End Of Season Report 2002/3 pt.2

By RichW
June 27 2003

Having looked in part one at some of the external influences that have caused us difficulties over the last nine months I thought I’d start this part with some musings on some of the problems of our own making.

OK on with the show…


I don’t claim to have any cures to these ills and indeed I would argue that if Dean has struggled to come to terms with them then the chances of this correspondent having anything useful to contribute are pretty much infinitesimal. We do, however, what we can…



It takes no great rugby brain to see that Tigers have struggled in recent years to replace Joel Stransky – even that mincing fool Guscott managed to identify this! Personally I feel the problem here lies in the fact that both Pat and Rod have sought to run the game from 12. This has meant that the 10 spot wasn’t given enough attention resulting in this crucial position being somewhat neglected. This problem has only been exacerbated by an inability (due to various reasons) to stick to one option – this has been particularly noticeable this term when we have used three very different 10s in Austin, Sam and Craig. I am however, hopeful that with the arrival of Señor Pez we are finally seeing this problem being addressed.



Add to this some erratic selection decisions in the midfield and the back row and the management have not had their best season.



That said, I’ve always felt that managers and coaches do not cross the whitewash and it’s up to the players to, as one might say, do it out on the paddock. That’s where, to my mind, the problems have really appeared to be – there seems to have been a distraction to the way they have played this year. I wonder if this has something to do with the World Cup? If so, I confess to a degree of disappointment that a group of highly professional individuals have not quite been able to keep their minds on the job in hand.



Finally I’ve been very disappointed by the skill levels displayed this term. Again I feel this comes back to professionalism. I accept that some individuals have had distractions and therefore squad sessions have been affected. However, I’m not sure that this is a reasonable defence for the handling, kicking and running line problems which we’ve observed this year. At risk of repeating myself ad nauseum what has the new skills coach being working on?



I have to say, however, that despite all the above, these problems are not what one might describe as fatal. They can all be resolved by some sensible planning and a good pre-season. The stand-off situation appears to be being resolved (though I confess to some concerns regarding the world cup period) with the acquisition of Señor Pez. So I see no reason why 2002-03 can’t be put firmly behind us.



Now on with the ratings…



Loosies:





Neil Back.



Now there is a view widely espoused amongst the fans of other teams that goes something like: “OK we accept now that he’s not too small to be an international flanker but he is too old”. Excuse me, but bo****ks! He has like many of his team-mates suffered from injuries this term but it is an ironic truth that injuries, allowing as they do, players a period of rest allowing them to come back somewhat refreshed. Backy’s performance in the wildcard final would be proof if such were needed. I don’t always find myself in concert with Mr. Woodward but on the matter of the best open-side available to England we are as one! About which he will be no doubt delighted! Ah, but we digress. Backy’s season has like many been severely disrupted by injury and the demands of ‘Club England’ but his qualities about the park not least his reading of the game and his link work remain peerless. And if one considers the current riches in this position at the club I believe the ‘poor dear’s’ dwindling resources of energy and aching old bones can be coaxed through another season or two! 8/10



Josh Kronfeld:



Now I have to confess to a little bias here because Krusher is simply one of my favourite players - of all time: up there with Monsieur J-P Rieves, Zinzan Brooks, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Serge Blanco, John Kirwan and our very own Rory Underwood and Joel Stransky in my personal pantheon. However, I’m confident that I’m not alone when I say that Josh has shown us this season exactly what it is that makes a great All Black. He has been quite exceptional. His ability to make something out of nothing, his displays of physical strength and of determination – the try against Bristol being an archetype – and his appetite for work have come to the fore. He has also brought his wealth of experience in reading the game, his superb defensive skills and not inconsiderable pace to the party and after a disappointing first year at Tigers he is comfortably my player of the season. I only regret that he did not play a few more games – one of those selection mysteries which have plagued us this year. Will Skinner and Lewis Moody watch and learn as along with Backy, Josh can teach you everything you will ever need to know about playing at 7. I would like to hope that Josh will stay a whole season next year because it is always pleasure to watch greatness. Sadly it appears that I am to be disappointed. 9/10



Lewis Moody:



How to describe Lewis’ season? Hmmm….oh yes – short! Not a great deal I can say about Mad Eye is there? For the little he played this term he seemed to be continuing that curve upwards to being one of the very best and probably a first choice Lion in 2005. Then England sent him back broke. And that was it. Shame but there you go! He appears to be making a good recovery though and I expect him to figure in the late summer internationals – not that, that helps us a lot! Anyway a marking; well he was pretty good in those few appearances which we saw so 8/10, but I believe we should note the caveat that there was pretty little evidence on which to base this.



Will Skinner:



I happen to think that Will just has bucketfuls of talent. There is so much potential in this lad that I believe he could be a real star of the future. He has all the right instincts, a good attitude, he’s strong, dynamic, has good awareness and skills. I think a back row featuring him and Lewis might be rather entertaining! I accept that at present the jury is still out, after all he’s not played more than a handful of 1st XV games, and that there is plenty for the lad to work on before he can be considered for regular first team honours. But he’s got two of the best ever to learn from and one of the worlds leading ‘young tyros’ to develop with. A personal highlight of the season for me was his performance against Leeds when, after a week of illness, he produced a display of striking maturity and power and kept his performance level high until the very latter stages. With youngsters like Will we won’t be too far off the pace in future years. As with others it’s hard to proffer a rating on relatively little evidence but I think Will warrants a 7/10.



Peter Short:



Another lad on his travels to la belle France Shorty had a fairly quiet start to the season but a rip-roaring finish, to show us what were losing. Which is Peter in a nutshell. He is another one of those players who I sometimes feel doesn’t quite deliver to his potential. At times he displays tremendous pace and power but at others he seems a little detached from events around him. I hope that he thrives in France, as he has undoubted talent and needs only to bring some consistency to his game. Just about a 7/10.



Martin Corry:



As always Martin produces his best form when he has most to prove. Another player with a quiet first half of the season, which seemingly saw him drop off of Mr. Woodward’s radar. However his undoubted qualities have again resurfaced and he finds himself back in the England fold after a good close to the season. I’ve always felt that Martin suffers a touch from what one might call Austin Healey syndrome. No I don’t mean he’s a loud-mouthed scally, but that his versatility has seen him used in a range of positions making it hard for him to pin down one in particular. Personally I’d like to see Tigers settle into playing him at 8 for as much as he’s available next term. Then I think we’ll see the real Martin Corry stand-up. That said it is impossible not to celebrate the commitment demonstrated by his willingness to fill in with admirable and notable success in the second row when called upon. Always brave, always committed, he remains one of the club’s leaders and at his best one of the few capable of challenging the Hill, Back, Dallaglio hegemony. 8/10



Will Johnson:



As always Johnson Junior has been honest, hard-working and committed to the cause. Unfortunately there are a couple of problems which Will often finds himself confronting. Firstly there are the inevitable, but unfortunate comparisons with his brother. I’m sure that it doesn’t trouble Will personally – I know I’d be delighted if one of my brothers was one of the worlds leading players (snigger, hoot, chortle – that’s a good one!!!) – but it sometimes invites an invidious sort of comparison which casts his own talents in a lesser light. Secondly and more importantly, he has no luck with injuries. A couple of seasons ago we saw the real Will Johnson, untroubled by injury for a season he’d been called up to the England A side and really began to consolidate a place in the 1st XV back-row of Neil Back & Martin Corry. Unfortunately that season has been followed by two more disrupted by injury culminating in the season ending knock against Munster. I like players like Will, not necessarily great stars of the game, but good team players; the sort who hold a team together, doing the hard work with the minimum of fuss and I think we could have done with that sort of stability – ballast if you like – this term. So this season we have been denied the best of WJ, but I’m certain that he’ll be much in demand at least until Christmas. Again on limited outings: 6/10.



Adam Balding:



Balders has always had talent but this year is the first time I’ve seen it really come to the fore. His work rate is good, he’s quick, and (whisper it softly) an intelligent reader of the game but lets be honest Balders is a bosh merchant – and a damn good one! His ball carrying this term has been outstanding. I don’t believe he has once failed to cross the gain-line even in his outing at openside against Glaws in November he carried it up hard into the opposition defence knocking down all and sundry whilst showing an unexpected variety to his game. Similarly he’s hit hard in defence hardly missing a tackle all year. He’s brought an extra intensity to his always dynamic game which has, to my mind, made him the most improved player in the squad this year! The only area of concern I have regarding Adam is that he is not a lineout forward. As an occasional option to spring, for the sake of causing confusion in the opposition, maybe fine but he doesn’t threaten the opposition throw and, to be honest, doesn’t look too happy on ours. Now this needn’t be a worry so long as we can keep the back row balanced whilst retaining a lineout jumper amongst them. Certainly I can’t see a long-term option that does not include Balders at 8 from where he should soon (on his current rate of improvement) be challenging for senior international recognition. A very good year 9/10.



Luke Abraham:



Part of the difficulty I’ve experienced writing this piece this year has been to try to keep up with the number of different faces we’ve seen. This I think is also reflected on the pitch. I accept that we are entering a period of transition and that stability is one of those factors which suffers at such times but one of the consequences is that there are a lot of faces who appear somewhat briefly and whose development seems somewhat spasmodic. Luke being a case in point. There is little doubt that he is possessed of talent. But he has looked a touch overawed when called upon to make the step up to the 1st XV. This worries me. The power will undoubtedly come, allowing him to compete physically at the higher level but he need to be more assertive, to take the dominance he has displayed for the U21s into the senior squad. Maybe this confidence will come with the step up in his physical game. I hope so. As noted previously difficult on few opportunities but 5/10.



Now I for one have thought that we had a plethora of back-row talent but I can’t help but feel just now that I must have been mistaken. OK so I’ve not mentioned Ben Gerry who looked OK (6/10) on his very few outing but has now twitched his mantle blue and departed. But have I forgotten someone. If not we really are short one blind-side! I can only hope that the U21s can provide us with one soon.



Now last year I did Halves with Loosies but I think this year’s confused picture at 9 and 10 requires some more thought – so they’ll be along in part 3!