Stuart Barnes: Ten talking points ahead of Rugby World Cup
Tuesday 15 September 2015 13:26, UK
Next week I am hoping to start my top 10 talking points on an upbeat note.
Alas, injuries continue to dog the build-up and it's with an injury to one of the most influential leaders in the game where we begin today's top ten talking points.
1. Italy have a terrible World Cup record. First up on Saturday they face France, a potential hammering or a potential shock victory, who knows? Or rather who KNEW?
With the news that their captain, Sergio Parisse will definitely miss their opener, their chances plummet. An outstanding player and inspiring captain, he is a bigger blow for Italy than either or maybe the combination of Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny are for Wales.
Luca Morisi, their most exciting back is also out - in his case for the tournament. If Italy didn't have bad luck they wouldn't have any luck at all.
2. Tom Youngs is the main man as far as England are concerned. Brother Ben is rightly talking up the importance of a fast start not just to the match against Fiji but the tournament. That won't happen unless the hooker finds his rhythm and his men.
The small matter of being the hooker of a team that lost two scrums against the head is also worthy of a mention. He is tremendous in the loose but England need his essentials to be more than merely bare.
3. Matt Giteau has caught the Jeremy Corbyn bug and is talking straight without the aid of an army of spinners. The Australian ace reckons England are favourites to win the pool.
Granted the Twickenham factor and a reasonable recent record against Wales and Australia he is right. However, saying they are favourites and saying they WILL win the pool are two different things.
Is Sam Burgess heading back to rugby league or is he going to stick it in union and see if he can prove himself anywhere near at the code he is so far a million miles from mastering?
4. Now what is going on with Sam Burgess? Is he heading back to rugby league or is he going to stick it in union and see if he can prove himself anywhere near at the code he is so far a million miles from mastering?
A statement please, Sam, even if to let England know whether our Australian media friends are engaging in cunning mind games ahead of the World Cup.
5. If the evidence of Saturday's game at Llanelli is anything to go by it is the dangerous low tackles we need to keep an eye out for through the World Cup.
Once there was a time when any tackle more than six inches above the waist was penalised as high, now beware the chop tackle below the knees. Referees should be vigilant too. The chop tackle became voguish when the high tackle that wrapped the ball up became outlawed.
Tackle low and the carrier spins out of control in the air, not a prayer of an offload, without even the need of a second defender to assist. There's nothing wrong with going around the ankles of course but there has to be evidence of arms being used.
Andrew Brace was quick to take offence in the PRO12. Expect more of the same in the World Cup.
6. Staying on the theme of officiating, I don't believe referees have been told to keep an eye out for hookers standing inside the touchline when throwing. The last thing I l knew hookers had to stand outside the line.
Well, in the Bristol win at London Welsh, Marc Jones, the Bristol hooker, stood well in the field of play which helps a hooker with the throws to the rear.
Just because it hasn't been highlighted doesn't mean it can be ignored. Black cross for Greg Garner, a reminder for the World Cup referees.
7. Tissot are taking the role of the official timekeepers. Last Thursday I saw a headline stating, 'Tissot to join the World Cup.' There was me panicking, thinking PSA had made a late change and selected a prop forward from Pro Deux for France's campaign.
I am happy enough with my 15-year-old Seiko, didn't even know Tissot was a posh brand. (Please, don't send me a freebie, I couldn't accept one and any old watch will do to tell the truth, and the time.) Just get the timekeeping right for the next six weeks!
8. Just read a headline saying Japan intend to scare South Africa this coming weekend. Before you scoff, it's worth remembering mice can scare the trunks off an elephant so who knows, maybe rugby's big African beast should take the warning seriously.
9. It's a big welcome back to Mike Phillips and commiserations to Webb and Halfpenny. We've had the Naholo miracle, I never held out too much hope for a second one. Liam Williams, Dan Biggar and probably Phillips have some big boots to fill in a variety of ways.
10. George Ford wears 10 for England. If the pack can provide him with the ball he will be at the heart of England's campaign from kick off and there at the end.
If he performs to peak potential the end could be a long way off. If not the exit marked premature beckons, for him and maybe England.
