'I think England’s going to struggle to win the World Cup with the current structure'
Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick knows English rugby well, having settled in London following the conclusion of his playing career.
As a member of the Harlequins board he played a key role in brokering the partnership between the Gallagher Premiership club and New Zealand Rugby that was signed in March.
So, when Fitzpatrick suggests that England are unlikely to win the Rugby World Cup again while the current club system is in place, he cannot be accused of being ill-informed.
Of the 11 players listed as unavailable to England head coach Eddie Jones this November on the press release that heralded his latest squad last Thursday, 10 are missing due to injury.
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Nick Isiekwe, Billy Vunipola and his brother Mako, moreover, were injured in the same Heineken Champions Cup match and Fitzpatrick inferred that the workload international players are forced to shoulder in England is too great.
“I think England’s going to struggle to win the World Cup with the current structure of club and country,” he told RugbyPass on the sidelines of the Laureus Sport for Good Summit in Paris.
“The fatigue on the players is just… look at the injuries. A lot of that has to do with the number of games they’re playing, the intensity they’re having to work at.
“So (England will struggle) until that changes or there’s a better system in place.”
Unsurprisingly, given his ties to Harlequins, Fitzpatrick is not in favour of tinkering too much with the Premiership.
“It’s difficult,” he said. “The clubs pay the players, so until the RFU (Rugby Football Union) maybe invest more money in the clubs (it won’t change).
“But what we need to be careful of is that it’s not totally focused on international rugby, because the Premiership is good fun, it’s a good competition. But ultimately it’s effecting the performance of England.”
Under current RFU guidelines, which are due to be revised from next season, Premiership players are limited to 32 lots of 80 minutes per campaign, a figure few reach.
That limit is substantially higher than those which operate in New Zealand and Ireland, where central contracts mean the unions have a much greater say in how many – and which – games international players are involved in.
In Ireland, Leinster are poster boys of the potential benefits of such a system having built a squad of largely homegrown players that is capable of coping with the demands of PRO14, Champions Cup and Test rugby.
“It’s no surprise that the best two teams in the world are both centrally contracted. At the moment that’s telling you something, isn’t it?” Fitzpatrick said.
“I’ve thought for a while Joe (Schmidt, Ireland head coach) has done a great job there, and what he’s done also is create a lot of depth.
“I just think Leinster and the Crusaders are the best two club teams in the world which has created real depth.”
New Zealand take on Australia and Japan in Yokohama and Tokyo before travelling to Europe to play England, Ireland and Italy on successive Saturdays.
When England were in the midst of an 18-match unbeaten run, the November 10 visit of the All Blacks to Twickenham had been touted as a significant indicator for next year’s World Cup.
Ireland may well now offer the sterner test seven days later in Dublin, but whatever the result Fitzpatrick believes New Zealand’s hectic five-match schedule has been designed with the tournament in Japan in mind.
“They’re trying to replicate, I think, the knockout stages of the World Cup,” he said. “They’re doing a lot of travelling from Japan and it’s a really good test for them to go back-to-back because some of those players aren’t going to play both games.”
Fitzpatrick, who is chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, suggested All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and his fellow selectors had “cast the net pretty wide” in naming a 32-man squad for the tour that will be supplemented by 19 players for the match against Japan on November 3.
Those not included among the 51 names – such as Chiefs halfback Brad Weber – can probably start booking holidays for next September, according to the former skipper.
“I think Steve Hansen’s got his 40 players I’d say that he’s got lined up for the World Cup,” Fitzpatrick said.
“You’ve got to say whatever Steve Hansen’s doing, he’s doing it right. He never gives an All Blacks jersey away, there’s always a vision.
“We don’t have one-Test All Blacks, which says that they’re doing a great job in their development and scouting and finding players.”
One player who is just starting out on his All Blacks journey is Richie Mo’unga. With World Rugby Player of the Year Beauden Barrett standing in his way, the fly-half has started only one of his four Test appearances so far.
Mo’unga’s performances, both in his limited time in a black shirt and for the Crusaders in Super Rugby, have created a debate in New Zealand about whether he should be given playmaking duties full-time.
Fitzpatrick questions whether moving Ben Smith to the wing to accommodate Barrett at 15 would be worthwhile. “Playing the best full-back in the world on the right wing, is that the right thing to do?”
He believes the emergence of Mo’unga is merely further indication that Test rugby has truly become a 23-man game. “What they (All Blacks coaches) are enjoying is that Barrett’s got pressure on him, which they want,” he explained.
“(Mo’unga) didn’t start very well against South Africa but in Argentina and in Pretoria, outstanding off the bench which has given him a bit of confidence. And then you think back to Barrett, that’s where he made his name was off the bench, and got to a stage when they said ‘he’s got to start’.
“But I think the All Blacks now are looking at some of their best players might come off the bench in that last 20 minutes where they can make a real difference.”
Sean Fitzpatrick was speaking at the Laureus Sport for Good Global Summit in partnership with Allianz. Laureus Sport for Good uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage.
Comments on RugbyPass
Now if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
4 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
35 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
4 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
4 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to comments