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Rugby now and not too long ago

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dr_martinov View Drop Down
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    Posted: 04 June 2020 at 9:39am
I caught the end of S4C's Heineken Cup highlights the other day and they were showing Cardiff against Leicester in that HC semi-final in 2009, where Cardiff lost on penalty kicks. A truly amazing game, I remember listening to it on the radio as it was before I'd got the hang of streaming.

It's only a decade ago so not quite "previous generation" but what really struck me was the difference in speed and size of the players. This game was played in May and was maybe more open, it was a highlight reel game as well, but the players seemed so much faster and more dynamic than now. They also seemed a bit smaller. Case in point was Tom James' try was started by a break by Jamie Roberts who actually had pace and wasn't just the battering ram he ended up being. 

Now, I know this has been said by everyone since the dawn of time but I think rugby was a better game to watch in "those days". Of course there were grinding games full of tactical kicking and lineouts - in fact I think they've sorted out the set-piece and rucks a lot in the current game to everyone's benefit - but players are just so gigantic now, to the cost of speedsters, playmakers and jinking types. The tackle techniques going a lot higher and wrapping up or ripping the ball has made a big difference as well. Teams like NZ almost always have size and skill but few others really challenge for that, where size, defence and fitness has become the main priority. Typified by Wales and Gatlandball of course. I've definitely noticed a difference last 10 years and this was really apparent in the last 2 or 3, where the injury rate has gone up so much as well. There is almost always a player leaving injured every single game now.

The size of current players also makes me wonder about how widely steroids are used - and at what age players start using them - but that is just speculation!

I do miss the game I utterly fell for from 2003-2012ish and players of this era may well always be my favourites but this may well be rose-tinted spectacles. Thoughts?
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dr_martinov View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dr_martinov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 June 2020 at 9:50am
I also accept I may just be getting old.
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RR1972 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RR1972 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 June 2020 at 4:09pm
A few things have happened in the last 15 to 20 years , the use of a full bench to make it a  23 man game so there is less space as players tire, the improvement's in  sports science for players , young players having access to weight training regimes and better diets from a young age
 
Basically we now have bigger faster stronger players who don't have to play for as many minutes
 
Collisions are huge , and in order to survive players are getting bigger
 
TBH the skill level has not improved anywhere near as much as the fitness and power  levels have
 
Yes the game was better years ago imo (although there was too much foul play years ago, people often mixed up thuggery for toughness)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ap sior Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 June 2020 at 4:44pm
Originally posted by RR1972 RR1972 wrote:

A few things have happened in the last 15 to 20 years , the use of a full bench to make it a  23 man game so there is less space as players tire, the improvement's in  sports science for players , young players having access to weight training regimes and better diets from a young age
 
Basically we now have bigger faster stronger players who don't have to play for as many minutes
 
Collisions are huge , and in order to survive players are getting bigger
 
TBH the skill level has not improved anywhere near as much as the fitness and power  levels have
 
Yes the game was better years ago imo (although there was too much foul play years ago, people often mixed up thuggery for toughness)

Eddie Jones recently proposed a 21 man match day squad. 3 front rows, second row/back row cover, a SH and an utility back. At RWC 2019, SA picked a 6/2 split on the bench. 
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dr_martinov View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dr_martinov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 June 2020 at 5:43pm
Not a bad idea that, 6 subs is still 40% of the whole team out there! 7 does excessive and we've seen this whole front row replacement at or around 60 min being a thing. 

Impact in collisions seems bigger as well I agree. Players are bigger but looking for contact more to make a statement? Perfection of the blitz defence? Crap refereeing of offside for said blitz?
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