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Is English rugby too conservative?
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<blockquote data-quote="Fuzzy du Plessis" data-source="post: 898558" data-attributes="member: 76333"><p>I don't know mate, I just don't view punching holes upfront before releasing the backs as conservative rugby. Conservative rugby to me is Saracens from 5 years ago, kicking possession away unless you're basically in the opposition 22 and trying to win through penalties. Of the 6N teams only Scotland are notably less conservative, but honestly I think their play style will lose them more matches than it wins. England just lacked the players to play the usual style and Eddie decided to shoehorn players in rather than adjust the tactics. If anything I would've preferred more one out passes instead of constantly passing behind a completely unconvincing pod of 'decoy' forwards to get it wide quickly.</p><p></p><p>Obviously we could be more adventurous, but we could also be a hell of a lot more conservative. Our LH can't scrum for **** but he's still in the team because his handling is absolutely sublime. We play someone's teenage son at 10 alongside a 12 with poor running/tacking purely to play with width. A conservative setup would also probably not even consider using May on the wing or Watson at FB.</p><p></p><p>In the club game Exeter can be boring as **** but Saracens, Wasps and Newcastle are all exciting, heads-up style teams. Below them Tigers have shifted (too far I'd say) from a forward, set-piece orientated team to an attacking one and both Gloucester and Sale play to outscore the opposition rather than stifle them. Tbh I think you need to go all the way down to Irish to find a team which is truly risk-averse.</p><p></p><p>We're just a bit **** this year - partly because our refs are quick to penalise poachers for simply looking at the ball while simultaneously allowing the attacking team to fly into the ruck like a ******* missile, leading to the breakdown being ignored because it's just not worth it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Fuzzy du Plessis, post: 898558, member: 76333"] I don't know mate, I just don't view punching holes upfront before releasing the backs as conservative rugby. Conservative rugby to me is Saracens from 5 years ago, kicking possession away unless you're basically in the opposition 22 and trying to win through penalties. Of the 6N teams only Scotland are notably less conservative, but honestly I think their play style will lose them more matches than it wins. England just lacked the players to play the usual style and Eddie decided to shoehorn players in rather than adjust the tactics. If anything I would've preferred more one out passes instead of constantly passing behind a completely unconvincing pod of 'decoy' forwards to get it wide quickly. Obviously we could be more adventurous, but we could also be a hell of a lot more conservative. Our LH can't scrum for **** but he's still in the team because his handling is absolutely sublime. We play someone's teenage son at 10 alongside a 12 with poor running/tacking purely to play with width. A conservative setup would also probably not even consider using May on the wing or Watson at FB. In the club game Exeter can be boring as **** but Saracens, Wasps and Newcastle are all exciting, heads-up style teams. Below them Tigers have shifted (too far I'd say) from a forward, set-piece orientated team to an attacking one and both Gloucester and Sale play to outscore the opposition rather than stifle them. Tbh I think you need to go all the way down to Irish to find a team which is truly risk-averse. We're just a bit **** this year - partly because our refs are quick to penalise poachers for simply looking at the ball while simultaneously allowing the attacking team to fly into the ruck like a ******* missile, leading to the breakdown being ignored because it's just not worth it. [/QUOTE]
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