease on the international stage, bringing his excellent passing and kicking form for Gloucester to Twickenham, against the All Blacks. 

Joe Launchbury – despite standing at a giant 6”6, somehow 21 year old Launchbury still looks his age but he plays like a man with ten years more exprience. This debate could be ended if Stuart Lancaster decides to bring Courtney Lawes back into England’s starting fifteen for the Six Nations, but Launchbury’s two caps have yielded widespread praise from across the UK and even from Kiwi and Springbok personnel – no mean feat.

Jason Tipuric – Welsh captain Sam Warburton is blocking Tipuric’s natural path to regular international honours but if Gatland lives up to his promise of only selecting natural openside flankers to tour down under next year, as opposed to Chris Robshaw’s multi back row ability for example, Tipuric fits the bill perfectly.

The Outsiders:

Andrew Sheridan – injury free and playing consistently well for Toulon, in the Top 14 and Heinken Cup, Sheridan’s scrummaging ability might force his way into Lions reckoning, for what would be a hat trick of Lions tour for the former Sale Sharks loosehead.

Steffon Armitage – A stand out performer in the French Top 14, Sheridan’s club colleague is consistently overlooked by England, due to player release issues, but like Tipuric, Armitage might be on Gatland’s radar due to his predatory work at the breakdown down and excellent support play. 

Nathan Hines – a 2009 Lions tourist to South Africa, an old warrior with excellent hands for a lock, Hines, who was born in Australia, has recently served a six match suspension but the Lions need some aggressive and experienced forwards, especially if Launchbury and other young forwards are also selected.

With so many Lions places seemingly up for grabs, next year's Six Nations could be the most exciting tournament in years. The fixtures involving the Home Union sides will certainly be played with added spice. And in twelve months time Gatland will certainly be hoping that talk of a World XV includes some of his victorious Lions stars.  

A final thought... After a depleted Australian side posted recent wins over England and Wales, next year will see the likely return of the likes of James Horwill, Will Genia, Rob Horne, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor but another name, less known in northern hemisphere rugby circles, could pose an enormous threat to the Lions. Israel Folau, a household name in both the NRL and more recently AFL, has changed codes again by signing for the NSW Waratahs. Folau will hope to learn the fifteen man code quickly and make an immediate impact in Super Rugby, ahead of possible Wallaby selection in 2013. Andrew Walker, a former NRL player but smaller in both reputation and physical size to Folau, proved a thorn in the 2001 Lions side. Do not be surprised to see Folau, the former Queensland State of Origin and Kangaroo try-machine, line up against the men in red next summer. 

@AMP_Rugby

I wrote this before the IRB announced their list - have a read

Who will be crowned as the 2012 IRB Player of the Year?

The IRB Player of the Year award, based solely on performances in international matches, has been won by many of the best players from the professional era, including Keith Wood, Jonny Wilkinson and Richie McCaw. Who are the favourites this year?

Kieran Read

The Crusaders star has continued his sublime World Cup winning form from last year and cemented his reputation as the best number eight on the planet. Back to back man of the match awards in his last two internationals, against South Africa and Australia, Read has terrorised opponents in both attack and defence in 2012. He is a very strong candidate to captain the All Blacks next year, when Richie McCaw takes a well-earned six month break from professional rugby, and like New Zealand’s most capped player, Read never puts in an average performance on the international stage.

Dan Carter

The 2005 winner has had an excellent comeback from the injury that prematurely ended his 2011 Rugby World Cup. Despite facing competition for the All Black number 10 shirt from Aaron Cruden, who has had a very promising 2012, the 93 capped stand-off has proved that he is still the best fly half in world rugby, emphasised by a commanding display against Scotland last Saturday. Carter has been at his best in New Zealand’s away matches this season, which will send shivers down the spines of the coaches and players from Italy, Wales and England before New Zealand’s remaining autumn internationals.

Dan Lydiate

Dan Lydiate produced a series of outstanding defensive displays in this year’s Six Nations and he was dually named the player of the tournament in Wales’ third Grand Slam since 2005. The Gwent Dragons blindside flanker also performed strongly down under, albeit in a test series defeat to Australia. He is a huge loss to Wales this autumn, following an early season ankle break, and judging by the performance against Argentina they are already missing him. But Lydiate should still be considered as one of the best international performers in 2012 and a return to fitness and form should guarantee him a place in the Lions squad next summer.

Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe

The Pumas captain led his country into unchartered territory when the South American side appeared in the Rugby Championship earlier this year. But the Toulon star well and truly led from the front, with his fiercely competitive spirit, immense work rate and impressive line out play. Argentina’s win over Wales in Cardiff was much deserved and Lobbe put in a very telling man of the match display, which included an excellent offload assist for his country’s first try, against the 2012 European champions. 

Bryan Habana

A resurgent Habana was far more consistent in 2012 than he was in the previous three seasons. Top try scorer in the inaugural Rugby Championship, the 2007 IRB Player of the Year was recently named the South African Rugby Union’s best player in 2012, for the third time in his career. Like Lydiate, he is unavailable for selection this autumn, due to an injury he picked up in Western Province’s Currie Cup Final win over the Sharks, but the 2007 Rugby World Cup winner looks as hungry as ever as he approaches the final few years of a glittering career.  

Players that deserve honourable mentions include Will Genia, Chris Robshaw, Wesley Fofana, George North, Rodrigo Roncero and Ma'a Nonu (plus many of his All Black teammates that have not been mentioned already). Sonny Bill Williams played superbly at the start of the international season, and would be a strong contender, but by moving to Japan, and confirming a return to Australian NRL Rugby League next year, he is unlikely to be considered for the IRB’s top individual prize.

You can never rule out three time winner Richie McCaw but Read has performed marginally better than his great club and country teammate this year (hence McCaw’s omission from this shortlist) and he would be a fitting choice to take the award back to Christchurch, where it has resided for four of the last seven years, thanks to Carter and McCaw. 

Emerging Belgium – the perfect location for Saracens’ next adventure

Following a superb 45-0 away victory over Edinburgh at Murrayfield, next Saturday Saracens are scheduled to play their first home Heineken Cup tie of the season in Brussels, against Parisian giants Racing Metro. Three years ago, Stade Francais and Ulster were due to play a European Cup group match at Belgium’s same national stadium, Stade Roi Baudouin, but after a heavy night’s snowfall it was postponed hours before kick-off and played the next day back in Paris. But an autumn fixture poses no such concerns and both Saracens and rugby in Belgium stand to benefit from their joint venture.

Why in Brussels? Of any developing rugby nation, Belgium logistically provides the best location for officials and supporters to travel from London or Paris. But staging a rugby match in a small rugby power is potentially risky and for the event to be a success it requires significant local support to help with promotion, ticket sales and other marketing initiatives.

In Belgium’s case this has not been too difficult. The mayor of Brussels, Freddy Thielemans, is a huge rugby fan (he used to play for the oldest expat Belgium club side, the Brussels Barbarians, and played for the national side), and has provided unreserved support, weighing in heavily to publicise the fixture. But Belgium has many rugby enthusiasts and the sport is growing each year in the capital of Europe. 

In the last fifteen years the number of registered players in junior, adult and both male and female rugby has more than doubled to well over 10,000. The men’s national side are currently ranked 23rd in the current IRB World Rankings (remember the Rugby World Cup is contested between 20 teams) and in 2013 they will compete in the Euro Nations Cup for the first time, widely recognised as the Six Nations ‘B’ tournament, against teams that have all competed at Rugby World Cups - Russia, Spain, Romania and Georgia.

This will not be the first time that famous rugby teams have played rugby at Belgium’s national stadium. In 2007, Argentina based themselves near Brussels for a week before their successful Rugby World Cup campaign. Their preparations finished with a 36-8 victory against a spirited Belgium Select XV, which included a few aging ex France internationals (such as Yann Delaigue and Emile Ntamack's brother, Francis) as well as current French international prop Vincent Debaty (who was born in Belgium). Many of the remaining Belgian side were players based in France’s second, third and fourth tiers but the majority played for clubs in the top Belgian league.  

A year later a touring Barbarians side, which included World Cup winners Ian Balshaw and Stephen Larkham and former Lions captain Gareth Thomas, faced an inexperienced Belgium line up and ran riot in an 84-10 victory. Clearly the free flowing and risk taking nature of Barbarians rugby is not the ideal test for rugby players from emerging nations but few would argue against other developing rugby nations organising a similar fixture, against one of Rugby’s oldest and well known brands, in the future to boost the sport’s profile.

Saracens have worked hard in and around the Brussels area to market the game and have run several coaching camps for local Belgian clubs and schoolchildren. At the beginning of October, their community coach Lewis Sones and star flanker Jacques Burger, the Namibian captain at the 2011 Rugby World Cup (a country who are only one place above Belgium in the latest World Rankings), headed over to Brussels for the most recent of these clinics.

In September, England winger Chris Ashton and the South African 2007 Rugby World Cup winning captain John Smit were chosen by the club to appear at a press conference in Brussels promoting the game, which was attended by many journalists from the UK, France and Belgium.

A source from the Belgium Rugby Board is hoping for a crowd in the region of 30,000 supporters (capacity is 50,000) - a realistic target as this is the same number of tickets that were sold for the Stade Francais v Ulster clash. 10,000 tickets had already been snapped up at the end of September and the game will appear live on Sky Sports (in the UK and Eire) and France 2 (in France and Belgium).

The match is perhaps risky for Saracens as they are desperate for Heineken Cup success but they are giving up home advantage against Racing, who fittingly have a Belgium international (Jens Torfs) in their squad this season. But their commercial initiatives off the field are unrivalled in the Aviva Premiership and they stand to increase their already diverse supporter base in another market. Their Belgian adventure is a risk well worth taking.

 Did you know?

 - The current President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, is a former Belgian rugby international.

@AMP_Rugby

Turning Boudjellal’s millions into silverware

It has been six years since comic strip millionaire Mourad Boudjellal bought RC Toulonnais, his hometown club, and began a quest for French and European club rugby domination. Money aside, few in their wildest dreams could have imagined the wealth of global talent that he has persuaded to head to the south of France since 2006. Even less would have predicted the successive trophy less seasons that followed. This season that could all change.

Let’s put his acquisition into some context. The original comparison in football is Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s acquisition of Chelsea shortly after the 2002/03 Premier League season, in which the club finished 3^rd and qualified for the following season’s Champions League. The team have gone on to win every major trophy since, at least once. In contrast, Boudjellal took over a struggling Toulon side that were in the depths of the Pro D2, French rugby’s second tier league, and therefore a minimum of two years away from an appearance in the Heineken Cup.

Undeterred, Boudjellal set a high transfer standard by signing retired All Blacks captain Tana Umaga, as his first galáctico. Regrettably the ex-Hurricane only managed to play a handful of matches, although the team won most of these and Umaga also coached the side with some success. Further billboard signings arrived, but only on short term deals. Four were certainly worth it at the time as, in 2008, Anton Oliver, Andrew Mehrtens, Victor Matfield and George Gregan helped Toulon to the Pro D2 title, and promotion back to French rugby's elite. But while boosting the profile of the French outfit, none of these players stayed on the Mediterranean coast long enough to create the dynasty Boudjellal so desperately craved.

Sonny Bill Williams also arrived on a huge pay packet, but it took a while for the former rugby league star to learn union’s tackling technique, complex running lines and to apply his outrageous offloading ability in this more congested form of rugby. And just when he began to show glimpses of his excellent NRL form, he left for New Zealand, in search of an All Black’s jersey.

More high profile international signings have arrived in the last three years, but these have been characters that recent coaches Phillipe Saint- Andre and now Bernard Laporte, the current and former coaches of the French national side respectively, have been able to build their team around, and for successive campaigns. A revitalised Jonny Wilkinson arrived in 2009 and at the end of his first season with the club he was named the best fly half in the Top 14 by French magazine Midi Olympique. Current captain Joe van Niekerk and fellow back rower Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe have also led from the front imperiously and been constant figures in the Toulon starting line-up.

Their efforts have contributed to Toulon reaching the Amlin Challenge Cup final on two occasions, in 2010 and 2012, only to fall short at the final hurdle. Toulon’s biggest disappointment, but also most impressive feat in the professional era, came at the end of last season when Laporte’s men lost in the Top 14 final to Toulouse, the team Boudjellal is determined to topple as the dominant force in French rugby.

This year Toulon has an even more settled and impressive squad, with depth in most positions. At lock they have former internationals Bakkies Botha, Simon Shaw and Nick Kennedy, while ex Springbok Danie Rossouw joins the club early next year. Freddie Michalak provides impressive cover for Wilkinson and Chris Masoe, another recent signing with Top 14 experience, can play all three back row positions. At loose head prop they have Andrew Sheridan and Gethin Jenkins who, in 2009, were the two British Lions chosen in that position for the last tour to South Africa. Every week hugely talented, international rugby players sit on the bench for the Pilou-Pilou.

Players are constantly linked with Toulon - millionaire owners tend to attract such rumours, but fewer players are arriving on short term contracts and more dependable figures than Oliver, Gregan, Williams, Matfield and Umaga, are being targeted. This is personified by Steffon Armitage, the former London Irish star, who only has a few England caps to his name yet was voted Midi Olympique Top 14 player of the season award in his first year as a Toulon player.

Chelsea would not have achieved success in the Abramovich years by buying the best aging Brazilian or Spanish internationals, on short term contracts, starting in the Championship and built on foundations of second tier players. Toulon might just be worth a flutter on winning the Top 14 or Heineken Cup (or even the double). It would certainly be nice if we mortal rugby folk could also gain from Boudjellal’s millions!

And finally.....

At the peak of their powers and out of any player that has been at Toulon in the Boudjellal years, who would make your starting XV? My choice is below (apologies France!):

Toulon’s Galácticos

Coach: Bernard Laporte

1) Gethin Jenkins

2) Anton Oliver

3) Carl Hayman

4) Simon Shaw

5) Victor Matfield

6) Jerry Collins

7) George Smith

8) Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe

9) George Gregan

10) Jonny Wilkinson

11) Luke Rooney

12) Sonny Bill Williams

13) Matt Giteau

14) Tana Umaga (captain, albeit out of position)

15) Gavin Henson (let the debate begin!)

 Subs:

Sebastien Bruno

Andrew Sheridan

Bakkies Botha

Joe Van Niekerk

Mathieu Bastareaud

Andrew Mehrtens

Pierre Mignoni

Disagree? Select yours in the comments section below.

Follow me on Twitter: @AMP_Rugby 

Argentina can be proud but they are desperate for a first win in the Rugby Championship

The inaugural Rugby Championship ends this weekend and the mighty All Blacks have continued their World Cup winning form – they have already won the tournament and stand on the verge of a unique clean sweep of victories. But it is the introduction of Argentina, finally invited to play in a competition organised by SANZAR, which has really reinvigorated interest in the Southern Hemisphere’s flagship international competition. A home 16-16 draw against South Africa, and strong (albeit losing) away performances in New Zealand and Australia have justified their place at rugby’s top table. The Argentinians have every chance of winning their final match at home, against a luckless Australian side.

That said, earlier in the summer the signs looked ominous for Los Pumas. The big three Southern Hemisphere sides had won eight out of their ten summer international matches against British and Irish opponents, with only Scotland gaining a rather unexpected midweek win over Australia and England salvaging a final test draw against South Africa. After winning their first summer test in June, Argentina found themselves victim of a huge backlash from France, and they went into their first Rugby Championship match on the back of a 49-10 home drubbing.

Their build-up was also hit by an expected decision from talismanic fly-half Felipe Contepomi. One of the strongest proponents for Argentina to be accepted into an annual top tier rugby competition, Contepomi opted to make himself unavailable for selection for the first Rugby Championship, so he could concentrate on club matters at Stade Francais (do not be fooled by him appearing on the homepage of SANZAR’s official website). Fortunately another ten, Juan Martin Hernandez, also a member of Argentina’s superb third placed 2007 Rugby World Cup squad, was fit to return after three years in the international wilderness, and it has been a real bonus to see the team’s most famous rugby player back playing at the highest level. In the five Rugby Championship matches Argentina have played so far, other backs have demonstrated moments of South American magic; Martin Landajo’s opening score at home against New Zealand and the elusive running of Lucas González Amorosino. But their side’s resolve and strength has come from their forward pack and from one aspect of their physical approach in particular.

As was the case in 2007, rugby fans worldwide have marvelled at the consistency of the collective Argentine rucking. The way their players link arms and together trample over, not on, bodies on the floor, easily pushing opponents off the ball, looks so fluent that many rucks appear unopposed. School masters and youth team coaches from Durban to Edinburgh should use their technique as an example to all young aspiring rugby players. While Argentina have changed coach and many players from the class of 2007 have retired, it is evident that rucking, and a strong set piece, still form the bedrock of Argentinian rugby. Three veterans, one from each row of the scrum, are experts in this area of their country’s rugby philosophy and deserve to end the campaign with a win in Rosario on Saturday evening.

The Pumas have been led brilliantly by Toulon’s Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe. He has carried well, tackled his socks off and been strong at the breakdown. He has certainly not looked out of place against the mighty McCaw, Read and Alberts, and he will undoubtedly make many pundits’ team of the tournament. His longstanding teammates and fellow tradesmen playing their club rugby in France, Patricio Albacete and Rodrigo Roncero have worked just as tirelessly, providing two of the Pumas’ abiding memories of the tournament. In the home draw against South Africa, Albacete made a crucial turnover close to his own try line, under enormous pressure from the Springbok forwards, which proved a telling contribution in securing Argentina’s first points in the Rugby Championship. It was Roncero’s trademark burrowing try, in their away tie in New Zealand, which meant they went into the half time break only 6-5 down against the current World Champions. No mean feat – not many teams would complain at being one point down at half time during a test match in Wellington.

Are Argentina likely to beat Australia? They should be favourites on the back of the Wallabies’ humiliating defeat to South Africa at Loftus Versfeld last weekend. But the Pumas also put in their weakest performance of the tournament and they were destroyed by Savea, Jane and co in a 54-15 home loss to the All Blacks. The stats portray a painful night at the office. Even Lobbe, Albacete and Roncero only made a mere 13 successful tackles between them, compared to the 38 at home against South Africa.

But a nasty concussion to Adam Ashley Cooper and punctured lung to Berrick Barnes have depleted an already injury ravaged Australian squad and this hands the advantage back to the South American outfit. They join James Horwill, David Pocock, Will Genia, James O’Connor, Drew Mitchell and Quade Cooper on the side-lines and the pressure is very much on the remaining experienced members of Robbie Deans’ team. Ioane, Beale, Samo and, fourth choice, captain Sharpe will need to be at their inspirational best if the obliterated Australians are to salvage some pride in a disappointing defence of their 2011 Southern Hemisphere crown (and also possibly prevent Robbie Deans from losing his job).

Albacete, Lobbe, and Roncero, possibly playing in his last test match, will be quietly confident of victory when they run out together on Saturday and do not be surprised if the magic of Hernandez proves the difference in Rosario, which is, incidentally, the birthplace of fellow mavericks Che Guevara and Lionel Messi.

Follow me on Twitter: @AMP_Rugby