LieweHexie says...

Pogmahon

You missed my point about the foreign players in the Premiership........they clearly raise the standard, which doesn't leave much when you strip the league of their talent. Ireland, on the other hand, with far fewer players to call on, do a good job of mixing a smaller number of imports with their own players in the regional teams. They also have the advantage of having the vast majority of their national squad in just two teams, Leinster and Munster, which promotes greater cohesion, as combinations can be developed more easily in match situations.You reinforce that very same point in naming at least three pairs of locks.

The Premiership is an amalgam of Argentinian, French, Italian, Pacific Island, South African, New Zealand and Australian talent (that's where the enterprise comes from), with a handful of locals to fill in the gaps; where's your team building in that lot?

As for the Premiership being the best league competition in the world......well that's just laughable!

Posted 05:24 17th March 2010

LieweHexie says...

Pogmahon

The standard of play in the Premiership is not bad and the enterprise shown is way in excess of that on display in the Tests.You are right about the fear factor though; it's especially evident in the England squad.

Another problem may well lie in the fact that so many of the more prominent players in the Premiership are not locals.....they are paid professionals from the southern hemisphere, and they not available to any of the home unions at test level. Collectively they are taking up many spots that could be occupied by promising youngsters.

It's the same in county cricket, though England have somehow managed to wangle five South Africans into their Test Match set-up and there are more on the horizon!

Posted 22:22 15th March 2010

kije says...

No Liewe, fiddling with the points system won't work, it will just move the blockage to another place. The recent moves by referees in the Southern Hemisphere intepreting the tackle area is a good step forward and appears to be working loosening up the defence.

But, the problem at international level is the fear of losing exceeding the desire to win, that's all. The don't lose mentality is evidence of lack of confidence, lack of imagination and lack of belief which will defeat any team esepecially at international level where the margins are close.

Whatever points system you have the team frightened of losing will cripple their game and maybe the match, but they will also generally lose.

Posted 12:00 15th March 2010

benski says...

I agree, the bonus point system as adopted by the Super 14 and Tri Nations is far superior to the current system. Bring it on.

Posted 11:38 15th March 2010

LieweHexie says...

The England/ Scotland game......what a sterile, boring affair! The only interest in the match lay in who would win it.......and neither team could contrive to achieve that!!

The whole Six Nations tournament has progressed along the same lines. Most teams appear to be playing to avoid a loss. Only the French have been able to show flair and lift themselves above mediocrity. Even Ireland have lacked real verve. After the great rugby produced by the Lions in South Africa, what has happened to the skill and artistry displayed there?

Is it not time to fiddle with the points system in an attempt to reward enterprising play? Perhaps a bonus point for 4 tries in a match and another for losing by 7 or less points, like the system adopted by the Tri Nations tournament.

The losing side has more reason to stay in the game, whilst the winners would go all out to gain the 4 try bonus point. Teams behind by more than 7 points would do better by kicking for an attacking lineout rather than going for another boring pot at the posts. Some sense of satisfaction will be found in eaking out a losing bonus point and teams will not sit there with 0 points at the end of a season of endeavour.

England could be sitting there this week contemplating the possibility of scoring four tries against France and taking three points from the game? As it is they won't have scored four tries in the whole tournament!

So, it's time to abandon tradition and come up with a points system that will reward risk taking and bring back the enthusiasm to WIN.

Posted 07:23 15th March 2010