Pundit hits out at Six Nations standard
A KIWI rugby writer has slammed the standard of the 2021 Six Nations Championship and claimed New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa is far better quality.
Campbell Burnes, in an article for Rugby Pass, said the skill level of New Zealand’s premier domestic competition “leaves the Six Nations for dead”.
And he described Saturday’s England v France encounter, which was widely lauded as an outstanding modern Test match, as “Neanderthal rugby straight out of the 1950s”.
Burnes watched all three of this weekend’s Six Nations games, including Wales’ demolition of Italy in Rome, and was far from impressed.
He wrote: “Super Rugby Aotearoa is frothy, bubbly and often loose, though the officiating can be a bit dusty, as it was last weekend. But the skill level, the passing and handling of the backs, in particular, leave the Six Nations for dead.
“I can hear the gnashing of teeth out of the north now, crying that I’m not comparing apples with apples, Test footy versus franchise footy. Yet a bad pass to the shoulder is a bad pass, a dropped ball is a dropped ball whatever level of the game you are looking at.
“The fourth round of the Six Nations is often pivotal. So it proved again. But the Six Nations is missing something, not just the crowds from which the players can feed off. The rugby is missing some verve, imagination, changes of angle, a liberal mindset.”
Turning his attention to Sunday’s Scotland v Ireland game, he complained about the amount of kicking on show and the frustration of watching players dropping simple balls and making poor passes.
“Not as frustrating as the England-france encounter at Twickers. Billed as Le Crunch, it turned into Le Letdown. And yet the drama and energy levels were high in the first stanza,” he added.
“That early promise degenerated into an extended session of forceback, and a poor game of forceback at that. If only there had been a crowd to boo with gusto.
“England’s 23-20 win was hardearned and critical to the standings, but many viewers would have been thankful for the final whistle. That second 40 was Neanderthal rugby straight out of the 1950s.
“Super Rugby Aotearoa, by contrast, is being played in front of decent crowds... the skill level is demonstrably higher, and that does not just mean the forwards can throw a pass or pick a ball off their bootlaces.”
BRENTFORD teenager Fin Stevens has joined the Wales Under-21 set-up ahead of their friendly against the Republic of Ireland.
Brighton-born Stevens, a 17-year-old Arsenal Academy product, has made three senior appearances in cup competitions and was on the bench for Brentford’s Sky Bet Championship win at Blackburn last Friday.
“I’ve watched him many times for the Brentford B team and he’s been impressive,” Wales U21 manager Paul Bodin said of Stevens, who has Cardiff roots.
“We were alerted to his availability and anyone who performs at their clubs will hopefully catch our eye.
“Fin was open arms to coming in and he’s delighted that he’s in the Under-21 because he could have gone into a younger group.
“He’s a talented footballer and considers rightback to be his favoured position, as I do, but Brentford have played him in centre midfield on a number of occasions.
“We’ve got a lot of newcomers in the group so this camp is all about integration and getting across our principles as much as we can. The Irish have a tremendous age group system so it will be a great test.”
Bodin has named 11 uncapped players in a newlook U21 squad for the Republic friendly at Wrexham’s Colliers Park on March 26.
Among the squad are Niall Huggins, Sam Pearson and Rubin Colwill, who have recently made respective first-team debuts for Leeds, Bristol City and Cardiff.
The match will be an opportunity for Bodin to prepare his side for the upcoming Euro 2023 qualifying round which starts in June. Wales have been drawn alongside the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Moldova and Gibraltar in Group E. Squad: L Webb( Swansea ), DB arden( Norwich ), N She pp erd(B rent ford ), B Cooper( Swansea ), B Sass-davies (Yeovil, on loan from Crewe), R Astley (Everton), M Boy es( Liverpool ), E Jones( Stoke ), O Beck( Liverpool ), F Stevens (Brentford), N Huggins (Leeds ), T Taylor( Burton ), L Collins( Newport ), S Bowen( Cardiff ), SS pence( C Palace ), SPears on (Bristol City), J Adams (Grimsby, on loan from Brentford), L Jephcott (Plymouth), C Norton (Stoke), R col will( cardiff ), r hughes( eve rt on),jva le (Rochdale, on loan from Blackburn), R Stirk (Birmingham).