Events of these past few weeks and in general this year have left me wondering one major thing. Are we headed in the right direction? As much as I'm a fifteen a side rugby die hard, one cannot escape the reality that the seven a side version is a real spectator spectacle. With the sheer speed and athleticism displayed, and the lack of slow rolling mauls and the likes, it is just what the casual spectator paid for. That there is so much space on the pitch and such few people also makes the infringements relatively few and far apart, making for a fast flowing specatacle. Maybe the ELV's looked at this aspect, in terms of making the game more spectator friendly but the question in my mind is are we turning the fifteens game into sevens or vice versa?
The performance of Mwamba in the circuit has left many speechless at the least. That they are so far ahead of everyone in this version says a lot for the individual abilities of the players, in particular their main playmakers. It makes me wonder if sevens is a team sport or an individual game. Names like David Campese, Eric Rush, Waisale Serevi, Amasio Valence, William Ryder, and closer home, Sammy Khakame and Lavin Asego come to mind. These players could single handedly win a sevens match for a team. Can the same be said of the fifteen a side code? Of course there are the Jonah Lomus, Johnny Wilkinsons and Dan Carters, but how decisive is their influence? Is it interesting that Mwamba are not as dominant in the longer game as they are in the short one? Is it a case like Fiji? Let us for a second contrast this with New Zealand, dominant in both codes. I really can't tell. However, it seems pretty clear that sevens is good for developing individual talent and skill, whereas you cannot survive the fifteens code without depending on your team mates. And that should be the way to go. For ten years we have concentrated on sevens without thinking through the progression to the fifteens code and for this we are struggling. Here I will raise some hackles. Contrast Uganda and Quins. Uganda have abandoned the sevens path and are concentrating on the fifteens. Their 7's now sucks. Same for Quins.
Have a good week.
9 comments:
Mwamba has a great number of brilliant seven aside players three of whom stand out, i.e Humphrey khayange, Collins Injera and Lavin Asego. That their individual skills are world class is without doubt. That they can single handedly influence the outcome of a game cannot be disputed.
However like it or not sevens is a team sport and not an individual sport. “Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximize his or her strengths and minimize his or her weaknesses”. In sevens, team dynamics are and will always be more important than individual skills though important as well. It is not so much the ingredients that make up a good meal but it’s in their combination through cooking. It is in a good team where players can thrive and display their outstanding skills.
If Lavin is in team where no one can catch his astonishingly long accurate passes then he cannot shine. If no one can anticipate his line breaking silky goosesteps and take the pass in the gaps created, then be becomes ordinary. If no one can receive ball from Khayange when he sucks in two defenders and releases on the tackle then he becomes a liability. If the team cannot release Injera into one on one situations where he can then round the opposition and gain yardage and or score tries then he becomes just “another” player.
A team that can utilize the strengths of the individual talents of its players to exploit the spaces that “can be “created in sevens will always be a great attacking force.
Mwamba has developed amazing sevens players, a good team structure and has employed great tactics which have enabled the team to exploit the talents available and dominate the circuit so far.
What remains to be seen is how they will cope without their key players in the Christie and kabeberi sevens. Though mightily handicapped I predict they will still put up a good show on account of the excellent sevens structure and tactics displayed so far and win the series overall title.
Ur comments suggest u have not been following the matches keenly. As much as 7's is team play, Mwamba have not shown any sign of team play. All their tries r as a result of individual brilliance.
U want 2 talk of team work? U should b talkng of Strathmore! Ur comments perfectly describe the students play.
The main purpose entering into any competition is to try to win it outright or develop a team to win in the future. I believe all teams in the circuit are trying to win the title.. You suggest team play is not important and does not lead to victory. And that, what’s required is two or three players with brilliant individual skills to win the circuit.
If your train of thought is followed, then like Strathmore and Nakuru should change the tactics they have employed so far, quit team play and aim to develop the skills of two or three of their players and then wait for these players to individually win the circuit for them.
I beg to differ. Strathmore and Nakuru have stepped up their games and developed a great squad. Team play has got them this far. All that remains is to fine tune the teams to exploit and bring into play the great players in their teams. The team has to be shaped and engineered towards bringing into play their best finishers in positions where they can showcase their individual talent for the benefit of the team. This is what Mwamba has managed to achieve, and is what separates these great teams. With the loss of key members of the Mwamba team, Strathmore the next best “team” will without doubt greatly benefit in the remaining tournaments.
I will refer you again to the definition of a team. “Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximize his or her strengths and minimize his or her weaknesses” And if only three Mwamba players are demolishing all teams in the circuit, then the quality of the other teams of seven players is truly bogus and casts serious questions as to the quality of all the other players in the circuit. Although your argument might suggest this, but I believe that it is not the case.
A great team won the prinsloo and driftwoods. Not three individuals.
Mwamba need to work on their forwards, then they will be a great fifteen a side team as well.
Interesting comments. Of course 7's is a team sport. Of course there is teamwork involved. Of course you need your team mates. Perhaps I ramble too much. I was just saying you need that special player(s) to make all the difference, or else Strathmore would not have got that hiding in Mombasa! You cannot stop playing sevens to develop your players. What I meant was use 7's to develop your players but for the 15's game, not vice versa like we seem to be doing! Our end game should not be being good in sevens, but good in both. Regular readers of this blog know I despise the way the fifteens team is handled, like they don't matter. But actually that is what matters in terms of global rankings, etc.
I see ur point, u r a die hard Mwamba fan. I dnt dispute that they deserved 2 win the 1st two tournaments, or ur defination of a Team. Ur allegation that they displayed great team work is what i don't agree with. Most of their tries r scored on 1st phase or off oponents mistakes. 3 individuals! That is a fact.
Strathmore may not have won, bt they did display great team work. That is another fact.
This is turning out to be the classical chicken or the egg question. Now twisted to, individual or the team.
Maybe newspapers should reprint corrections to their headlines that stated that Mwamba won the prinsloo and driftwoods to:
Three individual players defy shocking astronomical odds and and beat all kenyan clubs and the ugandan national side "who all played in teams of seven players and four subs against the three players".
Again u miss the point... I rest my case...
If i may interject in between the ego fight... I agree Mwamba shown some team work, bt credit goes 2 the university Lads. They are above all when it comes to work rate, discipline & yes Teamwork. Kudos 2 Mitch.
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