Missed one last week, due to unavoidable circumstances. Or maybe lack of thoughts in my head. So today I try and air my thoughts. A new team has been named to take part in the next two legs of the HSBC IRB Sevens Rugby Circuit. Forced by circumstances, or planned all along, we are now realising the need to have a system in place. Blaming unavailability of players as I have said before is a reflection of us all as a whole and our inability to produce quality players at all levels. Following various debates in various media, where people argue who was the best or the greatest this or that, makes me wonder is it based on that era, or covering all eras? Players today are fitter, stronger, maybe faster and better conditioned to handle collisions and contact. As coaches get smarter (and I'll get killed for this), things like defensive patterns have emerged in play which means teams are able to defend together better and leave less space. Space for what? How did we measure these best players? Ability to use space, ability to create space, or ability to deny space? But I digress.
New Zealand have lost 5 of their starting 7 players to the Super Rugby competition. Good? Or bad? For me bad as we will see 5 fresh unknown people, suddenly given the opportunity to show what they have worked on for ages, on the international scene. Such a thing happened to us, and it was still bad. For different reasons though. Our fresh unknown people, in the words of the coach, let us down? They let us down or we let them down?
In as much as we are closer to the Southern Hemishphere rugby teams and we tend to follow their rugby more, I feel we should not follow their development systems or structures or programs. We have done that for ten or so years and what do we have to show? A multitude or explosion of players who have no clue what they are doing. Other than whining and bitching, methinks it is time we did something ourselves. And I'm no believer in revolutions, but evolutions. What am I talking about?
If the clubs are the bedrock of rugby in this country, and the union has failed to give even the most basic support for the clubs, i.e. by getting a sponsor for the premier league in the country, then clubs have to determine their own destiny. Since the clubs already have to find their own money, they now have to build their own players. Personally I think it is a shame for a player to be selected from a club for the national team and for him to be dismally exposed as having to skill and quickly dropped from the side. If the clubs provide quality training and quality players to the national team, half our problem is solved.... but those are only my thoughts.
Do have a good rest of the week.
2 Comments:
Thats true. Why we pretend to be like SA and NZ talking about 'Provincial sides' is a joke.
lol true, if the core clubs are let to slide into oblivion, there will be no rugby here, if players are not being produced with the right skill level to progress, then the national team coaches need to visit clubs and provide tips / skills / knowledge e.t.c because they are the ones who will eventually benefit, never been a fan of the super series concept, it doesnt add any value and doesnt apply here (in kenya)!
Post a Comment