Or are they completely different things with regards to a rugby match ?
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Is aggression the same as intensity ?
- Thread starter TheOvalBall
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They are the same but different.
The way I've always thought of it is that intensity is channelled or controlled agression
The way I've always thought of it is that intensity is channelled or controlled agression
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I've always thought of intensity as the ability to maintain a very high workrate and fast pace whilst aggression is more the ability to put in big hits, get a powerful shove on and compete hard at the breakdown. Endurance vs power.
I tried looking up definitions for the two words and found the following:
Aggression:feelings of anger or antipathy resulting in hostile or violent behaviour;
synonyms: hostility, aggressiveness, belligerence, bellicosity, antagonism, truculence
readiness to attack or confront: forcefulness.
synonyms: confidence, self-confidence, boldness, audacity, self-assertion, assertion, assertiveness, self-assertiveness, determination, forcefulness, vigour, energy, dynamism, zeal
Intensity: the quality of being intense
synonyms: strength, power, powerfulness, potency, vigour, force, forcefulness
So, from these definitions, it would seem that aggression is mostly about looking for the fight, whereas intensity is more about focused energy. For examples of aggressive players (and this is just my opinion), I'd cite the likes of Farrell, Brown, Hartley, Liam Williams, Mike Phillips, Morgan Parra, Eben Etzebeth, Jim Hamilton, Cian Healy and Bakkies Botha. For intensity I'd pick out Pocock, Carter, Faletau, O'Driscoll, Alex Dunbar, Jonny Gray, Stephen Moore, Sergio Parisse, Nakarawa, Rob Kearney and Ma'a Nonu. It's not an exhaustive list, but I hope you can see what I'm driving at.
Aggression:feelings of anger or antipathy resulting in hostile or violent behaviour;
synonyms: hostility, aggressiveness, belligerence, bellicosity, antagonism, truculence
readiness to attack or confront: forcefulness.
synonyms: confidence, self-confidence, boldness, audacity, self-assertion, assertion, assertiveness, self-assertiveness, determination, forcefulness, vigour, energy, dynamism, zeal
Intensity: the quality of being intense
synonyms: strength, power, powerfulness, potency, vigour, force, forcefulness
So, from these definitions, it would seem that aggression is mostly about looking for the fight, whereas intensity is more about focused energy. For examples of aggressive players (and this is just my opinion), I'd cite the likes of Farrell, Brown, Hartley, Liam Williams, Mike Phillips, Morgan Parra, Eben Etzebeth, Jim Hamilton, Cian Healy and Bakkies Botha. For intensity I'd pick out Pocock, Carter, Faletau, O'Driscoll, Alex Dunbar, Jonny Gray, Stephen Moore, Sergio Parisse, Nakarawa, Rob Kearney and Ma'a Nonu. It's not an exhaustive list, but I hope you can see what I'm driving at.
thanks folks. appreciate all your thoughts.
The campsite match wasn't aggressive. It was intense.
Couldn't resist
Couldn't resist
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Pretty much agree with that.
Robshaw is always involved and I'd say that's intensity - a great engine. But he's not generally aggressive. He doesn't make the big hits, he doesn't uncompromisingly wipe people out at the ruck, he doesn't bounce people off when he carries. The characteristic of an aggressive player is that they have that "do not mess with me" aura. Intimidating and physically ruthless - not the same thing at all as dirty, but the margins are sometimes blurry.
Aggression is not a bad thing. To the contrary, channeled it's a very good thing, in fact a necessary thing. Half of England's problem is that they don't have enough of it hence the possibility of Hartley captaining.
