English rugby elite must forget fantasy and flex their muscles

One side that has always been all about power is Leicester, so it was no

surprise that they were crowned Premiership champions at the end of last

season.

That they also scored the highest number of tries during the regular season –

despite their perennial ‘boring’ tag – highlights the fact that once the

contact areas have been brutally owned and front-foot ball secured,

attacking becomes a very different proposition.

For proof, just think of England’s

victory against New

Zealand last autumn, and how ‘creative’ England suddenly appeared.

They had smashed the All Blacks physically first.

Consider two facts. First, only two players from last year’s Premiership –

Leicester’s Geoff Parling and Alex Corbisiero, then of London Irish but now

of Northampton – began the Lions’ third Test victory.

Secondly, no English team has won the Heineken Cup since 2007.

The two do not necessarily go hand-in-hand because Wales provided 10 starting

players in Sydney and no Welsh region or club has ever won the Heineken Cup,

but there must be some concern about the rugby being played in the

Premiership and the players being produced.

Yes, undoubtedly it is a wonderful competition. It is superbly marketed and

attracts healthy crowds, with throbbing atmospheres, especially at the

traditional rugby grounds.

It is also hugely competitive, with, apparently, an average winning margin of

just 11.1 points, which is closer than any other league in the world.

In fact, in 51 per cent of the matches the winning margin is seven points or

fewer, a good enough reason for the Television Match Official to be extended

to all matches this season and not just those being broadcast live on TV.

And yet, this could be the year that it changes.

The issue of the Heineken Cup’s future is one that will rumble throughout the

season and maybe playing and selection philosophies will alter at domestic

and international levels, with England – for example – potentially selecting

a fetcher and more ball carriers.

There are also the new scrummages directives to which the Premiership must

adapt, with the referee’s new commands of “crouch, bind, set” designed to

reduce impact upon engagement.

At the season’s launch at Twickenham last Thursday it was clear that clubs are

not happy with the initial lack of clarity in the directives and also the

fact they had not been consulted.

“It seems to be some sort of agenda,” Northampton director of rugby Jim

Mallinder said.

“Whether it is from the southern hemisphere or from some commentators who used

to play 20-odd years ago, I am not sure.”

It is humorous that hookers are suddenly having to learn how to hook and

scrum-halves having to feed the ball straight, but that is the modern

reality. As with any law change the results and their side effects are

unknown.

“I think it will settle down after about four or six weeks,” says Mallinder,

“but for me we need less interruptions, we need less blowing of the

referee’s whistle and we need more rugby from those scrums.”

And Mallinder’s team will be looking to play some of that. Their signings of

North and Corbisiero, both so prominent on the Lions tour, have certainly

caught the eye.

It meant that Mallinder and bad-boy-but-still-captain Dylan Hartley were the

centre of attention at the launch on Thursday.

Mallinder is aware of the expectation.

“Potentially they are big signings on paper – they have had fantastic tours

with the Lions and played really, really well – but what’s most important

for us is that they become great players for Northampton Saints,” he said.

“For us and for them that’s the challenge.”

And Mallinder will be looking after his two new charges.

“We have got to manage them throughout the season,” he says. “We want George

to carry on being outstanding for Wales, as well as for us.

“And I don’t think Alex is a lot different from a lot of our senior

players who have to be managed.”

Northampton lost to Leicester 17-37 in last season’s final, but sadly it is a

match that will be remembered more for Hartley’s sending-off that cost him a

Lions place, and for Leicester’s director of rugby Richard Cockerill’s

outburst to fourth official, Stuart Terheege, after a Courtney Lawes tackle

on Toby Flood.

Cockerill was found guilty of using words that were “obscene, inappropriate

and unprofessional” and will miss the first seven matches of the season.

He can coach during the week but have no contact with his players on match

day.

Cockerill was on good form at Twickenham on Thursday, quipping “I’m not banned

from press conferences” before slating the new scrummage directives.

He is essentially a good, hard man who has achieved much with Leicester, but

his censure is welcome. He is probably the worst of all the coaches when it

comes to ranting at referees, touch judges, fourth officials and assessors,

but he is far from alone.

In this respect there may be help at hand. The Premiership has a new

broadcaster in BT Sport, who were trumpeting their “on-screen innovations”

last week.

They include dressing-room cameras and interviews with players and coaches

during warm-ups and at half -time, and even with the coaches during matches.

Usually these sorts of interviews are full of useless banalities, but in this

case they just might make the coaches address their behaviour more carefully

and more often. Here’s hoping.

It all begins next Friday night when Newcastle host Bath, before the

traditional Twickenham double-header the following day, with London Irish

playing Saracens, followed by Wasps against Harlequins.

That Saturday afternoon traditionalists Leicester then play a home match on

Sunday says everything about television’s influence, but without its money –

BT paid £152 million for this new deal – the game simply could not survive.

And BT insists kick-off times will remain largely constant throughout the

season, with 7.45pm starts on Fridays, 3.15pm for Saturdays and 2pm for

Sundays.

Time to see what the games and the broadcaster bring.

English rugby elite must forget fantasy and flex their muscles