Bonus points will spell end of boring games, claims Mallett
NICK MALLETT believes the introduction of bonus points in the Six Nations will help avoid the “boring” matches that disfigured the start of last season’s championship.
Mallett, the former South Africa and Italy coach, says with bonus points for four tries and being within seven points or fewer when losing, he expects to see more tries and less negative rugby.
Mallett said: “Bonus points will encourage teams to score more points and also to keep battling for the whole match which brings more value to the spectator.
“The 2015 World Cup was a very good tournament played in pretty good weather in England and the rugby played by the teams that got to the end of the Cup was really good. There was lots of ball in hand and try scoring. When the Six Nations was played the weather had changed, the players had gone back to their clubs and been coached stodgy rugby with double shove scrums and lets kick to the corner. The whole pace of the game dropped by 30 per cent and the first couple of weekends of the Six Nations were disappointing.
“The rugby was boring. The weather did have an effect and I believe the bonus points system will encourage teams to play for the full 80 minutes. If you are a powerful side and get ahead by 12 points then it is possible to close down the game by just keeping possession and not even trying to score. Now, with bonus points, it will be bring real value to attacking play and provide an incentive to a losing team to narrow the gap.
“Take the last match of the Championship with Ireland at home to England. If England have one more bonus point that Ireland and both have won four games, suddenly, Ireland are thinking is the win enough? They won’t want England to get a losing bonus point.”
The RFU opted to give Stuart Lancaster the head coach role in 2012 instead of Mallett, who was part of a double act with New Zealand’s Wayne Smith.
Mallett acknowledged the work Lancaster did during his tenure. He explained: “England finished second four years in a row under Lancaster, but they couldn’t take that step to become the No1 team. More than anything it is an attitude thing.”
Mallett will be keeping a close eye on Italy and is keen to see what effect fellow South African Brendan Venter has on the Azzuri defence.
Venter has been appointed as defence coach by Conor O’Shea, the new head coach, and Mallett said: “It is not only Brendan’s technical ability, it is also the way he creates a family atmosphere. We saw that while he was with Saracens. Their defence has become a bench mark in the game.”