2014/15 Season Preview

On the back of a fantastic end to last season we can look forward to season 2014/15 with great expectation. Back into the top level European Competition and thank goodness we have dropped the London tag, simply Wasps again. Currently we now sit alphabetically bottom but effectively joint top. The season can't start soon enough. Just need to reinstate the Hoops in Black and Old Gold, shirts that stand out in a crowd. This would make me for one very happy. Last season was pretty much an even playing field although we did not have the benefit of full recruitment opportunities. As we enter the new season we now have a club with greater stability, are once again an attractive option for high level ambitious players and can benefit once again from full recruitment options, although, this window may not be open for long so we need to act now.

Targets for the season have been announced by Dai Young, a 6th placed finish being the minimum requirement.  Also towards the end of last season the coaching staff highlighted a need for a 30% improvement. Indeed this level of improvement based on the numbers would provide the 6th placed finish as required. But what specifically needs to improve and and is it acheivable ?

Already highlighted many times is the need for performance consistency, greater accuracy and discipline in order to turn around many of the close run matches from last season. Home results and an improvement in the Feb onwards Premiership form will be further indicators of progress. Recruitment has been well reported with 13 players or so leaving and 12 ish new players arriving. Certainly the quality of the recruitment to date looks to provide much needed depth to the squad, genuine options with the staring XV and this should indeed lead to greater performance consistency. However, the depth is a bit uneven and some positions look still exposed. With many intangibles likely to affect all clubs as the season progresses I feel we still to keep fingers crossed to try and avoid some possible events. As yet it is not clear how the Feb onwards results schedule will be improved, we will just have to wait and see. Changes to training regimes, not too much time on their feet during the week, extra 2nd XV fixtures to keep the whole squad in shape ready to step up if and when required and greater strength in squad depth may prove to be answer to the Feb slump. Massive changes to the conditioning team has occurred but personnel was not really the issue, in fact most have moved on from the club to international level service. It is the amount of time players spend on their feet during the week and lack of match programming for wider squad players which I think need to be addressed.

The first 6 fixtures will provide some indication as to how the season will progress. The first 6 fixtures provide a strong challenge. Last season the return on these opening 6 fixtures was 13pts. So a 30% improvement equates to a haul of 17pts which would be very welcome. However, the opposition in these first 6 fixtures has changed, based on the League position finish last season of our first 6 opponents the challenge looks much tougher. Like for like against these teams, based on last seasons results, we would have achieved a total of only 9pts, with the added 30% performance increase that equates to some 12pts from the first 6 games. Now that does not look too great and would result in a League position of about 9th/10th after 6 games. Point is as Wasps supporters we have a tough opening batch of fixtures and will need to hold back on the expectation and be patient. Anything in single figures and we should be concerned about achieving a 6th placed finished, anything north of 12pts we should have a satisfied, confident grin.

We had an outstanding finish to last season with the Euro play offs but this needs to be put into perspective. Our Prem home record reads won 5 from 11 (inc The Stinger) and the Feb onwards form was won 3 from 10. The key benefit of this end of season performance is for the longer term future and not necessarily next season (2014/15). We certainly need to back up that performance with a top six finish, however recruitment with an eye on season 2015/16 is the main benefit and we need now to maximise the advantage. At this point we are now a much more attractive proposition for experienced quality players. In my experience the pounds shillings and pence are obvisously important to players however to the highest level players, playing in the top competitions is also a high, if not higher, priority. Now we could wait and let the season unfold or we can make hay whilst the sun shines and start signing players now. That is current squad players extensions and new players, ready for season 2015/16 and beyond. Most importantly any recruitment needs to be geared to the playing style direction the coaching staff are taking the squad and hence they need to be briefed on the current progress with securing a ground the key issue being the likely playing diamentions of the new pitch and building a squad to suit.

At present we should assume this communication is taking place and a new ground would come with a pitch of maximum size dimensions, a jointly shared rugby/soccer stadium may not provide the width we need to benefit from the pace and mobility within the squad. The main strength of the current Wasps squad, what has really saved the day for Wasps, is the exceptional pace and individual brilliance within the squad. It is no great surprise that Wasps perform/compete much better on wider pitches in good conditions. Adams Park is narrower than the maximum permitted, our home form is poor and our away form at certain venues is very good, Twickenham being one example. Basically the squad strengths are not being complimented by the Adams Park pitch, but it is the long term we need to build for not just this coming season, the long term offers a different pitch option.

11 of the Prem matches are at home (LDH permitted), playing in an environment which compliments our strengths or adjusting the squad to suit, seems to make sense to me. Indeed when we played at Loftus Road with a narrow pitch the playing patterns and recruitment was designed with this very much to the fore. The pattern was flexible with the ability to be effective on the wider surfaces, however a narrow pitch was not a disadvantage to us but was mostly to visiting teams. The move to Adams Park fitted perfectly with the squad strengths and although playing patterns changed when Warren Gatland took charge introducing Gatlandball and also the rush defensive system introduced by Shuan Edwards both these systems very much complimented the playing pitch diamentions and the strengths of the squad. Nowadays there are more fixtures played on maximum width pitches, but we currently suffer with half our games played on a pitch which does not fully compliment our squad strengths. Our playing systems are also a little unclear, seemingly centred around a forward dominated, safety first approach, which does change within games when the need arises to a more risk orientated approach. However this more risk orientated, catch up rugby style approach has produced our most successful periods throughout the season, albeit usually when chasing a game. This has resulted in a important gain in terms of losing bonus point tally. Greater commitment to bring the pace we have into the game earlier, albeit on a narrower pitch, may well be an answer short term/long term to a more competitive consistant performance and help to improve the overall handling, passing accuracy - (match) practice makes perfect.

So getting back to the need now to recruit for the longer term future, in particular we need a Fly Half of International status to take us forward if we are to be serious contenders for top 6, top 4. Andy Goode has contributed massively to the current success of Wasps this past season and will again provide excellent direction this coming season. However his natural game does not bring the outside channel into play as a major threat enough through distribution, although this is compensated for to some degree via his vision and ability to kick accurate cross field type kicks to stretch defences. However the key point is Andy will not go on forever, hence a Fly Half with the ability to manage the game, make best use of the pace available out wide and distribute effectively is a key requirement and should be addressed now whilst we are in a position to attract the very best. It may well be the recent recruitments of Jackson and Lozowski provide the answer however that is yet to be seen. The fact is we now have a squad pretty much capable of winning the League with the exception of a current World Class fly half, which all teams above us do possess. Teams that win the throphies all have top class 10's.

Further to this we have pretty much all in place with a mobile, skilful squad of players with great pace throughout. The front line additions to the squad with Gaskell, Miller and Leiua fit perfectly with overall strengths of the current squad and I'm sure other new recruits will as the season progresses provide great competition and real options for the selectors. An addition of another top level scrum half to compete with Joe Simpson (and keep him fresh) with pace and threat along with another inside centre with the ability to truck it up and off load/present momentum ball quickly would also be on my initial want list.

Off the field many changes have taken place. However the only effective, significant change will be ownership of a stadium or definite news of this objective. The Stinger was a big success in terms of a great event, a great day out and demonstrated the potential of the club, even though it was a financial loss falling about 15,000 short in terms of attendance for break even, it did however provide a massive boost and injection of confidence into the Club. The short and long term future of the club is currently still very much dependent on a generous club owner and will remain this way until a stadium is in place. A top 6th finish and with it inclusion in the top level European competition has significant financial implications. Rising the average attendance at Adams Park this season will of course be very welcome but filling the stadium every week will only just about balance the books. We need the ability to run conference events, gain more from food and drink sales and turn the Stadium into a major income source 7 days and week throughout the year.

In summary, on the field, we now have momentum and need to maintain this. A 6th placed and above finish is achievable with the assembled squad. It will not be a gimme, the first six fixtures provide a real challenge. The squad additions should provide the consistency we require. The accuracy required will only come from playing outside our comfort zone and challenging our skill sets in a match environment on a regular basis. We need to understand better the playing environment and play appropriate patterns to suit. I think just about every player, coach, supporter understood the advantages playing towards the clubhouse at Sudbury. Adams Park has more subtle characteristics and playing patterns need tweaking to maximise performance. On the field confidence is everything in sport and I believe the confidence gained from the Stinger and at the end of last season will be evident at the start of this season and carry us through the first 6 fixtures with a 12pt return. This will provide the base to go on to achieve a 6th placed finish. Just need a strong start to the season.

Season Predictions - 

Saracens - Top 4

Northampton - Top 4

Leicester - Top 4

Bath - 4th to 6th

Harlequins - 4th to 7th

Sale - 6th to 9th

Wasps - 6th to 9th

Gloucester 6th to 9th

Exeter 8th to 10th

London Irish 8th to 10th

Newcastle 11th or 12th

London Welsh 11th or 12th

Pitch sizes from Premiership Rugby - 

Bath: 100m x 68.5m, 5 m in goals.

Exeter: 100 m x 69m, 14 m in goals.

Gloucester: 97m x 70 m, 7.5m in goals.

Harlequins: 100m x 65m, 8m in goals.

Leicester: 89m x 64.5m (post to post).

London Irish: 94m x 68m, 5.5m in goals.

London Wasps: 94m x 68.5, 5m in goals.

London Welsh: 98m x 70m, 10m in goals.

Northampton: 100m x 70m, 8m in goals.

Sale: 100m x 67m, 6.5m in goals.

Saracens: 96m x 68m, 5m in goals.

How to exploit space out wide by pictures.

Picture 1) 3 men inside 5m channel. Space but not much. Passing player square pulling tackler onto them - hence preserving the space. The defender/tackler should drift/push out but he is sucked in by the quality of the pass.

Picture 2) Ball carrier is fixing defender with eyes and by staying square. Ball held high providing ability to pass left or right. Most important the ball carrier can advance very close to defender and still be able to pass, hence holding the defender.

Picture 3) Note the passer is engulfed by the defender - he has pulled him right into the tackle but the ball has gone into the space which has been preserved.

Winger is now away with one defender to beat. He cuts inside and feeds the 8 who goes in for a simple try. I say simple. I don't think many other teams in the world could do this, remembering two back row forwards were involved in the action. 

Pictures 4 and 5) Below.

What happened to the England defence ?

In the 3rd Test, NZ v England, in the first half it appeared that NZ were able to simply pass the ball into the wide channels and be presented with massive overlaps, 3 v 2, 3 v 1. Watching the game live I guess like many others my head filled with horror with the ease that these situations were created.

NZ scored 4 tries during this period and butchered 2 more, if that is the correct adjective. NZ are not in the kitchen chopping up joints of meat they are in the hospital theatre, performing the most delicate operations...at speed...some go wrong...Julian Saver salvaged one with a brilliant pick up off his toes. Space had been created, space had been protected and the ball passed into the right area but only just clinically enough - space exploited - try. Passing is not just about transferring the ball from one to another, it needs to be performed with the defender/defence as the trigger. Knowing why you are passing, how to pass with the end outcome in mind, and hence when to pass. Technically a player needs a range of passes and needs to apply the appropriate technique to fit the bill. Spin passes are seldom the correct option when trying to expose an overlap or put a receiver through a hole.

Most of the post match inquest has focussed on individual stats, highlighted that things improved for England when subs were made and a big bollocking was administered at half time. If it was only that simple - the game was over.

To me there is far to much focus on stats - tackles made, tackles missed, meters made etc. Stats are becoming a comfort zone for players and coaches, they should be viewed as a guide and no more. For instance a tackle on the front foot is vastly different from one on the back foot. In particular in this 3rd test the damage was done way before the ball arrived in the wide channels. The defenders in these channels had little or no chance of making effective tackles, being faced by often 3 attackers all on the front foot. It is far too easy to say these individual players had a bad day at the office. It was the unit defence and the brilliance of the NZ passing and support movement that were the key factors.

Equally first half line speed was another reason put forward as the issue for the poor defensive display, justified by we improved line speed in the second half and then defended much better. Line speed improved, did it, where's the evidence for this. Sure it was nothing to doing with NZ taking their foot off the pedal just a bit and making a change at 10 later on.

No, to me all these comments have little to do what really is going on. It's all down to the ability of the NZ back line and squad to pass a ball accurately and more efficiently than any other team. To me the same occurred in the first test but the end result did not manifest itself as the execution was just not good enough, they were rusty. 2nd Test showed a glint of what is possible, just 20mins worth but enough to win the game comfortably. Also, a quick aside, in the 3rd Test the playing conditions were the worst of all the Tests, so the quality of the passing was even more impressive.

In detail, the NZ backs are capable of playing the ball closer to the opposition, still get the pass away because they hold the ball correctly. What this does is hold the midfield defence. I see endless pictures (see below) of England players passing with their hips turned, ball held low hence not holding the defender.Together with this ability the NZ backs support running lines are more effective as they drift onto their final line very late and right on the tackle line, offsetting the defender. Equally by having correct passing technique enables the ball to be transferred quickly and effectively if need be. Result of all this is the defensive line can end up as startled rabbits as they are drawn into tackles which don't exist as the ball has been moved on.

With England the support runners are mostly on straight lines, the ball is carried too low and the hips rarely stay square when the ball is being passed. In essence our game is to dominate the opposition physically, in the collision, with speed and power and then look for the off load. This game approach being our preferred method of breaking defences and one we are very good at, however very seldom wins tournaments. This method of course also fixes the defender effectively but rarely creates extra space and/or overlaps.

One example of this would Chris Ashton's try in the 2nd Test. Manu Tuilagi ran straight and hard as he does, at 2 NZ defenders in the wide channel (see below). There was no space created. However his power drew in the outside defender and he then made an awesome one handed off load to Mike Brown who magnificently caught the transfer (pass) which was behind him and low. Brown then had a simple task to feed the ball inside to Ashton to score.

Playing this way brings it's rewards and indeed England are very good at this game pattern approach and I believe should simply persist with this approach rather than try and mimic the NZ approach which requires seriously high levels of distribution skills which we simply do not possess. Time and time again we see England create space with 3 v 2's or 2 v 1's but fail to protect the space created by turning hips out in the pass and hence failing to fix the defence or exploit the space created.

To stop NZ we simply cannot defend as narrow as we have been. We need to get numbers quickly into the defensive line, so not over commit at the ruck and work the line speed more but most importantly look to drift the defensive line. NZ will not go through the middle of us, or most others for that matter but they will and do expose teams in the outside channels. Our defensive pattern is fine against other teams but for NZ special measures are required.

End of Aviva Premiership Season 2013/14 final quarter - update 4 - 12th May 2014

Final 1/4 Season Review 2013/14

Final game of the season completed in the Aviva Premiership so time to look back at our whole season  in the AP and try and make sense of the stats. The AP is also a means to higher competition and higher funding hence the aim is straight forward, a top six finish, first and foremost, then secondly to survive and build. To this end we have failed to get into the top six this season. However with the goal posts being moved we still have an opportunity to achieve top flight European Competition next season via a two legged play off as reward for a 7th placed finish. Should we achieve this then without question the season must be classified as a massive success due to what it means in terms of the increased status and the financial implications. Why is this important, well we are yet to know the breakdown of the financial implications for not making the top flight Euro Comp. My concern is expressed in previous blogs regarding the new Euro competition and what is now becoming a clear divide in the AP between top 6 and bottom 6. How the cake is cut will either make this a more acheivable target or a more difficult task to bridge. We will have to wait. Equally we should, whilst comparing this season to previous seasons, factor in that we were working significantly below full funding and the wage cap, in season 2011/12 and have, since about January 2013, had full funding available to maximise the wage cap, so much more of a level playing field since then. So has our AP performance improved ?

I would think is fair to say that emotionally for supporters has been another roller coster of a season. The biggest high being the Stinger match at HQ which lifted spirits, provided a good quality performance on the field and of course that much needed win. Momentum had been gained looking forward to the play offs v Stade. But then another down v Saints away - I think again fair to say most supporters were looking at a 30 to 40 pt defeat and ready to accept this as this would have still maintained the momentum. However shipping 74pts in 60mins brought everyone back down to earth, reminding us of the fragile nature of our squad and seasons performances, up and down, up and down. I do feel for the players involved in this Saints match as many/most were, unbelievably, not match fit as they have hardly played. I remember the winning mantra of previous coaches "make sure you look after the 16 to 42 squad players as a first priority, the 1 to 15 will look after themselves". Part of the cause of the erratic performance of the team must be assigned to lack of a match programme for the back up group of players and would for me be the first area for the club management to address for next season. A full season of B team matches is a must in my book.

Ok, just looking at the cold hard stats the overall picture looks very similar to season 2012/13. We have moved up one position in the league, overall pts total increased by one -  pts scored are less, points against increased from the 2012/13 and 2011/12 seasons - tries scored are slightly down - tries conceded also slightly up. The gap between the top six finishers and bottom six finishers again shows a clear divide in terms of the points for and against record as it turns negative below sixth place. The gap between our final league position and distance off 6th place has narrowed from 12pts in season 2012/13 to 8pts this season. We have won the same amount of games as the previous season, however we have won less games at home and more away. Back to back AP consecutive wins this season totalled  2 as opposed to 5 in season 2012/13. Our Feb onwards AP record remains a consistant problem as with the previous two seasons achieving one extra win this season in 10 games as opposed to 2 wins from 9 games in previous seasons. So mostly much of a muchness with the holy grail 7th place being secured - the honest appraisal of this however is others below us have slipped as opposed to us having improved that much.....we need to be aware that this is the case and do need to start beating the top six level teams who against in 12 games we managed one win. Overall our attacking points works out as 4th equal in the AP League and our defence pts against places us 9th.

So on the face of it the stats and the patterns of the season appear the same as last season, however dig a little deeper and there are some stark differences. This season the forwards have matched/outscored the backs in terms of tries, this is a massive shift in emphasis. Also the majority of the tries scored have come in the final 20 minute match quarter. What this reflects is a significant change in approach to style of play, now being much more a fowards orientated, a safety first risk free approach. Now this could simply be a reaction to having been vulnerable to driving lineouts and the scrum in previous years and/or not having confidence in the back line to look after the ball or produce the scores. As mentioned earlier in previous quarterly blogs the change of style of 10 was very likely to cause a change in the back line threat. This is not in any way judgemental simply recognising the difference between how Nicky Robinson and Andy Goode approach the game and how that impacts the patterns and characteristics of the team. The issue here is that when we start to play catch up rugby we are very successful. Yes we are inaccurate and lack support but with our pace within the team we pose a threat. Take this away and 1) we are easy to manage and 2) we will never develop the accuracy and support required to compete at the top level unless we go there week in week out from the start. What I am saying is the stats show we should be more confident to attack with ball in hand from the outset as opposed to a slower more controlled territory based game. We have the players now to frighten teams and with the likes of Rob MIllar (10 in my book) and Leiua coming in this fear would only increase - however we do have to move out of the comfort zone into the higher risk zone to maximise the benefits from all this pace.

Equally other changes and events need to be factored into any analysis. Scrum law changes have reduced the impacts and made it easier to involve the more skilful props who could well have added to the increase foward game emphasis, basically scrummaging this season is simply not just a battle of size, thank goodness. Also many have commented regarding Christian Wade missing being a factor. Well I'm sure it has been, but at the time of his injury the foward/back scoring ratio was the same. It was also very predictable not to expect the same level of try scoring from Christian and Tom V due to the change of the 10 and this appears to have turned out to be the case.

With the announced recruitment to date we certainly look to have more strength in depth for season 2014/15. Personally I feel a top line established 10 would be my highest priority, accepting that Jackson, Carlisle and Goode offer us very good options but if we aspire to be at the toplook at the teams above us - Farrell/Hodgson, Myler, Williams/Flood, Evans, Ford and Cipriani - this is what we are competing against. The 10 sets the tone the style of a team, our 10's offer a wide range of top level skills but vary widely from one to the other and mostly offer only one direction of playing. On top of this having more strength is depth is only of value if it supported with another match schedule for these players. We want them coming into the starting line up match fit. Only so much can be achieved on the training park. 

We also need to address the Feb slide issue. The training regime needs to be monitored. Craig White was famous for walking out onto the training ground and telling the coach to stop training now...."your 37mins with the players is up...." etc. Just to be clear, players can be prepared to the nth degree by great conditioners....but if then the coaches take them out on the field and work them for too long, keep them on their feet too long, from a mental side drag them into analysis meeting etc etc too much they will not be physically or mentally up to the task, which is to perform on the match day. Sharper minds, sharper bodies are required. 

We have had 3 seasons now when the team has under performed from Feb onwards. Interestingly when we have had a challenge before us against a strong team we have performed well, although still maybe lost. It has mostly been against opposition we expect to beat that the performance and result has fallen. This indicates the issue clearly. We can raise our game with a focussed mind set but as the fatigue builds during the season if we let this mind set slip physically we are also weakened and hence cannot raise our game. Now this is very much conjecture on my part but ask yourself how this relates to some of the games you have witnessed towards the end of this season and previously. If this is not the case I would dearly like to hear some other explanations - coincidence is one I suppose, bad luck another !

In summary we cannot forget that in 2011/12 we were just about down and out and in need of emergency action. The club management have done a great job to keep it all together and progress our league position to a point where we have a chance in our control for top level European Competition next season. The skills required to make this progression should not be dismissed, it has been immense achievement. We are now at point where if we are to make a full recovery significant further actions need to occur with regard to the further development of the club and squad. It's a little bit like being saved by the paramedics out on the street and delivered alive to hospital and now we need the expertise of the surgeons to make a full recovery. We need a stadium. We need a deeper quality squad. We need consistency. We need accuracy. We need a B team and/or U23 type full season match programme. We need a top six finish next season. We have the quality, power and pace within the squad.

The final question I struggle with is do we need top level European Competition next season ? Well, provided the financial rewards between level 1 and 2 are not too great then NO. However even if the rewards differential is great there are 6 AP places available next season and most likely 1 or 2 of the current teams will still be open to attack. So at this moment in time I feel a strong, competitive account of ourselves in the play offs will suffice, meaning we can move through the close season with great expectation of current squad players being strengthened with new acquisitions and look forward to a strong challenge for a top six finish in season 2014/15. If we come out on top in the play offs all well and good but need to be realistic about our expectation. We can and should go into these play off matches with a mind set of nothing to lose and everything to gain - attack, attack, attack from minute 1 to minute 160.

3rd March 2014

Continuing with my horse racing analogy from my last blog (below) it unfortunately appears our form over the past few seasons has once again returned and whilst seemingly having positioned ourselves well in the early part of the race we have not trained appropriately for the challenge, we seem to have a one miler running in a mile and half distance race.

However moving away from the analogy, rugby is not not the same as a horse race. All the players are capable or should be of going the distance and indeed should be prepared to to peak towards the end of the season when trophies and/or targets are to be achieved. So a deeper look and assessment of the issues need to made. Over the last 3 seasons the off the field activity has clearly played a part in the seasons outcomes but it is now a year on at least since these off the the field issues were addressed, resolved with little or no input from the playing side of the club, so they could go about their business in a normal fashion, albeit under resourced. Whilst these off field issue had direct impact on performance in terms of squad size and quality recruitment, we have managed to maintain high quality/top quality players and most importantly attract more into the squad. Equally we have a young group of players who have the capacity to improve.

All clubs endure high injury lists, this is the nature of the game. Our medical teams have changed over the 3 year period, however there is no evidence to suggest our medical team are or were less capable then any of the others, my experience is they work very hard and are of top quality. Likewise conditioning teams have changed and again there is no evidence to suggest that they are or were less capable then any other clubs conditioning staff. Indeed if we cast our mind back to pre season the message coming from the club was as positive as it has ever been from coaches and players alike that the pre season was one of the most demanding and beneficial they had experienced. 

As I have eluded too in the previous quarterly blogs, I have questioned if we "have the legs" to take us through to the end of the season based on previous outcomes from previous seasons. Do we have the ability to challenge when the pace picks up and suggest we need to wait and see. Well we have done that now and although we are still in the hunt for a top 6th or 7th place we have failed to take advantage of the our strong early season form.

As supporters we cannot expect our team to perform at the very top level every week, this does not happen in any sporting discipline. It is all about understanding the challenge and preparing appropriately. Our team have the very best direction and guidance in terms of, medical support, conditioning, coaching support and nutritional input. So why is this seemingly not transferring into the on field performance ? It the performance that most supporters appear to be concerned about. Not the winning or losing, we can all accept sometimes a team is better on the day tactically, have the luck of the roll of the dice and/or have greater resources to enhance their performance.

When fatigue sets in, long term fatigue, which I believe is the case, this is the hardest to overcome. Maybe in a one off cup match or in our case two seasons back in a relegation battle the mind can dig deeper to create the energy and will to overcome this. Without wishing to undermine any other teams and looking at the recent games, Bath away was a much bigger challenge than say Irish or Sale at home and our performance was much stronger. So my hope is that now all the remaining games will appear as a bigger challenge and the squad, and by that I mean players and  coaches will be able to rise above the apparent fatigue of a long and demanding season and present strong, competitive performances. Every match through to the end of the season needs to be viewed, in mind set terms, as a Cup Final. We then may still be able to achieve a 6th place, it is achievable.

At the end of the season this key issue, now an established pattern, needs to be addressed. My feeling, as was my feeling last season and the season before is that players are on the feet too much during the normal working week. That is, whilst coaches want their pound of flesh from the players to work with them on their particular, specialist areas these need to managed carefully and considered as a overall assessment of their ability to perform. GPS technology provides vast amounts of information regarding players suitability to train and play however it does not provide information on mind set. That is a player can return results showing he is at their peak during training, but, but, but it does not provide any information with regard to mind set. It is to some degree the science of hindsight.

All coaches, players alike always refer to the well used phrase "we must work harder", this is all well and good however completely wrong....to improve, players/ coaches/performance "need to work smarter" understand the issues do what is appropriate. Some players need pulling out of the gym as they will work and work and work, completely taking their eye off the point which is the match at the end of the week. Time after time I have had parents contacting me about their lads, concerned that they are doing too much...they most often are/were correct. No GPS, just a gut feel. However the "we must work harder" mantra had overwhelmed their lads and common sense gone out the window. Work hard for sure, but  make sure it is appropriate and not just work for the sake of work 

-  to get in the room it is advisable to open the door as opposed to smashing the wall down !!! 

Time and time again I have heard coaches saying " we worked on this all week and they still didn't do what I told them" ....well they won't, because every player has a default reaction to every situation and simply by doing it a few times during the week will not change this default position which kicks in when under pressure in match situations. It will take months to change this default reaction position....ask Nick Faldo how long it took him to change his golf swing. So for Wasps, changing the default position at this stage is not possible. We are what we are, which is very good with exceptional, high quality players. How do we get the best out of them over the final quarter of the season ? Cut training runs back to minimal length, ensure the challenge of a 6th place finish is highlighted in a positive "let's do it, we can do it " fashion, set the short term target and ensure everyone, back room staff, supporters and all understand this is what the last quarter of the season is about. COYW.

30th Dec 2013

Half Way Round the Block - how we looking - 30th Dec 2013

So 11 Premiership games completed, the runners are pretty bunched in mid field with one seemingly trailed off looking at being pulled up and 2 others going strongly out in front. This race over the last two season has taken the same shape and indeed the Wasps stallion is very much in a similar position within the midfield pack. Previous seasons have seen Wasps unable to stay the pace when the others press the go button, however the talk from the stables suggest this year could see Wasps being more competive during the final run ins. 

In season 2011/12 Wasps were seemingly in a secure position at half way but the tank emptied almost immediately before our eyes mostly due to a lack of tactical nous against the strongly improving Exeter, where taking up the inside rail and the two points available would have enabled an easy run in finishing in 10th or 11th - remembering in the climate and with the massive disruption at the Twyford Avenue stables this would have been success.

For season 2012/13 Wasps were again travelling well approaching the final stretch only for the tank to again empty rapidity. However, lessons had been learned and Wasps coasted into a comfortable 8th position and had indeed already started preparations for season 2013/14. Earlier expectation had not been achieved but fires in the supporters bellies had been rekindled and indeed most if not all would have grabbed at 8th place at the start of the race.

These two previous years had shown a clear pattern and areas for development leading into this 2013/14 race. So far lessons seem to have been taken on board and addressed, with much more attacking scope, ability to perform in variety of conditions, ability to defend challenges and critically more support available in the event of injury, something that had very much influenced performance in the previous two years.

So as we approach the final furlongs we simply need to maintain the early stage form, remain competitive and be able to respond to any increased pace. Basically we are all holding our breath waiting to see if the adjustments made over the past few season have had the desired affect in the final run and our tank does not empty as quickly as in previous years. No need to go quicker, trick is to not slow down as fast as the others.

Here is a link to current and previous form - http://www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php?leagueID=1&statType=triesScored. Important to remember stats tell you everything about what has happened and nothing about what will happen. 

With regard to the race so far and Wasps current standing, well from similar positions we have won races at domestic and European status. This could happen again, our charge is young and still developing, far from the finished article. Only the next few months will show if we have prepared correctly to deal with the second half of the race which has been the consistent weakness or if indeed as the signs indicate we are handily placed on the rails to mount a serious challenge for some tangible achievement. May be not a trophy but may be simply enough to interest the photo finish judge.

Here's to an exciting and successful 2014.

Season to date - written 6th Oct 2013

Bit of a break in the Aviva so a good time to reflect and look forward to the challenges ahead. First the facts. 5 games done, 3 away games and 2 at home, 9pts on board. Maximum pts available from the 5 games is 25 so from the simple equation we are on course for 36/37pts from the 110pt season max. This would manifest itself I would estimate as a league finish around 9th or10th. 

Now, don't know about you but my realistic expectation from the first 5 games was about 9pts probably less, yes hoping for more, but think 9pts is a good return based on the large turn around in the squad and the recent results history of the fixtures completed to date - Exeter/Sale away etc. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and yes we could have had a greater haul but for a width of a post and some better individual tackling, however 9pts is what it is and I think a good squad achievement to build upon.

Ok so now for the Mystic Meg bit. Rather than simply speculate or guess wildly again it would be better to base expectations on previous history, long and short term and make a considered assessment of future challenges. Clubs tend to have an identity, if you're asked to describe other clubs within the Premiership I think it is fair to say that from a sample of 20 or so rugby knowledgable people certain adjectives would emerge. For example with Leicester - solid and strong in the set piece areas, good depth of squad, play for 80mins, give little away, competitive, consistent and ruthless attitude etc - may not hear the words flair, flamboyant, adventurous quite so often. Let me be clear this is not in any way judgemental simply what they are. 

So short term to date, this season what adjectives can we apply to Wasps ? From commentary I have read or heard, I would offer - organised in defence, competitive, proficient in set piece, 80min fitness, scoring options throughout the team ( not just wingers...a change from last year) and well managed game from 10 would be the positives the work ons would be more creativity in attack, greater accuracy and this may only be a very short term issue greater composure in attack and defence - patience. I say short term as  this is a totally understandable characteristic of a new squad lacking an early win. Equally the 10 issue is relevant as in Andy Goode we have a 10 from completely the other end of the spectrum from Nicky Robinson - again not at all judgemental, just different. The affect of this however is do not expect the wingers to be bringing home 26 tries this season.

Longer term considerations should be based on performances towards the end of the previous seasons under the existing structures which have now been in place for a third season. Now these will of course be affected by the size and depth of the squad, equally the players lost to the EQP structure and also the affect caused by the overall season fitness which can be maintained by the squad - that is can they go for the full season. Well most of these simply fall into the Mystic Meg box, however what needs to be kept an eye on is the mounting injury list, which has been a consistant factor in the club throughout changes to conditioning and medical staff, and of course whether the squad can maintain energy and power being shown now through to the end of the season. These factors will be more relevant this season due to the fact that we will be playing more of the top of the table teams towards the end of the season. Now the fixture scheduling could be a blessing in disguise as the highest performing clubs will be keen to rest players and indeed will lose players during the second half of the season, hence vulnerable. However there is no point in speculating about if we will be performing well in the second half of the season, picking up wins or not but simply this needs to be monitored and assessed when the second half of the season is completed. The reason I say this is because it is a long term issue and hence a cultural and structural issue, it cannot be changed quickly. At this point there are very good, sound reasons why the second half of the season in the previous two years we have seen winning performances become scarce.

So to summarise. The first 5 games have produced good reward and is a positive achievement for a young and newly assembled squad. The strong likelihood is that the squad will start to understand each other more as the season progresses. The most encouraging aspect this season has been the level of try scoring in each game and not least the variety of players scoring -

follow stats link - www.rugbyroundup.com/stats.php

 - hence relieving the pressure on the wingers to score at the level they achieved last season. This is mostly due to having a more competitive pack and an experienced fly half in Andy Goode who provides clear direction and possesses a quality territorial game which will be significant throughout the next tranch of matches through to March. Whilst being excited at the potential of the squad at the start of the season, potential takes time to realise. A league finish around 8th this season to me would be positive with the option of going into the following season with a more stable squad. The continued fitness and availability of Andy Goode is a significant factor in achievement of this objective. Up until the New Year, another 6 premiership matches, a further 9pts at the bottom end or 12pts at the top end would be a good haul and another important achievement for this young and developing squad. Mind set and confidence is everything at this and indeed most levels. With increases in confidence the accuracy and basic errors will disappear. We, as supporters should be letting this young, new squad know clearly that to this point we are very proud of the performance to date and excited with regard to the future potential.

RobSmithRugby - Launch

Really excited about the first RobSmithRugby session on Friday 29th Nov. The core activity involves movement and physical literacy, although in time I intend to offer more directly rugby related activities. 

So why this now ? Well it has been a couple of decades since lifestyles changed quite significantly within the modern world with the introduction of social communication networks and gadgets. There is plenty of early evidence that posture and natural movement has been negatively affected, we are yet to see the longer term affects. We can see the clearly the negative affects of changes to nutrition trends over the past 4 decades or so but yet to experience the long term affects from movement literacy defiecency.

Now I have been very lucky in my life to be able to follow my passion for rugby and since moving on from Wasps have been desperate to find a new and exciting project that I can engage with that will benefit and be of value to a wider audience. Well this is it. Those fortunate to be engaged with sport at an elite level will benefit already with movement literacy training however this is a very small percentage. Movement literacy is important to all, for all sports development, in all walks of life, simply we spend too much time sat in cars, looking at screens and watching TV. If you want to achieve in sport and maximise your natural ability you will need to be physically literate.

Hence Movement Literacy is the core of the business because without this nothing else works.

The most effective age bands for introduction of this programme are U13 to U15's and I intend to roll this out within Bucks over the next few months with sites in the North, South and centre of Bucks to reduce parent travel commitments and hence reduce their costs.

Tomorrow at the launch some 20 plus players will be attending and I will provide updates from this point. 

Contact me at robsmithrugby@btinternet.com for more information.

Champions Cup

With the Unions and the Clubs starting to clarify their positions this week on the PRL proposals to leave the Heinekin Cup and create a new Champions Cup competition, good time to reflect. Although not a great deal of news in terms of positions, definates or certainty as yet, thought I would put my five pennance worth into the mix.

Looking at this purely from a perspective of "best interests of Wasps" apart from a likely, but not guaranteed, increase in funding, I am struggling to see any other benefits. What really concerns me is we seem to be following as opposed to leading....or for that matter even contributing to the proposal.

Clearly at the top table the "money" clubs are pushing the agenda supported and encouraged by the PRL, Wasps are not one of these. The PRL control the English Premiership and have failed to make it financially viable to some 50% of the participants and indeed it could be argued that those that wipe their backsides financially have achieved this despite the PRL. So what does the PRL do, they look at a tournament that is more attractive, that they don't run, negotiate with a media company to pull the plug on the successful tournament and run it themselves, using the bribe of greater resource for the major players in the current tournament. And when I say major players I mostly mean France, English clubs contribute but are some way off the mark in terms of on the pitch success, that honour of course goes mostly to Ireland and France.

Now I completely agree that the funding structure and the qualification structure need to be reviewed and indeed balanced more in favour of the French and English clubs, however this could be achieved whilst maintaining the existing tournament with all it's impressive history. I also think it should be said that the Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian clubs have added a great deal to the flavour, colour, excitement and interest in the Heinekin Cup not least the Irish Provinces winning the trophy on numerous occasions.

What I want to hear from the PRL are the rugby reasons for this proposal. To date I have heard nothing compelling which would add to what is a very much looked forward too tournament. All the proposal seems to based on is more money, which of course may only be relatively short term. From a Wasps viewpoint if money is the major driving force, then this is likely to continue and simply future decisions to say engage with South African provinces, make further changes with combined French and English clubs in a league structure, could then leave Wasps in a worse position then we are now, that is not at the top table. At at present we get an invite albeit sitting on the little chair in the corner. 

A good example of this albeit a much less radical issue is the A League. Over the the last 4 or 5 seasons the Wasps squad size has declined and there is good evidence that had Wasps pulled out we would have had greater success on the field and also been financially strong despite this activating a 10k PRL fine. We could have operated a smaller squad and most likely had a reduced injury account. Fringe players and indeed Academy players could easily access a match programme and most likely benefit in performance terms as we have recently seen with Jonah Holmes gaining valuable experience  with Leeds. The A League is great IF you have a big playing squad and was of great benefit to Wasps some years ago. The point is that we should be strong and act in our best interests and not simply follow proposals brought to the table by Clubs that are in a financially stronger position.

This recent proposal to break from the Union and start a Club led Champions Cup is the inevitable consequence of that catastrophic decision by the RFU not to centrally contract players back in 1995/6. Again good arguements could be made to say England would have won the World Cup several times by now and English Clubs would be dominating in Europe and most importantly the clubs would be more financially secure should this have taken place. Please remember Wasps are only in existence due to some 34 million having been invested, 2 million loss per season, thanks to the good will of the Club Owners since 1996. A Champions Cup will not improve the position for all, it may do for some. Nigel Wray has made it clear he wants Saracens to be playing BIG games every week. That is what is needed to succeed. There can only ever be so many BIG clubs and outstanding history or not that does not guarantee any club a place at the top level when money is the only criteria.

Wasps should start to lead the debate and act in the "best interests" of the club, whatever that may be. Answers are needed to these questions, what are the likely long term financial benefits, what are the rugby benefits and what are the guarantees on the table. To me the action needed is to stick with the Union even if we are the only one. However Might be surprised by others who quickly follow this lead. There is simply too much at stake to simply tag along.

Pattern for success

 After witnessing Northampton demolish Saracens in the Premiership and the the uncanny resemblance of Stephen Myler with the decision making and game management of Alex King from his time at Wasps I feel comment is required to define the similarities.

What happened today I call half pitch pattern, where the 10 simply assesses what is going on in front of him and makes the call to use hands or feet back down the outside channels. It is not prescripted, simply left to the 10 to make the call. What do support players do, simple, follow the 10. The 10 needs to look to reverse the flow of the movement of the ball at any time if significant forward momentum is not being achieved. Alex King became a master of this, mostly when the ball was being moved left to right, where he would change the direction and use his left boot to push the ball down the the left hand channel supported by a strong chase OR attack this channel with hands - not quite so smart down the right hand channel....but hey ho.

Now this is simply a territory game but is hugely effective in the midfield areas as opposed to going through the phase after phase which often ends up gaining no foward momentum and can be very attricional. Stack the numbers down one channel and work this channel either with a grubber type kick or through the hands. Most importantly it is a pattern that can be applied in all conditions, hence balance and structure of squad make up is more consistant, that is you do not require a different type of player for dry, wet or windy conditions. Much easier to drop players in and out of the starting line up. May not be the best pattern for one off cup type games, but for long league type structures it is a hugely effective pattern. Equally by adopting this pattern of play, practice becomes very focussed, playing the channels, of loading, chasing, supporting and clearing all come into line.

Alex King was in the most the key player throughout the successful years of Wasps, remembering the 10 handles the ball and makes more decisions than any other player, what he does determines the movement and effectiveness of the team. Alex kept the ball in front of his forwards. Sometimes this was easy to do, but mostly Wasp had, politely, average abilities at set piece, hence Alex needed to manufacture the circumstances to be able to put the ball in front of the pack. For a parallel example Lawrence Dallagio mostly played behind a beaten or weaker scrum, however Lawrence would simply pick early and turn a retreating scrum into a static ruck which in turn would become a forward momentum ruck (hopefully) which again in turn Alex King could then work the game into the channels.

Half pitch rugby as I call it, is about attacking a channel. This means support is trained into dropping in behind attacking front lines and not looking laterally to quickly. It is very much a cultural, trained response which has been and was developed on the training park. For coaches, you do not need to sit in front of the players with a flip chart or PowerPoint, you just simply need to set the parameters during training runs and maybe have some one to ones with the 10......no one else. A good 10 will quickly see the options and understand the requirements based on the circumstances in front. It seems that Stephen Myler is an outstanding pupil.

Very pleased to see Alex doing so well and having that very special ability to transfer his knowledge to others......just peeved it's not with WASPS. Still good on you old boy...