Aftercare for players, the RFU’s policy on overseas talent and Gallagher Premiership travails in Europe are all high on Mick Cleary’s agenda for the next 12 months.
1. Look after the 2003 World Cup squad. In fact, look after all the players.
The modern-day canvas is bleak at the moment with the RFU out of kilter with its community base and the England team struggling to win matches let alone hearts and minds. A ray of sunshine used to be provided for England followers by casting the mind back to 2003 and the events of that glorious Sydney night when Jonny’s boot swung for glory.
A sobering TNT Sports documentary, ‘Unbreakable’, presents an alternative view to those scenes of delirium, charting the post-career travails of several players, the real world intruding into our Disney-esque fantasy land. From Steve Thompson’s heart-rending battle with dementia to Ben Cohen’s struggle to find meaning and reward in the job market, it is a stark reminder players need to be looked after long after the final whistle has sounded.
The life of a professional athlete may appear gilded, occasionally even a doddle. It rarely is. So many words are spoken about the need to safeguard player welfare. And so much of it proves to be hot air.
Concussion, or the impact of repeated blows to the head, may well be biggest threat to the sport, long before any financial pressures delivers more economic blows a la Wasps, London Irish and Worcester Warriors but the game must continue to raise the bar. The sight of cheery Northampton Saints players posted on social media arriving in South Africa for their Champions Cup tie against the Bulls on Saturday made you look behind those smiles and wonder how wise it is to have players criss-crossing the hemispheres for quick turnaround matches. It does nothing for the players and with all that travel, very little for the planet either.
2. Get the RFU’s house in order
The Bill Sweeney furore has already gone past the Alastair Campbell benchmark for a story sounding alarm bells if it remains front [back] page news for longer than 10 days. In Campbell’s cut-throat political world, Sweeney would probably be a goner. In football management, likewise. In rugby, it’s a different story. Who would have thought that Will Carling’s mid-nineties ‘Old Farts’ dictum would resurface in clubhouses up and down the country?
RFU president, Rob Udwin, failed to read the room when blaming the media for much of the fuss and fury, before back tracking. No smoke, no fire and all that. The game was still amateur when Carling coined his bon mot. And amateurish is the politest way to describe the palaver currently engulfing the governing body and the remuneration packages for its senior figures. In fact, ‘amateurish’ does a disservice to the way the game was run back then. Notwithstanding his aversion to the game turning pro – a bone of contention for many of us – the then RFU CEO, Dudley Wood, was far more open, transparent and accountable than today’s vintage. Wood would hold monthly media briefings, standing at the front of the room saying ‘items one to six are for RFU business as detailed while item seven is AOB where you may ask us anything about anything and then we shall have lunch.’ And now? Tumble-weed, leaving speculation and rumour to run amok. Lose the public and you’ve lost the game. Let’s hope for better in 2025.
3. Review England’s exiles policy and fast-track young talent
The gloom-tinged autumn for England fans should be a pointed reminder for Sweeney – that in-tray of his is full to bursting – the fortunes of the national team are one of the single most important parts of the business at the RFU. Perhaps even THE single most important part of the whole set-up. If England do well, the shop window is an attractive site, the goods on display drawing in prospective new punters and attracting much-needed cash into the coffers. Cash in the coffers feeds the community game as well as (embarrassing cough) other things.
Steve Borthwick needs a full deck of cards with which to play if he is to get England back up among the European front-runners never mind the global market-setters. Three losses in the Autum Nations Series and three fingernail-chewing fixtures to start the 2025 Six Nations against Ireland, France and Scotland, leaves Borthwick with little margin for error. The England head coach needs to bolster his ranks which he could do with immediate effect by drafting young props such as Afo Fasogbon and Asher Opoku-Fordjour along with Saints’ to-the-manor-born flanker, Henry Pollock, and getting them prepped for international duty. Taking a punt on youthful talent doesn’t seem to have done England cricket any harm.
For the longer term, the RFU also has to reconsider its ban on players plying their trade in France or elsewhere. At the very least, it needs to be able to invoke three or four exemption players, such as Toulouse’s Jack Willis. Given the superior quality of the Top 14 it is madness to deny the national team of such well-honed talent.
4. Cover your ears if offended by swearing. Or give the coaches proper facilities.
In much the manner you sigh when TV commentators (prompted by a director’s voice in their ear) feel obliged to apologise for bad language picked up by on-field microphones, you do wonder quite why anyone might be surprised by colourful language emanating from the mouth of La Rochelle head coach, Ronan O’Gara.
“I think the better team won tonight.” 🗣️
Ronan O’Gara gives his thoughts after an opening night victory for Stade Rochelais against Bath Rugby 🟡⚫#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/IS54WBdZNm
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) December 6, 2024
The man himself did express regret if anyone was offended yet the real question is why it should be acceptable for opposition coaches to be seated in among fans in the first place. Much like the on-field microphones. What on earth do you expect to pick up from them? Similarly, what on earth do you expect from one of the most impassioned people in the game, when no goal was too daunting, when no cause was ever lost, when emotion was an essential part of the package?
Would you want an O’Gara on your side, as player or now as coach, fighting your corner with every sinew, every breath? You would. Any fault lies with the club and its inadequate provision. Here’s a question: why are Championship clubs cut so little slack when it comes to facilities when there are still issues to address in the Premiership itself?
5. How long before an English club wins the Champions Cup again?
Don’t cry for the Premiership. Be it on their own heads. Six defeats from eight matches on the opening weekend and little prospect of things radically improving in terms of any of them challenging the front-runners when the knockout stages come around. Tough. The English cubs (along with the French) initially held the financial whip hand and ruled the European roost accordingly. Now the wheel has turned there should be no sympathy. They have to find a way, be it financial or sporting, through new investment or good practice, or, in all probability, both. It could be some time yet before that comes to pass.
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