Every Picture

[Ricardowensleydale]

What does this picture tell you about the modern game?

 

[Phil E]

No balls?

 

[Drift]

That George North goes around stealing things off pensioners?

 

[DrSTU]

It tells me that as the population number increases and the popularity of a sport increases the number of genetic outliers within a subpopulation increases.

Don't fool yourself to think that if North had been around in the 70s and 80s Wales wouldn't have loved to have him in their centres.

 

[didds]

or 2nd row.

Is it one of those trick vision things where Phil Bennet is actually standing 6 feet behind North, on a sloping floor and the camera angle just makes it look as if there hands are touching?


didds

 

[4eyesbetter]

The modern player is always ready for a photo opportunity and therefore carries a box around everywhere with him to stand on.

 

[Ricardowensleydale]

It tells me that as the population number increases and the popularity of a sport increases the number of genetic outliers within a subpopulation increases.

Don't fool yourself to think that if North had been around in the 70s and 80s Wales wouldn't have loved to have him in their centres.

If George North had been around in the 70s and 80 do you think he would have been playing on the wing or even in the backs?

 

[Dickie E]

Groggs are like arseholes - everyone's got one (or two)

 

[OB..]

or 2nd row.

Is it one of those trick vision things where Phil Bennet is actually standing 6 feet behind North, on a sloping floor and the camera angle just makes it look as if there hands are touching?


didds

An Ames room.

 

[Ian_Cook]

If George North had been around in the 70s and 80 do you think he would have been playing on the wing or even in the backs?

As Colin Meads said in 1995 when asked about Jonah Lomu.... "I've seen a lot people like him on the Rugby field, but they weren't playing on the wing!"

 

[Skids]

What does this picture tell you about the modern game?

View attachment 2016

That today's players have no class. A gentleman wears a suit & tie for a photo op! Like young Mr Bennet there.

 

[Bryan]

It tells me that as the population number increases and the popularity of a sport increases the number of genetic outliers within a subpopulation increases.

Don't fool yourself to think that if North had been around in the 70s and 80s Wales wouldn't have loved to have him in their centres.

I'm with Stu on this, and I think most folks are forgetting that there is still room in rugby for the fast small guys even at the pro level (Shane Williams is the first player that comes to mind). There are certainly positions these days that demand the physical attributes of a monster (LHP or 2nd row, for example) but the science of sports conditioning has lead to bigger athletes in a LOT of major sports (ice hockey, pro football) where size, speed, power, and strength are being developed and advanced.

What's also noteworthy is that the age at which these players are beginning to have access to HP conditioning is decreasing; look at some of the stats of the U20 JWCs last year when it comes to player size and weight, and these guys would blow out of the water the senior players from the 1995 WC.

 

[Taff]

It tells me that as the population number increases and the popularity of a sport increases the number of genetic outliers within a subpopulation increases.

You may find THIS article from the BBC website interesting.

 

[DrSTU]

That was good. I'd like to see more stats than that though. What about average/top speed of the players, acceleration, avergage distance covered in a game. I'd wager that they have all gone up as well. Maybe with all these big lads in the game now we should go back to a ball that weighs 5Kg?

You may find THIS article from the BBC website interesting.

 

[Ricardowensleydale]

That was good. I'd like to see more stats than that though. What about average/top speed of the players, acceleration, avergage distance covered in a game. I'd wager that they have all gone up as well. Maybe with all these big lads in the game now we should go back to a ball that weighs 5Kg?

.


I'd also like to see average number of line breaks per game, average number of tactical kicks, ratio of time spent in the middle 1/3 of the pitch/time in 22s,
Average distance covered carrying the ball against chasing kicks.

With my rose coloured spectacles (dementia impaired memory) I remember a much more fluid and exciting game.

 

[bignij]

Would Gareth Edwards have scored his 'greatest try ever' in an equivalent game today?
Having just watched the clip again, no, because the play would have been stopped for at least one high tackle. That aside. I still think he, or several of the participants, would have been stopped very early in the play.

 

[didds]

maybe the ref would have played advantage?

Mind you, he would have pinged Gravell's "scoring pass" for forward!

didds

 

[SimonSmith]

Just as well it was Tom David to Quinnell to GOE then!!

 

[didds]

bah! I meant Quinnell not Gravell! honest!


0:58 in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwCbG4I0QyA

didds

 

[scrumpox2]

.


I'd also like to see average number of line breaks per game, average number of tactical kicks, ratio of time spent in the middle 1/3 of the pitch/time in 22s,
Average distance covered carrying the ball against chasing kicks.

With my rose coloured spectacles (dementia impaired memory) I remember a much more fluid and exciting game.

Well, you take those rose coloured spectacles and watch some recordings of games from the 60's, 70's and 80's ... and not just the potted highlights. I'd wager you won't find it more fluid (can the same excitement possibly be generated when you know the score/context???)

Today's players are more skilled and more athletic. The spectacle of watching precision lifted line out play blows the old cheat-filled lottery out of the water. Scrums today are a mess, but they weren't much better really...

The great games are still the great games ... but they were few and far between. I often watch today's U20's rugby and think it's comparable with the old 5 Nations matches from the 70's and 80's. Different ages, different game.

Just one example - the "classic" Scotland v Wales match in 1971 - Gerald Davies' try from a lineout after which John Taylor knocked over the conversion to win it. Does anybody think a winger would score that try from that backs move today, I mean at a level above U16? The general skill levels in that game were shockingly poor by today's standards.