1
Biggar suggests alleged 'faults' the bedrock of his relentless 83-cap Test career
Dan Biggar will refuse to accept backhanded compliments as the limit of his powers as he chases “another dimension” to extend still further a glittering Wales Test career. The fly-half credits his 2018 move to Northampton for expanding his playmaking horizons, but even now, after 13 years at the top, the 30-year-old is far from finished.
ADVERTISEMENT
What the detractors see as faults, Biggar considers the bedrock of a relentless 83-cap international career. Align Saints boss Chris Boyd’s fluent attacking influence with the tactical acumen forged right through Warren Gatland’s Wales reign, and Biggar can pivot towards yet more glory with both his nation and the British and Irish Lions.
Before any of that though, struggling Saints face the defining game of a turbulent season with Sunday’s Champions Cup quarter-final trip to Exeter. Second in the Premiership after ten matches, six defeats since the league resumption have plummeted Saints to seventh. After a lockdown and a restart to forget, Biggar will agitate for change at Sandy Park this weekend.
“What I’ve been good at through my career is what I hope will put me right up there with some of the best in my position,” Biggar said. “The other parts are about fine-tuning and that is something I’ve had to work a little bit harder at. But also it just adds another dimension to me as well.
“Whenever people say ‘oh he’s pragmatic and relies too much on a kicking game’, I always take that as a real compliment. I don’t see why people would see that as a negative. If I can improve little bits and little areas elsewhere, then that’s what I think will make a big difference for me.
Saints were left fearing being forced into uncontested scrums at Sandy Park https://t.co/WyApfDC45R
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 17, 2020
“It’s been really good for me these couple of years at Saints. I’m really, really glad I made the decision because I would have regretted not experiencing something different in my career, and not testing myself. It hasn’t been easy by any stretch, but the best things normally aren’t easy and you have to work for them.
“So I’m pleased I made the decision to chance my arm and really test myself up here. I’m obviously one of the fortunate ones to have accumulated enough caps to play outside of Wales, and again that probably made the decision a little bit easier.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Had I been on 30 caps it would have probably been a different decision at the time. But I feel like that policy has allowed me to come here and flourish. The restart has been difficult for us, there’s no doubt about it. But there’s nobody going to come to the rescue.
“This weekend represents such a good challenge for us to really have a go at a different competition. The pressure is off, we can go down, play our game and try to do something pretty special. Chris has been great for us because his outlook on life, rugby, everything – everything is pretty level headed, it’s neither one extreme nor the other which is pretty good for a group which perhaps is a little bit short of confidence.
“So it is tough, but now it’s about making sure we go out there and puff our chests out a little bit. If we go down there looking up to those guys and thinking these are the league leaders here, etcetera, etcetera – to be honest, I’d rather not go down there.”
Wales will host Scotland on October 31 to close their coronavirus-delayed Six Nations campaign before stepping straight into November’s Autumn Nations Cup. The Lions will tour South Africa next summer, with Biggar clearly in the selection running having stood up strongly in New Zealand in 2017.
ADVERTISEMENT
The status of Biggar endures as one of his former Wales boss and Lions coach Gatland’s most trusted lieutenants, but the combative playmaker knows that will count for precious little ahead of another hectic year. “Hopefully I’ll get back in with Wales in the autumn, but at the moment that feels like an eternity away,” said Biggar.
“I’d love to be involved there for a few more years and as long as I feel I can still add value then I’ll be sticking about. But if I’m totally, totally honest, the priority at the minute is making sure we turn the corner a bit here first, because that feeds into everything.
“Warren has given me pretty much all of my 83 caps, so obviously I owe a huge amount to him. But I also feel that’s quite a big compliment to me as well because Warren isn’t the easiest taskmaster. He’s not the easiest to please and you have to make sure you offer a lot to Warren to earn selection. So I suppose that’s quite a big tap on the back for me, really.
“He’s been really good, he’s given a lot of confidence in terms of that middle part of my career where I really started to establish myself as the number one. There was a lot of confidence towards me from that coaching group in particular. I’ll always be really grateful to Warren.
“I feel I’ve definitely improved since coming to Northampton though, because of the way we play and because of the way the coaches want the players to play and express themselves. Chris tells us never to worry about making positive mistakes. In fact, he’s saying he’d almost be harder on me from us shutting up shop.
“It’s definitely gutsy from Chris. We know we’ve got the coach’s confidence to express ourselves and be positive, and now we want to go and repay that.”
It's all falling nicely for the Chiefs as they chase breakthrough European success https://t.co/Fay7ICH0y5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 16, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Super Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
41 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
41 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
41 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
10 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
41 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
10 Go to commentsWowee!
10 Go to commentsEvery team that has played a game in Africa this Champions Cup season is already out of the competition - including the SA teams. Could be a concidence.
30 Go to comments