The 15th Man
I wouldn’t exactly say it’s underestimated but it’s seldom discussed how integral the fullback position is to specific teams attacks. If you’ve ever played 10 then you’ll know how important your 15 is to bringing out the best in both you and your team’s attack. Seen as little more than the last line of defence, when we talk attacking 15’s people naturally gravitate to looking at kick returns or acting as a 2nd distributor role but...
The Red Rose Broken Social Club
Fans and pundits alike have rightly highlighted England Defence as a major concern. This week we’re going to look at some of the issues and potential corrections that we might implement if coaching the side. Welcome to The Red Rose Broken Social Club. There is no avoiding it, Englands defence has collapsed in the Six Nations. Very clearly their opening 30 minutes against both Scotland and Ireland have seen pretty spectacular...
Englands kicking Renaissance
One of the most misunderstood skills in Rugby is kicking, here we look at how England deploy kicking as an attacking weapon. OOn the one hand stats will tell you kicking is a strength for the best teams in the world and on the other, it’s often seen as a defensive measure for teams that can only play one way. The problem is that “the best teams kick more” statement is too often used as a reason to excuse poor kicking be it aimless or...
Talking Svns
Unlike the Men’s, the Women’s Sevens series is a much younger competition but since it’s full introduction during the 2012/13 season, the game and coaching has quickly professionalised leading to Women’s Svns unquestionably becoming an elite level sport. Australia and New Zealand who highly value Svns in their development pathway have adapted better than most, allowing them to pull away at the top of the pile and it’s no...
England’s Attacking Evolution
When Andy Farrell announced his coaching team for the British and Irish Lions tour, it’s likely very few would have seen the announcement of Richard Wigglesworth coming. Six Months ago, there were shoots starting to appear, but England’s attack never quite looked like an attack, more individual moments, and it was unclear how much any of this was really down to Wigglesworth. But the truth is, whilst defence remains a constant...
England vs New Zealand November 2024 the closest of losses.
What a series this turned out to be. Three of the tightest of games, the teams separated by a measly 10 points across all three matches. All three one-score games. The final game coming down to a missed drop goal. Actually, one penalty and a drop goal attempt but who’s counting (not me). A penalty missed by mere inches, and a drop goal missed due to composure under pressure. It’s easy to look at this as a simple mistake,...
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