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'England were stupid... that has killed the Lions tour': Willie John McBride's lament for modern-day rugby

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Legendary British and Irish Lions skipper Willie John McBride has savaged modern-day rugby, claiming it has become an unedifying mixture of union, league and American football that is being wrecked by an injury crisis and the dominance of money.

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Captain of the famed 1974 Lions that conquered South Africa, McBride was capped on 17 occasions for the tourists on five separate tours while he also won 63 Ireland caps before calling it quits in 1975. 

Now aged 80, he has pulled no punches in the foreword for Saving Rugby Union, the newly published book written by Ross Reyburn and published by Y Lolfa which tackles the myriad of problems affecting the better development of professional rugby.        

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Aside from confronting the lack of space and the high injury rate in rugby currently, Lions king McBride also bemoaned the mechanics of the breakdown, the crooked feed at scrum time, the over-prevalence of replacements and the ease at which players can change nationality.  

McBride wrote: “Rugby today is nothing like the game I played. It is a mixture of rugby union and rugby league – which is a huge influence on rugby union, with players lined up across the field against each other – and American football, with the obstruction and blocking. 

“In the modern game, you can theoretically keep the ball for 40 minutes with endless phases. In the amateur era, once you went to ground you had to release the ball and get away. Players could then drive over the ball rucking the ball.

“Today, when guys go to ground they still hold onto the ball and actually place it back with their hands. It enables sides to retain the ball for phase after phase as it is so difficult for defenders to get hold of the ball at the breakdown. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

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“There were never any serious injuries in rucks because you really had to release the ball and get away to avoid being raked back. If you held onto the ball you would be penalised.

“Today there are more and more pile-ups with knees and elbows hitting other players, causing injuries. Referees blow up for a scrum when the ball is buried in a pile of bodies. This simply wouldn’t happen in a ruck situation when I played.       

“At the breakdown, I just don’t understand why people are tackling players whop haven’t got the ball. It’s not sport – they are just charging into people to take them out. Surely the law says you cannot tackle a player who hasn’t got the ball?

“Any game is all about space. The modern game is all about closing down space with players lining across the pitch because of phase rugby. The one thing that strikes me is why did they change our game?” 

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Addressing the increasing injury rate, Lions legend McBride added: “There is an injury crisis in rugby. You look at every international game that is played. How many do you see that are injury-free? I believe every player should be playing for 80 minutes unless he has to leave the field injured. I played for 14 years and never left the field in my life. 

“I’ve seen young guys from academies who have been told: ‘You’re too light. You have to put on two stones if you are to be successful.’ Kids are growing. They are fed all these food supplements I call drugs and doing all these weights.

“Their bones can’t take what their muscles are demanding. This is wrong. The one thing I was taught when I was growing up was to be supple. They are muscle-bound and more prone to injuries. 

“It is terrible seeing all these people running off and on the pitch in an international. Recently a player was brought on with a minute to go – it could make no difference to the result. I once asked my old adversary Colin Meads how would you feel if they took you off with 20 minutes to go? I can’t repeat what he said, but it was more or less ‘you can stuff the game’.

“I also find it disturbing the ease with which players can just switch their national allegiance. It devalues international rugby. When Wales defeated Ireland 25-7 in the 2019 Six Nations, all the Welsh points were scored by two New Zealanders, Gareth Anscombe and Hadleigh Parkes. That can’t be right. 

“If you play for Ireland, you should have Irish blood coursing through your veins. the residential qualification should be ten years and that would end players playing for a country when they have no immediate family connection.

“The one thing the Irish Rugby Union got right is that they own the players. England were stupid, as the RFU allowed the Premiership clubs to take control of the players. That has killed the Lions tour, which is very close to my heart and was a very big part of my life… I find it sad.

“The game today is all about money… I was so lucky to play in my era with so many great players.”

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

      

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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