Change in tackle law has to be a priority
HUGH FARRELLY’S NOVEMBER TAKEAWAYS
IT WAS an intriguing opening weekend of November internationals, despite some lessthan-compelling backdrops. There was plenty of justified questioning of the true worth behind having Six Nations sides meet in friendlies, over England facing South Africa for the fourth time in four months and New Zealand playing another exhibition match in Japan. However, while financial gain was undoubtedly a factor, the fact the World Cup is now less than a year away meant these games carried significant value in preparation terms also, while the unsettling endgame in Twickenham should force World Rugby into taking drastic action…
CHANGE THE TACKLE LAW NOW
Danny Cipriani must be scratching his head. The Gloucester outhalf was sent off against Munster for a relatively innocuous tackle in Thomond Park and then watched England rival Owen Farrell remain on the pitch after an outrageously dangerous hit in Twickenham.
On the basis of zero tolerance towards tackles around the head, Cipriani’s red card was entirely justified, which makes the Farrell decision all the worse. It was a shocking tackle, a highly dangerous shoulder smash to the neck/ head with minimal use of arms and should have led to Farrell’s dismissal and a potential matchwinning kick for the Springboks. Instead, we have another incident spreading confusion, doubt and distrust — incorporating semantics about Farrell’s use of his arm, toxic defence of the ‘hard man’s game’ and cat-calls from other sports about the latest chink in rugby’s much-trumpeted values system.
There is a simple solution — bring in the chest-high tackle rule. Immediately. So what if coaches and players are forced to adjust at short notice in the middle of a November window? The only thing to factor in here is that the risk of serious head injury will be dramatically reduced as soon as this law comes in. So the sooner the better.
BOKS ARE TOOLING UP FOR THE BIG ONE
Ireland are flying, Joe Schmidt is hitting all the staging posts he needs to on the route to the World Cup, and yet…
The spectre of Rassie Erasmus is haunting Irish progress. It is hard to avoid the ‘High Noon’ sense of impending dread, with Ireland in the Gary Cooper role watching the clock tick down inexorably to when the Springbok train pulls in. That is scheduled to happen at the World Cup quarter-final in Chofu, Japan on October 20 next year and the twin concerns revolve around Ireland’s ability to maintain their current levels of excellence for another 11 months and South Africa’s capacity to improve.
They were pretty good in Twickenham on Saturday – dominating possession (59pc), territory (64pc), conceding fewer penalties (five to England’s 11) and leaving three, if not four, tries behind them. There is plenty to improve (not least in defence where there were 20 missed tackles) but Erasmus has big names to come back and is definitely on to something, with 11 months to get it right for a Chofu mugging. Train’s a-coming…
ALL BLACKS UNDER SCHMIDT’S MICROSCOPE
New Zealand were massively impressive in their 69-31 win over Japan in Tokyo…in attack. In defence, there are reasons for concern for coach Steve Hansen after the Japanese crossed for five tries. Some of those scores were extremely soft, rooted in Super Rugby and Rugby Championship competitions where it feels sometimes defence is optional within the mission statement of facilitating TV-friendly tries.
The line-up will be different for this month’s marquee Test against their closest challengers, Ireland, in two weeks’ time but there is still plenty there for Joe Schmidt to get his analytical teeth into, with England next to face the All Blacks next Saturday. He should also spend time on the increasingly dangerous Japanese, whose banana-skin potential in Ireland’s World Cup pool is increasing rapidly.
GATLAND IN THE LONG GRASS AGAIN
Plenty of talk about Ireland’s World Cup credentials, loads of chatter about where England are at and whether Eddie Jones is the man to get them where they need to go, but very little being said about Wales.
Saturday’s win over Scotland in Cardiff was not a game to thrill the senses or the soul but it did re-emphasise the quality at Warren Gatland’s disposal for Japan next year. Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jon Davies, Ken Owens, Alun-Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric represent a worldclass spine and they have a manageable draw next year (scheduled to face either England, France or Argentina in the quarters).
Gatland and his men are in the long grass and, as Ireland know too well from the 2011 World Cup, that is when they are at their most dangerous.