Some coaches will lecture ad infinitum that a good side has captains and leaders all over the park but in my experience that is often a rationale they wheel out when there is no obvious or commanding leader of the group. For that reason, I’m also suspicious of this modern-day tendency towards nominating joint leaders or co-captains which makes little sense to me. You see it in our business as well with a myriad of associate editors on our national newspapers.
There can only ever be one skipper in a team, one central figure that the side revolves around but that doesn’t mean to say that side can’t be absolutely rammed with individuals who have done the job in the past and/or will do the job in the future. The trick is that those players must have the self-awareness and humility to dial down their egos and express their leadership with the maturity of their play or, by prior agreement, taking charge of one facet of the team’s performance and owning that.
It seems to me that England 2003 were the living breathing embodiment of this ideal boasting no fewer than 14 England captains which I am calling right now as an all-time record.
Denne historien er fra December 10, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra December 10, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.