Captain Redundant?
Time was when a captain of any ambitious rugby union or rugby league team used to be a half back or a centre, players long supposed to be blessed with a tactical brain and with the ability to view his colleagues' needs with a wider and more analytical view. Men of the calibre of Union's Dickie Jeeps and Will Carling and League's Garry Schofield and Eric Ashton come quickly to mind as being backs who could step back from the intensity of a match and assess just what needed to be done to achieve victory. Not any more.
The likes of powerful scrummagers, Martin Johnson and Phil Vickery, have led the way up front for the England RU team while in the 13 a side code strong running front rowers, Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley, are continuing the trend of selecting a forward to be the captain. And all four have fully justified their elevation with their "follow me over the top" example and their strong calls to arms when needed. But what of the subtleties of captaincy and what of the deep thinking once needed to lead a body of men to success - qualities which tough, battle hardened forwards of both codes were once considered to lack? In an age when a mass of coaches, assistant coaches, dieticians, conditioners, and, in rugby league, even water bottle carriers, seem to express an opinion on tactics and styles of play, has the modern captain not become redundant? Are the tactics so deeply ingrained in every player before kick off by the large numbers of backroom staff that a forward is now the best man to set the physical and mental example for all by leading from the front?
Do we have real captain when, in accordance with the substitution or replacement rules in Union and League, he can be replaced during the match and perhaps play only 40/50 minutes while supposedly in charge? What is the job of a captain today when they are receiving instructions from the coaches at all times throughout the match and some even look for direction from the coach when they simply have to decide whether to take a shot at goal when a penalty is awarded? What price a captain when Terry Matterson, the coach of the Castleford Tigers RL club, has handed the job to two players for the 2008 Super League season?
Yes, time was when the captain outlined the tactics before kick off, when he stirred the spirit of all his men at half time with inspirational words and his ongoing assessment of the team's situation, and when he made the one decision to change the whole direction of a game. Not any more. When the referee's whistle blows look for the captain reaching in the back pocket of his shorts and pulling out a piece of paper on which his coach has written instructions to cope with every eventuality which might happen throughout the 80 minutes play. Fanciful? Possibly so, but if our coaches continue to take over the captain's job then he might as well be declared redundant.
Ray French (March 2008)
Time was when a captain of any ambitious rugby union or rugby league team used to be a half back or a centre, players long supposed to be blessed with a tactical brain and with the ability to view his colleagues' needs with a wider and more analytical view. Men of the calibre of Union's Dickie Jeeps and Will Carling and League's Garry Schofield and Eric Ashton come quickly to mind as being backs who could step back from the intensity of a match and assess just what needed to be done to achieve victory. Not any more.
The likes of powerful scrummagers, Martin Johnson and Phil Vickery, have led the way up front for the England RU team while in the 13 a side code strong running front rowers, Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley, are continuing the trend of selecting a forward to be the captain. And all four have fully justified their elevation with their "follow me over the top" example and their strong calls to arms when needed. But what of the subtleties of captaincy and what of the deep thinking once needed to lead a body of men to success -
Do we have real captain when, in accordance with the substitution or replacement rules in Union and League, he can be replaced during the match and perhaps play only 40/50 minutes while supposedly in charge? What is the job of a captain today when they are receiving instructions from the coaches at all times throughout the match and some even look for direction from the coach when they simply have to decide whether to take a shot at goal when a penalty is awarded? What price a captain when Terry Matterson, the coach of the Castleford Tigers RL club, has handed the job to two players for the 2008 Super League season?
Yes, time was when the captain outlined the tactics before kick off, when he stirred the spirit of all his men at half time with inspirational words and his ongoing assessment of the team's situation, and when he made the one decision to change the whole direction of a game. Not any more. When the referee's whistle blows look for the captain reaching in the back pocket of his shorts and pulling out a piece of paper on which his coach has written instructions to cope with every eventuality which might happen throughout the 80 minutes play. Fanciful? Possibly so, but if our coaches continue to take over the captain's job then he might as well be declared redundant.
Ray French (March 2008)