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Old 01-11-2016, 10:25 AM   #39
undercoverbrother
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sylvan Lake
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava View Post
Yeah I guess he had been looking at a couple other contracts, then agreed to the two year extension. Then after that the club approached him with a formal offer, and he took that.

I think its a little weird, but he didn't really owe anything to Canada either. People have to do what they think is best for themselves, and I hope that we can find someone else who can move the program forward.
My issue with it is why sign on if you have something else in the pipe. The coaching world at that level is tiny, and honesty in dealings can go a long way. "Canada, I am very interested in staying, but I have to be honest I am in discussion(s) with professional teams. I don't want to myself up, and it isn't fair to you if I extend right now. I should know in a few weeks".

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Its weird though. When I watched the club this past summer and fall they were just not doing things that seemed effective for the rest of the world. For example going into a ruck with no support. That seems like rugby 101 these days, but the Canadian team just wasn't doing it. The thing that makes it so bizarre is that talking to guys playing recreational rugby here in Calgary, they all do it and are taught that way now. So how in the world it doesn't happen at the national level is beyond me. (I'm referring to guy basically binding on to the player with the ball before he initiates contact by the way, in case you're not sure what I'm talking about). It seems like a minor little thing. Until you see a top tier club run the ball down the oppositions throat 4-5 phases in a row and pick up 20-30 metres doing so.
I have thoughts on this. I still play, Div 3. One thing you have to remember is that locally there is (for the most part) parity between clubs. When you get to the International level there isn't. What that means is what the coach might be communicating this, but the disparity in talent/ability means they can't execute.

There is a little write up from a Canada Coach:

http://coach.ca/-worldcupweekly-with...en#SEPTEMBER23

He points out two telling things:

The game has certainly moved from a contact sport to a collision sport.

At the highest level the game has changed. The ferocity of the contact isn't anywhere near what I or even Div 1 guys are doing locally.

By the end of that match against France, we were left with only 3 professional players on the field playing against the 6th best team in the world and runner-up in the last Rugby World Cup.

This is the rub, there just can't compete, at the same level. At times it is men with boys. That sounds harsh, but all the time they have playing at the highest level in Canada just does not exist.

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That and for a team full of sevens players who do well there
I hate 7's, the skills are so different. While the basic individual skills are the same, the tactical skills both on attack and defense are very different.


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I expected a lot more creativity and offensive flair from the backs. Instead its basically "hands" every time. No loops or scissors or anything 99% of the time. Its not just that its predictable (it is), but those plays add to you getting overlaps and creating numbers wider out. I think some Canadians are reluctant to play that way because they don't want to look like showboats or something like that, but the reality is that these things open your opponents as well and keep them off balance defensively.

Anyway, I'm just a fan at this point, so what do I know. I hope that the program gets back to its growth and winning ways though.
Again, your final point directly relates to the second point from Moff. While I am a fan of draw and pass (if done right it always works), the defense Canada faced was too well organized and responded to their own mistakes too well.


I must say i do enjoy the rugby talk.
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Originally Posted by Sliver View Post
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