Very interesting question for you to consider this week. Is it me, or are international teams in England unmanageable? If so why? and What can anyone do about it?

Fairly topical questions based upon our four major teams sports performances at the highest level (World Cups over the last few years.

If we take the well document turmoil that England Rugby Union experienced at the last World Cup. An episode covered in numerous books and newspaper columns. If you take last years Rugby League World Cup that ended with rumours of major splits in the camp. The Pietersen / Moore saga with cricket, and finally the current soccer World Cup. You have to conclude that there is a problem.

I don’t believe that there is one particular reason for this pattern of failure. It’s not simply a matter of the coach or manager not being up to the job. I make the following observation for you all to knock down.

Over the last thirty years the erosion of respect for authority and leadership within wider society from school through to politics has had a massive impact on society. I contend that our international players are merely a reflection of that. Noones fault, but everyone has an opinion and knows best.

The sight of John terry inviting a Coup of the England layers when interviewed on TV massively illustrates this egocentric behaviour.

It is worth pointing out that this is not every player, there are lots of examples of the opposite. My point is however that it only takes a couple of players to upset a squad partcullarly in the pressure cooker atmosphere of a World Cup.

What can be done to help the situation. Two things spring to mind. Firstly the skill set of the coach / manager must as a priority include high levels of people management skills, as well as developing an ability to develop a positive working environment. Secondly and perhaps a bit more controversial would be the psychological profiling of players and non-selection of players prone to behaviour that could be detrmintal to the group.

What do you think?

Haydn

Very sad news today was the announcement of the death of Andy Ripley. The words great or legend are banded around freely enough these days but in this instance they are well deserved.

For anyone of a certain age the memory of Andy rampaging around the pitch in an England shirt is something that is burned in the memory. In an era when the word athlete and rugby player didn’t often go together Andy was just that, an athletic rugby player. His athletic ability eventually seeing win the BBCs Superstars title. I just wonder how good he would have been if he had of played in the modern era. That though is something we will never know, but his memory we should salute.

Moving on to more topical playing issues. England have it all to do this weekend against Australia. The pack certainly dominated last week, but more attacking options and fewer errors in defence are needed to get a result. Ever the optimist I do think England will win this week.

I think Scotland could cause an upset but will certainly have to match Argentina up front. Wales on the other hand look to have mission impossible against the All Blacks and damage limitation could be the order of the day.

Haydn

So England have started their summer tour with a draw against the Australian Barbarians. No doubt the knives will be being sharpened in some section of the media following this result.

On reflection this for me was just the sort of hit out that the squad needed. For those that played it was a tough competitive match which they fought hard to get a result from. For those that didn’t play but will be in the test line up at the weekend it will have left them in no doubt of the task ahead.

It was good to see Martin Johnson upbeat about the performance, though he was clearly far from satisfied with the performance.

Plenty work still needs to be done but I for one am optimistic for the weekend. Solid defence and set piece are the key and then it is all about maximising any opprtunities to score. Sounds simple enough, but under the pressure of test match rugby it certainly will not be.

Before I close I would just like to reflect back to the weekends results. Wales really blew it and handed South Africa the game through poor discipline. Certainly Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards where not happy after the game. That said scoring thirty one points against the world champions is a good effort.

Ireland fell to the Barbarians but with what was largely an experimental side will have learned much for their forthcoming tour.

So lets bring it on for the weekend, and the start of what should be an interesting and entertaining summer of rugby.

Haydn