How Times Change

International Players’ Pre Match Preparation Then and Now

How times change! They certainly do, as I was reminded of such changes when the new England coach, Eddie Jones, named his 33 man squad for the forthcoming Six Nations tournament. I thought back to my own union playing days in the late Fifties and early Sixties (thankful I can still think back so far!) when I was named in a team/squad of just 17 players and reserves to tackle Wales at the Arms Park in Cardiff.

England’s Aussie boss had three weeks in which to prepare and finalise his team to play Scotland on February 6th.”Not a lot of time,” according to the rugby union correspondent of the Times newspaper! In contrast we were told to report at our pre match hotel on the Thursday afternoon prior to the match and were told that, owing to the rules regarding the amateur concept at international level, we were not able to train together for the game until after 4.00pm on the Thursday. Yes it was truly amateur as I well remember when, in the same 1960/61 season, having been selected to play for the North West Counties against the South Africa touring team we met at 1.30pm on the day of the match. Whereupon my second row partner, whom I had never met before, asked me on which side of the scrum I would like to pack and where I would like to stand in the lineout!   Such planning, and yet we held the Springboks to but a few points!

A further treat was in store when, on completing an hour or so of exercises and team drills on the Friday afternoon prior to gaining my first international cap against Wales, the team members were asked which film at which cinema we wished to watch on the eve of the game. So relaxing! Only one player declined to join us at the cinema – he wanted to write some letters. As he said,” While I have few hours to spare.”

Yes, times do change, for the better or the worse.

There is no doubt that although I and my team mates were as fit, as fast  and as strong as it was possible to be in that era there is no comparison with the fitter, stronger, bigger specimens that now hold a position in Eddie Jones’ 33 man squad to prepare for the clash with Scotland. And there is little argument to offer for those who wish to make comparisons between players when the rules and the styles of play are so different today.

But whatever the so called advances in training and preparation under the professional regimes have brought about for 2016 and whatever the superior fitness and strength levels have been achieved by our current international squads there is no substitution for skill, pace and creativity.

The likes of England’s  Peter Jackson, Bev Risman, Richard Sharp,

Ron Jacobs, Derek Morgan, Dickie Jeeps, David Marques and others would still have the talent and technique to chance their arm against the stars of today. If not the fitness, strength and physiques which now seem so obsessive to any international hopeful.   

Ray French (January 2016)