International rugby union is a poor spectacle and needs more emphasis on running the ball rather than kicking, All Blacks’ coach Graham Henry said yesterday.
The New Zealand coach’s comments come after Tri-Nations’ Tests this year have been largely decided by kicks.
South African flyhalf Morne Steyn has been the tournament’s most influential figure so far, kicking eight and then seven penalty goals to ensure victories over the All Blacks in Durban and Australia in Cape Town this month.
PHOTO: AP
“The product you’re looking at needs some attention, quite frankly. We, and the Australians, like to play a ball-in-hand type of rugby and enjoy playing the game,” Henry told reporters. “That’s part of the product and we think that’s important, so I guess the product’s not too great and that’s disappointing. I think we need to have some attention on that and the people who make the laws try and improve the product, and the people involved try to improve the product.”
Henry said there is an too much emphasis on kicking and the game has suffered as a result.
“I know there’s been a bit of an emphasis on kicking and sides not catching particularly well, and people are trying to exploit that,” he said. “We need to think outside the square about how we can change the game so it’s more enjoyable to play and better to watch.”
The International Rugby Board trialled experimental law variations (ELVs), but did not adopt them.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans said it was unsurprising that the removal of the ELV sanctions had resulted in more kicking.
“When you look back at the World Cup in 2007, it was always a possibility, particularly when you’ve got a side like South Africa, who are so able to play the game that way,” Deans said. “They essentially won the World Cup in 2007 without playing. There is a lot of kicking, but the kicking has improved as well. I think we’re missing the opportunity to keep people on their feet [at the breakdown]. If we do that, we’ll get the benefit of the laws the way they are currently.”
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) is considering reducing its pitch clock by two seconds to help players better adjust to the rules applied at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The proposal aims to shorten the pitch timer from 25 seconds to 23 seconds with the bases empty, and from 20 seconds to 18 seconds with runners on base. Currently, the WBC mandates that pitchers deliver a pitch every 18 seconds with the bases empty and 15 seconds with runners on base. The issue was raised during a pre-season CPBL managers’ meeting on Tuesday by Rakuten Monkeys bench and batting
‘SETTING THE TONE’: Donovan Mitchell said that their determination to dominate had nothing to do with past results, but was about a potential post-season clash The Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday boosted their NBA-best record with a 142-105 romp past the New York Knicks, tightening their grip on the Eastern Conference lead with an all-around dominant display. Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points to lead six Cavs players to score in double figures, connecting on five of seven three-pointers as Cleveland drilled 19 from beyond the arc. “I think the biggest thing was just try to set the tone early,” Mitchell said, adding that the determination to dominate had nothing to do with the Knicks’ first-round playoff win over the Cavs two seasons ago and everything to do with
BELGIANS ADVANCE: Club Brugge gave Atalanta a lesson in efficiency, as Gian Piero Gasperini’s team had 29 efforts at goal, compared with seven from the visitors Seldom has a player’s sending off had such an influence on a game. AC Milan was to left rue Theo Hernandez’s second yellow card — for diving — as Feyenoord advanced to the UEFA Champions League last 16 at the former European champion’s expense with a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their playoff on Tuesday, giving the Dutch team a 2-1 win on aggregate. Bayern Munich, Club Brugge and Benfica also won their playoffs, eliminating Celtic, UEFA Europa League winner Atalanta BC and French team AS Monaco respectively. “In soccer everything changes in a second,” said Milan forward
RSS