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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England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
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Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
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Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
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Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
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Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
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Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
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It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
