THE GREAT AND UGLY FLYHALF DILEMMA IN AUSSIE RUGBY.

written Tuesday 10/04/2007

I have seen it written that Australia’s flyhalf stocks are in good shape.  After watching Larkham go around at the weekend,  as well as the rest,  I’m not so sure.  I don’t think our “rugby nurseries” are selecting and producing the correct people for the correct places. 

A few pieces of this jigsaw puzzle have fallen into place for me over the last few weeks.  At a trial match recently,  a coach,  a well renowned and respected coach locally was talking to me about a particular flyhalf and how good he was.  I replied that I didn’t think he was a flyhalf of any standing at all,  and that I would be playing him,  probably at halfback.  He  replied that he turned the game against them last year,  again he was wrong,  poor defence and a poor forward pack lost the game,  not the opposition flyhalf. 

Herein lies the problem,  the school system,  or our rugby nurseries for the most part,  look for the most evasive,  best accelerating,  perhaps but not always best passing players and then get them into that 10 jersey.  Schoolboy footy is a lot about one on one evasiveness and not so much about building pressure through tactics and a variety of play.   

These guys are then struggling moving to the next series of levels,  because they can’t supply the required tactical nous to play in the 10 jersey,  not saying they are not skilled individuals,  saying that their thought patterns and mind power is not up to the running of a game. 

Look at Larkham on Saturday night,  07/04/2007.  He decided,  no he dictated where the game would be played (territory),  when he became involved,  due to his ability to perform a number of basic skills correctly and well,  and due to his forward pack delivering some quick ball and front foot ball,  it was almost already a fait accompli that big things were afoot.  He runs,  he passes and he kicks,  all now with supreme accuracy. 

I have long held the view that teams with a dominant 10,  and dominant in all facets of the game,  given a forward pack delivering good front foot ball and quick ball,  are successful teams.  Easy to see that is a correct assessment,  Crusaders and Carter,  Sharks this year and Butch James,  All Blacks and Carter,  England and Wilkinson,  The Reds and Lynagh,  Brumbies and Larkham,  Wallabies and Lynagh,  Wallabies and Ella.  Usually coupled to these guys is a good 7,  McCaw at the Crusaders,  Wilson in Qld and Australia’s dominant years,  any number at All Black level,  Jones,  Kronfeld and now McCaw,  and that annoying little bloke from England,  name escapes me currently.  There is a fair bit more to it,  but they are key operatives on a rugby field. 

So we throw these kiddies in at the next level,  we throw a 10 on their back,  and we find they are not up to the game tactically.  Then we put the knife into them,  sad but true.  There is plenty of talk about a number of kiddies coming through the ranks that are going to be the next big flyhalf thing,  I have only seen one still at school that I think will make the grade early in his career as a flyhalf,  and I won’t name him here.  The other “supposed big thing” on the way up for mine is not a flyhalf,  and given a lack of kicking skills,  not a fullback,  great athlete,  not sure where I would play him but I shake my head when I hear all the guns say he is the next big thing in rugby as a flyhalf.  “Oh he is a running flyhalf they all say”,  well he can’t just be a running flyhalf as he moves through the levels. 

What does he have to be,  many things.  He has to be playing the game a number of plays down the field,  even when tired and sore,  he must remain calm,  and know where he wants to play the game and steer the team there,  either via passing,  kicking,  running,  maybe a combination of all three.  His recognition of space is probably the highest in the team,  and he must be able to hit the correct runners heading into that space. 

What does Larkham do well.  He remains calm.  His passing game is immaculate and he never has to change speed to pass,  this should be a key object of player development,  passing accurately at pace.  Larkham also maintains his pace during directional change.  His passing game on Easter Saturday night was performed with supreme accuracy,  long,  short,  looping,  the whole gambit. 

It looks to me like the young guys are just trying to get through each play as it comes and hope for the best.  I also think they are finding some very measured,  physical and accurate defences and are possibly struggling to cope with some of the mind games being played by older hard heads.  That can make you or break you if you do let it get to you. 

For all the pundits out there that don’t want any kicking in games,  it will never work,  it is not rugby league where you can get away with limited kicking,  but if all you are going to do is run as a 10 in rugby,  then you better be fairly robust,  because you will get hit hard and often and by numbers.  The senior game is one that can use the scrum for example with a half wheel to get defenders closer to the flyhalf,  can use the lineout to get to the flyhalf,  so many other tactical options to choose from for the smart sides and players. 

I bet Larkham wins the chess game on the team bus when they are on tour,  just have that feeling.  He has also continued to re invent himself or evolve as the years have gone on. 

Again,  composure is one of the keys,  Steve never looks too flustered in any situation,  even when there is a heap of blood running out of his head. 

The other key thing that good flyhalves have,  is a good set or sets of eyes around them.  From all reports Rod Kafer was Larkham’s eyes and Mauger does the same job for Carter,  calling the shots from outside in,  which is way different to what most people expect.  Not sure why most expect calls to be made inside out,  outside calls make sense,  the league guys usually all call the plays form outside in,  rather than inside out. 

I think the New Zealand sides do this well too,  guys start at fullback and get a feel for what is going on in front of them,  and make the move to 10,  look at Evans from the Highlanders and Leon McDonald from the Crusaders,  both having played regular fullback roles and slotting in well to the flyhalf roles.  Larkham too started as a fullback before moving to flyhalf.

If I looked at a team,  and the captain was the CEO or general manager,  then the flyhalf is the Operations Manager,  has to take all the resources,  look at the budget and piece it all together.  This guy is usually quite busy,  has a number of projects on the go at the one time,  is a lateral and multi level thinker and probably your number one problem solver,  is analytical with a strong eye for detail.  He is not a lawyer or an accountant,  he looks for way around the laws of the game and can't be a lawyer,  he cares little for what happened yesterday so can't be an accountant.  As you can see he has a difficult job,  but the key thing is that he makes things happen with a given set of resources,  and solves problems with in that structure.

Having said all of the above,  people playing five eighth in rugby league almost 100% of the time do not make the direct transition to the 10 jersey,  the two positions are vastly different,  and people need to be aware of that,  particularly coaches,  scary thing is,  they don't seem to have a single clue about it.

What's the answer,  well I don't have 100% of the answer,  have some suggestions which I will throw up over time,  but there is a deep rooted problem in the resources we develop and how we are developing them.

People say to me,  this guy is the most natural flyhalf I have ever seen,  my question,  define natural within the "flyhalf" terms of reference.  Oh he catches and passes well,  that's good but so should every kid playing the game,  catching and passing well should be a non negotiable pre requisite.  The question is never answered any further than that.

While you may not and possibly do not agree with the authour and his thoughts,  the authour doesn't really care,  and freely admits he may not be 100% correct.  However,  the basis of what is said is factual as best we can determine on any given day.  Always challenge the status quo,  better things evolve when current systems and ideals are questioned and challenged.  Make change positive,  strive to make positive change.