His fellow conspirators are not exactly stuck for answers: sanitation, roads, irrigation, medicine, education, public order, wine and peace feature prominently among their responses. “Alright,” says an exasperated Reg. “But apart from that…”
There has been many a moment over the last couple of decades when Rugby Union followers have asked a similar question of Rugby League, without identifying anything like the same number of benefits. Crooked scrum feeds, chest-high tackling, identikit forwards, Sam Burgess? If these were plusses, the minuses must have been truly diabolical.
Defensive organisation is perhaps the one area where there is something close to consensus agreement over the 13-man game’s positive impact on the rival code. It has become the devil’s own job to break the line and score from distance – especially at the last knockings, as Ireland found against the French a week ago.
Shaun Edwards, a 24-carat Rugby League great as a player and similarly precious as a specialist Union coach, was the inspiration behind Les Bleus’ successful manning of the barricades in Dublin. He is not the first 13-a-sider from the north of England to earn his daily baguette across the water – Dave Ellis was doing it more than 20 years ago – but if France should win a first world title on home soil in 2023, he will certainly be the most venerated.
Denne historien er fra February 21, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra February 21, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
