Even when they fail, England’s cricketers captivate the attention of everyone. Their one-run second Test loss in New Zealand after enforcing the follow-on is solely the most recent compelling illustration of their determination, win or lose, to make things happen. How refreshing it is to see international athletes perform without fear, relying on their instincts, and, whenever possible, enjoying themselves.
In rugby union, the same is currently true of Finn Russell and the injured Ange Capuozzo, but not for a large number of other players. As evidenced by the Wales-England match in Cardiff last weekend, conventional wisdom holds that moving the ball within one’s half is generally a fool’s errand. Stick it in the air, as both sides did repeatedly, and perhaps something will occur. It was neither ambitious nor revolutionary.
To be explicit, this does not mean that all kicking is undesirable. If done well, it can be an art form. A lot can sometimes hinge on your perspective.
This is one of the reasons why the opinions of spectators and participants can frequently diverge significantly.
Certainly, ticket buyers desire a greater value for their inflated dollar.
But, as those of us fortunate enough to hear Kyle Sinckler’s post-match comments in Cardiff on Saturday night were once again reminded, rugby is fundamentally still a players’ sport. If it is cold or wet, or if you need the victory more than anything else in the universe, then the ends justify the means.
When you want to be the greatest in the world, however, things change. Ultimately, you must aspire a little higher. It won’t be enough to merely imitate what everyone else is doing. Imagine if famous innovators such as Galileo, Newton, and Faraday had adhered to the conventional script. There is a fine line between adhering to the tried-and-true and remaining in the stone period.
It is not necessarily an insult to imply that a great deal of rugby thinking is still formulaic. Attempting to maintain 23 people on the same wavelength simultaneously will always require some structure and organization. There isn’t much new under the sun either.
Too frequently, however, this can foster a small-c conservatism and an increasing aversion to risk and ambition. Other factors are obviously at play in Welsh rugby at the moment, but their inability to vary their attack against England at times was almost painful.
If you want to defeat the English rugby team, leathering the ball endlessly into the air towards Freddie Steward, their aerially dominant fullback, is not the ideal strategy. Where was the deception, the unexpected, the choreography, or the variety?
England displayed a similar lack of cunning
On occasion, England displayed a similar lack of cunning. The first and third tries scored by the visitors were extremely well-executed, but upon closer inspection, it was evident that there were numerous additional opportunities.
On Saturday, it didn’t matter. If England wants to unsettle France and Ireland, they must acknowledge that the greatest teams in the world are those who can find the optimal balance between risk and reward.
Ireland was a formidable opponent under Joe Schmidt’s meticulous coaching, but they have risen to a new level since putting more faith in wingers Mack Hansen and James Lowe, who, along with the outstanding Hugo Keenan at full-back, have a footballer’s instinct for timing and attacking space.
Kieran Crowley of Italy used the term “finesse” to accurately characterize the difference between the two sides in Rome. Scotland – and how excellent was the elusive Huw Jones in Paris? – are similarly aware of the direction the game is headed.
The Scots are benefiting from taking the strategic high road, even if Russell occasionally overplayed his hand. If everything holds at the World Cup this fall, their well-stocked pool will be in complete disarray.
This brings us back to England.
In Cardiff, they arguably fielded two of the greatest offensive talents of their generation. Neither was granted more than 15 seconds off the bench.
If England’s cricketing head coach Brendon McCullum were coaching rugby – and he was good enough as an 18-year-old to be selected ahead of Dan Carter at fly-half for the South Island Secondary Schools side – you have a strong suspicion that both Henry Arundell and Marcus Smith would start for England sooner rather than later.
As the Test in Wellington demonstrated, ambition must be accompanied by execution. Russell would have preferred not to have allowed France’s Thomas Ramos to score a crucial interception try last weekend.
It is hoped, however, that the occasional error in judgment will not prevent him and others from taking a calculated spin on the roulette wheel the next time it seems appropriate to do so. He who dares does not always win, but in sports, the loser is rare.
