Rugby appears, on the surface, to be a complex game. The ball remains in play through the tackle phase – unlike in rugby league – demanding a lot of on-the-fly adjustment to both attacking and defensive lines. Herein lies both opportunity and threat for the respective teams. In fact, the game is actually a collection of very simple tasks and, if the simple tasks are performed accurately, they fit together like clockwork.
After the Reds’ impressive win on Saturday night I sent a text message to Jim Mackay. I have been a sort of mentor to Jim, since he began his coaching career in the UK about 15 years ago. He works very hard on self-improvement, and I admire him for it. “Congrats”, I said, “Fundamentals of the Reds’ game continue to improve. Full marks to coaches. Well done.” His reply confirmed my high opinion of him. “Thanks Bob. A few more loops and second touches starting to come in now.” The simplicities of the game add to make the seeming complexities.
Among other games on the weekend, I saw the Waratahs versus Blues and the Reds versus Bulls. On paper, I pondered, the two Australian teams look about equal in strength, each with around ten Wallabies. Both were playing against quality sides – the Bulls being current champions, though not in the best of form, while the Blues are in good form, near the top of the table. What a difference in performance, though, between the two.
This brings me, at last, to a significant, fundamental difference between the teams. The Reds are playing with massive enthusiasm, while the Waratahs have none at all. I wrote last week of the massive amount of walking seen in the Waratahs’ game — and it was the same this week. Players who had been on the field for only five or ten minutes were walking, even when looking at the chance for a last-minute try and two, massively important bonus points. There is no apparent enthusiasm for the game at all! Why are they playing the game at all, these sluggards? No walking for the Reds, though. They attacked each and every task like hungry piranha.
A most valuable commodity, enthusiasm, and not only for rugby teams either! Enthusiasm is a quality that makes most outcomes possible. It brings with it a curiosity, a thirst for knowledge, a quest for adventure, a desire for competition — indeed, a love of life. How to get, then; that is the question.
It’s contagious, for a start, so, if you get some enthusiasm, you will finish with heaps. Further, in my experience, most people want to be successful. They want to be winners. Nobody has ever told me that they want to fail! If you, the coach, help them to be better rugby players, you are on your way. Quality, organised, appropriate practice sessions, conducted with enthusiasm, will generate enthusiasm in return. Once your sessions deliver on-field results, the individual’s desire for success becomes an expectation of success – and he understands that you can contribute. We’re now firing on all cylinders!
Accuracy in execution is growing at the Reds. Poor execution remains the hallmark of the Waratahs’ performances. The Reds began the season with both Will Genia and Quade Cooper under-performing. This was influenced to some degree by a lack of front-foot ball, but the biggest problem was absence of the fundamentals required for their respective positions. Genia was slow to the ball, slow to deliver, too upright over the ball. Cooper was tucked in behind the forwards, running across field, always looking for the big play.
All of that has changed. Genia’s distribution is better than it has ever been. He is always on the ball, passing from the ground and accurately, and his footwork makes all of his options possible — pass, run, run-and-pass, kick. Cooper’s positional play is now excellent. His alignment and realignment – and his communication – make Genia’s job so much easier and give opportunity to those outside him. The Reds’ support play is accurate, as evidenced by the continued excellent form of Beau Robinson – undoubtedly the form No. 7 in Australian rugby. When your players know that you are all heading in the right direction, they just can’t wait to play, and they never want the game to end.
Compare this performance and these specifics with the Waratahs. Perhaps they were fooled by their win the previous weekend over the Force, but it is always a mistake to think that the scoreboard is a measure of performance. Performance and result can be poles apart!
I said last week that Luke Burgess is devoid of all of the fundamentals of quality scrum-half play. He hasn’t improved any over the week. Kurtley Beale, great rugby player that he is, is likewise devoid of all of the fundamentals of quality fly-half play. Just what does catching the ball, standing still and throwing loopy passes do for your attack? Nothing – or certainly nothing good! That was pretty much Kurtley’s total contribution to the Waratahs’ attack from the set pieces.
Once again, we had the walking team on display. I’ll ask again: What place does walking have in the game? As I said above, even when the team should have been desperate for a score, delay and indecision were all that we saw. Accurate support play is non-existent at the Waratahs. I’d hazard a guess that they never practise it properly, if at all. Support play constitutes about 95 per cent of all attacking play for each individual (the other 5 per cent is his time with the ball in hand). Poor body position in contact, no leg drive, no hammer, no off-loads, no quick recycle, inaccurate passing… this was the scorecard for the Waratahs.
All in all, it was a listless display, devoid of any semblance of urgency or leadership, devoid of any enthusiasm. If you don’t like rugby, go and play some other game.
