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OTD: England coaching duo banned by RFU over switching balls

By PA
Paul 'Bobby' Stridgeon worked with Jonny Wilkinson while at Toulon (Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / Getty Images)

Two members of England’s management team were suspended by the Rugby Football Union from the World Cup Pool B decider against Scotland on this day in 2011.

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Kicking coach Dave Alred and fitness specialist Paul Stridgeon were banned after they were found to have illegally switched balls during the 67-3 victory over Romania.

Both were spotted substituting balls before Jonny Wilkinson attempted several conversions, without being allowed to do so. Stridgeon was involved in the delivery of a chosen ball for the kicks, while Alred was on the touchline, suspected of planning the activity.

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Law 9.8.1 states the kicker must convert tries with same ball that was touched down, unless the referee agrees it is defective.

However, Alred and Stridgeon helped switched the ball Wilkinson was due to kick with on a number of occasions, without asking match referee Romain Poite.

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Following an internal RFU review, the pair were banned from entering Auckland’s Eden Park for their clash with Scotland, a week after the incident.

An RFU statement read: “Those team management members took it upon themselves to substitute balls during the match in contravention of both the laws of the game and the spirit of the game.

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“The RFU fully accepts that the action of those team management members was incorrect and detrimental to the image of the tournament, the game and to English rugby.

“The RFU has therefore decided to reprimand those team management members, to warn them as to their future conduct and to suspend them from participation in England’s next game, the match between England and Scotland.

“This suspension means that they will not be able to be in the stadium for that match in any capacity.”

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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