The mission: to pore over the latest Bledisloe Cup tape and decide whether Richie McCaw is a cheat or not.
In other words, do the McCaw maligners – including opposition coaches in this country – have a point when they say he gets a free ride from referees, writes Chris Rattue for the New Zealand Herald.
This was the assignment handed down by the boss a few days ago. Gee, thanks.
No person – not even a couch-slouch with a laptop – should be forced to watch that Eden Park game again. Have mercy. It was bad enough the first time.
What’s more, there will never be a definitive answer to the McCaw question. So why try, yet again?
The boss’ response: get the tape rolling.
And he has a point. You just know this is a story sure to rear its head at the World Cup, if not before, especially if Springboks coach Jake White or an Aussie tabloid feel they are having a quiet week.
Ultimately, this is a ref’s call. That’s my out.
So let’s cheat, and talk instead about cheating and the perception of it, rather than zeroing in on poor Richie.
Personally, I’m quite prepared, delighted even, to label intercept-hunting South African wing Breyton Paulse as rugby’s only out-and-out cheat. Paulse is so offside that he is a liability to his own team, yet he celebrates like a circus act when one of his hero-seeking burglaries comes off.
Everyone else gets a pass card however, because rugby is such a mishmash that the rules are begging to be broken. That’s if you can understand them in the first place.
McCaw, Schalk Burger, George Smith, Phil Waugh and the rest have it tougher than most in continually dealing with the tackled-ball area. Demanding that footballers remain on their feet even when great hulks are crashing on top of them is about as logical as ringing up Campo and asking him to be quiet.
And when a sport has a rule stipulating that players must enter through an imaginary gate, then you can’t blame the players for imagining that this entrance does not necessarily run at right angles to the sideline.
Quite frankly, you would defy anyone being able to decipher what goes on at the breakdown most of the time. Rugby is a jumble of bodies and confusion, and that’s just in the commentary box. The rugby law book isn’t a set of rules – it’s an invitation to a street riot.
One clear observation about McCaw was possible from the Eden Park Test, however.
He liked to slide off the scrum illegally to disrupt Australia’s possession at the back of a retreating pack. He tried it once and got away with it, but was nabbed by the referee a moment later.
Some might claim he was cheating at the scrums. Others would say that it’s a player’s job to test the referee and rules.
This is the essence of my argument. One man’s cheat is another man’s paragon, depending what side of the gate you are on.
When McCaw times his scrum disengagement brilliantly and is a defenceless hero being smashed to the ground while playing for the All Blacks, he is a superstar deserving of a parade. But when he is sliding off scrums early and diving in at rucks while playing for Canterbury against Auckland, he is a rotten so and so who deserves the stocks.
Sport is viewed through everchanging tints of glasses because it is an emotional experience, rather than an exact science. You can’t justify all our reactions to sport, and you’re not supposed to.
When Carl Hayman buried Matt Dunning into the ground at Eden Park, it was a colossus of the game dealing to a useless pudding who would have trouble holding up a bank with a rocket launcher. Yet Dunning is in danger of acquiring folk hero status in Australia, as a battler making good. I might be exaggerating his status a little, but you get the point.
When a couple of All Black props were dealt to by the South Africans 50 years ago, the visitors were vicious brutes fully deserving of the retribution dealt out to them by a white knight called Kevin Skinner.
Skinner was a hero here. South Africa reckoned he was a thug.
Put it another way. Colin Meads is the greatest player in the history of the game, although you still meet Australians who reckon he is an SOB who tried to tear Ken Catchpole in two. Meads is No 1 in New Zealand, but an Aussie paper said he was “reviled” when placing him eighth on a list of the most feared sportsman ever.
What about Sean Fitzpatrick? He was loved by All Black fans, but when in Auckland colours some of those same fans concurred with South Africans who regarded him as a cheat of Antichrist proportions.
There are exceptions to these twisting rules of parochialism.
Some Englishmen revered Jonah Lomu more than Kiwis did, and there are New Zealanders who go out of their way to say nice things about John Eales, even though he stabbed us through the heart so many times. Eales had a pleasant face and a nice-boy haircut, which helped.
Aussie Tim Horan was widely regarded as the game’s best inside centre in this country, but if he had been a Pom we’d have called him an over-rated softie. Not that they would ever produce a back as good as Horan.
Back to cheating, or gamesmanship, or whatever you want to call it. It’s a tricky topic and one where the assessments are heavily skewed by the starting point – which is invariably a bias.
Parochialism aside, there is an ethereal zone known as the spirit of the game which governs this subject, but even then the guidelines are extremely obscure.
There are acts which are easy to categorise, of course. Anyone who gets hold of the Tour de France’s yellow jersey, for instance, is a career criminal conducting chemical warfare.
Other areas are less certain, contradictory even.
Cricket batsmen who shake their head towards the umpire then grab an earlobe even though “snicko” is doing impressions of a seismograph in the Nevada desert are largely immune from persec-ution. Yet bowlers who get hair gel on the ball are the lead item on the 6 o’clock news.
Cheating is so subjective – apparently there are people out there who even like Paulse.
A final word on McCaw.
Hush, you naysayers with ulterior motives – all right-minded folk who pay their taxes and help little old ladies across the road know in their hearts McCaw is a genius who lives on the right side of the law. Except if he is playing for Canterbury, of course, when he is a ratbag and a cheat.
July 30th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Great read.
July 30th, 2007 at 8:37 am
If the ref didn’t see it it wasn’t cheating.
And by that I mean things like stealing the ball when the ruck was formed etc – not things like eye gouging.
Cheers
July 30th, 2007 at 8:55 am
“Aussie Tim Horan was widely regarded as the game’s best inside centre in this country, but if he had been a Pom we’d have called him an over-rated softie. Not that they would ever produce a back as good as Horan.”
this article is going overboard with hypothetical impossibilities.
July 30th, 2007 at 8:58 am
what a waste of time… seemed like a kid wrote this article. I take it its the same guy who dedicated an entire page to Paulse and the way he “cheats”
July 30th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Good read Ras.
persec-ution.?
July 30th, 2007 at 9:03 am
cab
On Boots and All last weeek they had a look at a few referee decisions during this years TN.
Do you remember the yellow card Spies got for lazy running against Aus?
Well the same ref only gave the Aussies a warning when we played them in Melbourne.
They also had a look at McCaw’s binding at scrum time and there were times when he never even had contact with the scrum.
I’m sorry but NZ and AUS are definitely favoured by referees whenever we play against them.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Molly het jy nie skottelgoed om te was nie?
July 30th, 2007 at 9:13 am
oh Stan, you’re so funny!
July 30th, 2007 at 9:13 am
wpw,
yip i agree, they’ve been crooking and biased for years. nevertheless, we just suck it up.
as for lazy running, well the aussies have made an artform of running a first wave of obstructions runners at the moment…the refs must crack down on it.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Stan het jy nie n dier om te skiet nie?
July 30th, 2007 at 9:16 am
cab
Did you notice WP is second on the CC log?
July 30th, 2007 at 9:20 am
wpw,
second from the bottom surely.
actually they are still playing nice rugby, but man they need Rassie to get tight 5 sorted. WP backline is potent.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:21 am
n watsegoed?
July 30th, 2007 at 9:21 am
2nd nonetheless cab!
July 30th, 2007 at 9:23 am
cab
I think it is time to drop DWB and the Fijian.
We also need to give a guy like Pieter Louw a chance ahead of Gerrie Britz.
Russell on the bench doesnt even off that much.
I’d prefer a guy like Egon Seconds.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:26 am
DwB maybe, such is their talent, but i think he’s still a good centre, lost a yard of pace tho.
Fijian noways, wish we had wingers like this, pace and size.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:35 am
cab
They both made mistakes that cost WP tries.
DWB has not been playing well since the S14.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:43 am
who would you play at inside centre then? There aren’t many options.
July 30th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Jantjies is looking in outstanding form, how did he play on sat?
could only watch the bulls-sharks game, think that kankovski could be quite special in a year or two…fast and very skillful, nearly 2m tall too.
July 30th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Wes, Sireli was looking straight into the sun when he made that balls up, at first i was pissed but if the dude couldnt see the ball then unlucky man.
July 30th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Comment by molly — July 30, 2007 @ 9:43 am
Morgan Newman – WP U21 captain
or Corne Uys (who i dont rate that much)
July 30th, 2007 at 10:06 am
I don’t remember that mistake, might have stopped watching by then though, what happened?
July 30th, 2007 at 11:33 am
He tried it once and got away with it, but was nabbed by the referee a moment later.
Just once?
I saw him do it many many many times in all four tests he played in the 3N and get nabbed once.
And nice sidestepping copout Chris Rattue
July 30th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
“The rugby law book isn’t a set of rules – it’s an invitation to a street riot.”
===========
Heheheh. Well said.
July 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Its not just McCaw. I am just as concerned about Soialo, Hayman and Robertson. THe rest of tehm do it, but less effectively.
Graham Henry employs a Gridiron style “downfield blocking system” on his channel one attack. It is amusing to me that while I have promoted Gridiron techniques in SA and UK, it is actually in NZ where they are being implemented. This started about two years ago and have progressed as they have developed the technique. In Auckland last week it was outrageous.
On the attacking ruck he sends number 3 and sometimes even number 2 in as a blocker and makes and off the ball play. The blocker bypasses the ruck or maul and attacks the defensive shoulder. This has grown in sophistication so that really good exponents like Hayman or Soialo can hold up 2 and even 3 defenders. They even use the “Defensive pull” which would give you a professional fowl in Gridiron, yet week after week they do it right in front of the referee and noone complains about it.
Surprisingly this system gives them faster ball. It has advanced so much now that they are playing one play ahead of us. So while we are going in to attack the turnover, they are already onto the next play, disrupting the next defender, with a calling system to determine which side the attack goes.
There is a more insidious side to it. It is a well documented fact that this style of play is far more onerous and energy sapping on the defense than it is on the offense, more detail if required. By employing a quasi blocking system on every play they are grinding us out of the game. This is the backbone of his 60 minute wonder.
How to deal with it:
1) It is simply against the rules of rugby to take part in play if you are in front of the ball. I have played a lot at blocker myself and so I am fully aware of the enormous benefit that this creates for the team. We should be creating a stink with the referees going into the World Cup. NZ has come to depend so much on this that to disrupt them here would be a major impediment to their attack.
2) If you do have to face it in the field then you need to use a “Jam” – a two handed punch-grab that dislodges the attacker, a “Shed”, which effectively puts you in front of the attacker, or a “Bull” which allows you to turn this force back onto his own team. More about these if you are interested, but you can NEVER allow the attacker to get inside on you like they do, this is basic run block technique.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Phillip
Please explain more about the Shed\Bull & Jam.
I find this very interesting.
Cheers
July 30th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Yes Philip they are quite clearly coached in it. In the Christchurch test, they managed to clear the path for So’ialo’s big run in an almost unobtrusive way, gently stepping into the path of Jannie du Plessis and nudging him out of the way, rather than charging him out of the way, which the ref would have been more likely to notice. I had to watch the replay three times before I spotted it, but it was very clear once I did.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Locally, I noticed in Friday’s game, that Doppies La Grange was also clearly running obstructive lines.
However, I doubt this was coaching ploy – more likely to be a result of La Grange’s confusion in general play.
Nevertheless, was surpised the ref didn’t blow him.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Used to see quite a similar pattern in the rucks in the 1980s: forwards getting to the ruck quickly (ie only a couple of players in the ruck or sometimes the ruck not even formed), will bind together and step over the ruck as they come through, creating a yard or two of extra space on the other side.
July 30th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Jorrie Muller did a great job in obstructive running for the Lions/Cats. Successfully blocked his team mates from getting to the ball all the time.
July 30th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
The Channel one area is the crucible – in Afrikaans “Die Doodsakker”. You have to be physically dominant. If blood makes you squemish, or it is against your religious principles to hurt other people, then please ignore the comments below.
Methos – these are Offensive Line techniques. First step is to understand that we are playing the man and not the ball. What we are trying to to is get ourselves between the opposition and the ball, or to prevent them from doing it to us.
Jam – this is defending against an attacker that is trying to get into our face and push us away from the action. The most important thing is NEVER let him get in close to you. Take a strong wide stance in the hitting position and have your feet moving. As he gets in closer, hit out at him with both hands – hard – arms become straight. Punch him with your flat hands, then grab him. Ideally take a hold of his fat flesh and twist. As he starts to cringe, he bends his back. Twist further and then push him away back from whence he came. It will take him a few seconds to recover and come again, by then hopefully the play has moved on.
If you are a little guy and he is definitely going to push you around. Get your hands up sligthly higher, putting them on his shoulders. Slip them down until you fingers are on his clavicals. Then dig your nails in as hard as you can – this is sure to stop even the the toughest of them.
Bull – You have to be really strong in the wrists for this. Starts out as a Jam, but because you have the power, you stay medium close to him and the guide him and throw him back onto his runner. Blocks up their attack.
Shed – Start out like Jam, but with a Kung fu Style you throw him behind and past you, putting yourself in front of him and closer to the ball. A variation would be to come in from below and hit him under the armpit with your thumb and forefinger (The web part like the part you use to strangle someone) Get in with the leverage and rip him out of the ground.
Scoop- When you can’t get under his arm. Same Open hand – reach down onto his hip (the part where you usually hold onto you girlfreind on the way down)- Once you have found the spot hit out as fast as you can. You will be surprised that when a mans hip collapses, everything else goes with him. Do it right and you can rid the game of this guy.
Club – A variation on the shed, but where you have lost the battle for coming in lowest. Strike over the top with a straight arm,clubbing motion, get your armpit onto or past his shoulder, use you other hand to twist him away. Once you have this you are past him and he would have to turn around, hopefully you are gone by then.
Break – when he gets the grip on you. Do not try to break it from the top. I see this all day long in Rugby players. Rip up from the bottom. Either breaking outwards, or rip the inside of you elbow join upwards and into his armpit.
OK Now that you know how to defend against it – how to dish it out.
Scoop – off the first player and onto a second. By making mulitple blocks you use one of us to tie up many of them. Stay on you feet, keep you head up and fcus on them. Leave the fetching to Jake Whites Sons, it you do that rigth and get over the ball its easy from them.
Defensive pull – once you get in close to better two tow of them – get a grip and then keeping you hands close to you body, fall over and pull the defenders away from the hole where we are are trying to run.
Do all the above with the distinct intention to casuse pain and discomfort to the opposition. Carl Hayman is the one getting closest to this at the moment.
Its easier to explain on the field. Come to the next clinnic, that I hold and all will be revealed.
July 30th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Comment by Quinnyshark — July 30, 2007 @ 2:25 pm |Edit This
Aussie ref
Very confused
Wanted to blow the yarpies but couldn’t decide which so didn’t
Turned out to be an entertaining game
July 30th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Phillip
Run hard and direct into the blocker
Fall obviously down
throw your arms in the air
Protest loudly
Works for Australia
July 31st, 2007 at 12:49 am
The taking out of defenders around the ruck in the Christchurch game were very obvious . But since it is new it will probably take the referees a while to catch on to it.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:20 am
Yes Philip they are quite clearly coached in it. In the Christchurch test, they managed to clear the path for So’ialo’s big run in an almost unobtrusive way, gently stepping into the path of Jannie du Plessis and nudging him out of the way, rather than charging him out of the way, which the ref would have been more likely to notice. I had to watch the replay three times before I spotted it, but it was very clear once I did.
Comment by il postino — July 30, 2007 @ 2:21 pm |Edit This
Something that Dummykick picked up on the day after the Test, so well done to him, observant.
July 31st, 2007 at 7:05 am
Phillip
When is your next clinic ?
Sign me up Scotty.
Cheers
July 31st, 2007 at 10:13 am
NZ has been doing this for two and a half years now. It became outrageous in the Auckland Wallabies game.
If you download my free ebook at http://www.ironrugby.com you will see 20 pages on “Head up and Hit”. I was advocating this 4 years ago. They are the first to pick up on it.
Try this – get your video tapes out of the Auckland game (In fact any game this year involving the ABs) Watch almost any ruck forming with 3 or more players. NZ stay on their feet and get over the ball. Everyone else, England being the worst, is collapsing down onto the ball.
No after watching this put any Currie cup video in and compare it. There is little or no attempt to win the Gain line!
This has always been the case with NZ/SA – we are always playing their last years tactics and they move on. Take the ruck, go to a Springbok practice and you will see them teaching the techniques described below. One of the guys that I follow closely and talk to is is Doug McClymont ex of Canterbury. Check this article to show you how THEY were thinking 3 years ago, this is how WE are thinking NOW – remember its moved on since then!
http://www.coachesinfo.com/category/rugby/365/