The Andy Farrell Question
What sporting organization would splash out £500,000 on a player and then not have a clue as to what they should do with him? Only the Rugby Football Union whose dealings with its clubs, its coaches and the players it signs from Rugby League would appear to be chaotic and confused. Argument and controversy reign over which position in the Union code would appear best suited to the talents of the 13-a-side code's international skipper, Andy Farrell - flanker or centre. And, quite frankly, many of the arguments and technical detail being advanced by the pundits for one position or the other only confirm my long held opinion that Rugby Union's Home Nations' national coaches haven't an idea on what they should do to get the best out of their converts, be it Andy Farrell, Henry Paul, or Iestyn Harris.
In any rugby team, be it League or Union, the best players in the team must touch the ball more times than anyone else if it wants to win. The men who can pass, run, and kick effortlessly and who have an instinctive rugby brain must be central to a team's game plans. Hence, any fool can see that an Andy Farrell scrambling around on the floor and fighting for the ball can hardly enhance the attacking options of a Saracens or England team. Jumping for the ball in a line out, pushing on the side of a scrum, and then releasing the ball to players behind him who have not got half the footballing flair of the former Wigan player is hardly good sense. Surely he should be fielded at inside centre where all his skills can be pivotal to the attack or defence of the side.
Is not, though, the selection mayhem and coaching dilemma currently surrounding Andy Farrell no more than was exhibited by both England and Wales when trying to teach Henry Paul and Iestyn Harris to come to terms with Rugby Union? Both were played in many different positions, both were told to run down particular channels on the field, and both were instructed as to what they should do in any given situation on a pitch. Crazy when you are dealing with immensely gifted, talented players whose instincts should have been given full rein and whose skills should have been allowed to develop naturally when any observant coach could see what they had to offer.
In a similar situation when transferring from from Union to League two of the most talented stand offs in the history of Welsh rugby, David Watkins and Jonathan Davies, often found the fullback position in League to be the key position from which they could use the space afforded to display their many running and handling skills. In my own playing days with the St.Helens RL club, former Aberavon and Wales Fullback Kel Coslett found that his talents were best suited to the loose forward position and led the Saints to Cup and Championship glory. League coaches assessed their talents, considered how the talents would be best suited to the code and, accordingly, slotted them in the position that would allow the players to reveal them.
In Rugby Union no one seems to have any idea what to do with the players who switch codes. The coaches attempt to bamboozle the public and the inexperienced convert with technical jargon instead of allowing the player to develop naturally within the game itself. What price ex Leeds Rhinos' Chev Walker packing down at prop? After all, he is a big lad. Former Bradford Bulls' threequarter, Karl Pryce, stands tall at 6'5" and weighs in at 17 stones plus. Give him a chance in the second row? It's laughable. Yes, the Rugby union and its clubs spend up to a million pounds on captures from League in a year and they don't know how to get the best use out of their converts when they have them.
Ray French
What sporting organization would splash out £500,000 on a player and then not have a clue as to what they should do with him? Only the Rugby Football Union whose dealings with its clubs, its coaches and the players it signs from Rugby League would appear to be chaotic and confused. Argument and controversy reign over which position in the Union code would appear best suited to the talents of the 13-
In any rugby team, be it League or Union, the best players in the team must touch the ball more times than anyone else if it wants to win. The men who can pass, run, and kick effortlessly and who have an instinctive rugby brain must be central to a team's game plans. Hence, any fool can see that an Andy Farrell scrambling around on the floor and fighting for the ball can hardly enhance the attacking options of a Saracens or England team. Jumping for the ball in a line out, pushing on the side of a scrum, and then releasing the ball to players behind him who have not got half the footballing flair of the former Wigan player is hardly good sense. Surely he should be fielded at inside centre where all his skills can be pivotal to the attack or defence of the side.
Is not, though, the selection mayhem and coaching dilemma currently surrounding Andy Farrell no more than was exhibited by both England and Wales when trying to teach Henry Paul and Iestyn Harris to come to terms with Rugby Union? Both were played in many different positions, both were told to run down particular channels on the field, and both were instructed as to what they should do in any given situation on a pitch. Crazy when you are dealing with immensely gifted, talented players whose instincts should have been given full rein and whose skills should have been allowed to develop naturally when any observant coach could see what they had to offer.
In a similar situation when transferring from from Union to League two of the most talented stand offs in the history of Welsh rugby, David Watkins and Jonathan Davies, often found the fullback position in League to be the key position from which they could use the space afforded to display their many running and handling skills. In my own playing days with the St.Helens RL club, former Aberavon and Wales Fullback Kel Coslett found that his talents were best suited to the loose forward position and led the Saints to Cup and Championship glory. League coaches assessed their talents, considered how the talents would be best suited to the code and, accordingly, slotted them in the position that would allow the players to reveal them.
In Rugby Union no one seems to have any idea what to do with the players who switch codes. The coaches attempt to bamboozle the public and the inexperienced convert with technical jargon instead of allowing the player to develop naturally within the game itself. What price ex Leeds Rhinos' Chev Walker packing down at prop? After all, he is a big lad. Former Bradford Bulls' threequarter, Karl Pryce, stands tall at 6'5" and weighs in at 17 stones plus. Give him a chance in the second row? It's laughable. Yes, the Rugby union and its clubs spend up to a million pounds on captures from League in a year and they don't know how to get the best use out of their converts when they have them.
Ray French