Form is Foremost

There is so much debate about who will captain the Springboks in the upcoming test against the English that it’s starting to visibly age me. Forgive me for being of the old-school, but I believe that form is the first thing you look at when selecting a team.  We’re trying to win a rugby match, not start a political part.

If you were into politics you would chose a leader first and build the party around that leader. If you’re playing a sport, you pick the strongest team you can and then chose a leader from it. A captain plays a vital role in a rugby team, but having an average player who is a great captain is far more detrimental to success as having a great team with an average captain.

The sports cliché that I hate most in the world is “the captain, leading from the front…” while it is annoying as a phase it is very true. Players are inspired by other players, what you want from a captain is someone who will play their heart out and when you see them playing so hard, you are stirred to do the same. Having an older, more experienced, out of form captain may help with the decision-making part of the role but will it inspire the rest of the team on the field where it counts. Remember, the goal is to win.

A player who is chosen on form and given the job of captaincy will rise to the occasion. You don’t have to look hard to see that in action. Last year Josh Strauss was a no name with a very large beard who was given the role of captain for the Lions and has done a fantastic job. Eyebrows were raised when Keegan Daniel was appointed Sharks captain after Tubby-bum Smit left, but he’s done a great job, again, always in the thick of play and keeps a cool head.  The two most important characteristics of a captain are that they play well and don’t throw punches when provoked. If you pick your team on form, number one is taken care of.

Decision strategy can be taught, people have leadership in them, the parts are not as important as the whole. Pick a team on current form, the strongest team we can muster, and then pick a captain from that group.

The thrill of the chase

I, personally, am a fan of running rugby, ball in hand and moving it up the field. Kicking away possession causes a rather unflattering vein in my forehead to pulsate and expletives to flow from my lips. I do understand the need the need for gaining ground and booting the ball obviously has its place in the game. Last Friday night, however, said vein was doing the locomotion wearing leg warmers and making my ears ring. I was watching the Lions play the Brumbies and it was ugly. It wasn’t the score that had my blood doing the Kylie Minogue tribute cabaret; it was the lack of urgency in the player’s follow-ups.

My vein - less attractive than her's

One of the most beautiful plays in the game of rugby is the up-and-under, but there is an integral part of that move that was not present at Coca-Cola Park that night. It is the root of the dog’s obsession with balls, the hunter’s kill, the excitement of finding a potential mate; it is all about the chase. Kicking up field without a follow up is like eating a whole cake and then going on the spinning teacup ride at a fair, it may seem ok when you do it, but chances are it won’t end well.

A chase puts pressure on the receiving player; it cuts down their time to react and often forces a fumble from an otherwise well composed player. A rushed boot for touch that comes of the side of the foot, a blunder of a catch resulting in a knock on or sometimes an embarrassing panic induced slip, can all be triggered by simply following up. If it works one out of ten times it’s worth it. Just take a look at the Edinburgh Toulouse game, it was exactly the things mentioned above that won the game – fuck ups caused by follow ups – it’s pure rugby porn.

I know the term “possession is 9/10^ths of the law” is usually used in regards to drugs but it rings true in rugby too. You can’t score without the ball, it’s not rocket surgery. My message is this: don’t give away possession without a fight. If you kick, make sure someone from your team is there when it lands. If not for the obvious, then please, for my vascular health.