'The days of flogging a player have gone... but we must be really adaptable to finish the Premiership'
Saracens scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth has urged fellow Gallagher Premiership professionals to enthusiastically embrace the challenge of finishing the current season – even if it means playing three games a week. With the Top 14 season terminated due to the coronavirus pandemic and speculation emerging that the Guinness PRO14 might go the same way next week when officials from the five countries meet virtually to discuss the indefinite suspension, the English top-flight is shaping up to be the only elite European league to reach a conclusion on the field of play.
Nine rounds of regular season matches – along with the playoffs – remain to be played in England and while Saracens are already automatically relegated to the Championship due to repeated salary cap breaches, Wigglesworth wants the club to impressively finish out the season.
“There are a lot of us in limbo at the moment and it would be nice to get things sorted,” he told RugbyPass. “Players have to recognise the extenuating circumstances and get on with playing games to make sure the clubs exist and thrive. Players have to be looked after but this situation is so much bigger than a few players being tired and picking up niggles.
“Clubs are very aware of what is happening and the days of flogging a player have gone to just get a short term result. We have to be really adaptable and if you are fit to play two or three games a week you do it. Whenever it is safe we have to get playing for the clubs and the players are helping by taking pay cuts. Now it’s about playing the games when and if we can.”
Set to turn 37 next month, Wigglesworth has played a record 286 Premiership games for Sale and his current club Saracens, winning six league titles and three Heineken Cups, but he will soon be out of contract. While an extension at Saracens would put his hopes of becoming the first player to appear in 300 Premiership games on hold, he wants to see out the current season on the pitch and then see what happens for the future.
I chat with big @bvunipola on #Thelockdown on @RugbyPass
He is staying put at @Saracens #yourman full interview 👇https://t.co/yySgZOQUKi pic.twitter.com/eeKUu1y4tX— Jim Hamilton (Vice Captain) (@jimhamilton4) March 26, 2020
“We are going to have to want to make the game bigger and more exciting, not think about the negative side of things. We have a brilliant game. As it stands I’m keen to play on but we haven’t had any information about how the season looks like. There is no point me asking until the club knows what is going on and when that happens it will filter down and the players will have to get sorted. Come the end of June you can technically sign anywhere and we need to complete the Premiership.
“Everything stopped with the virus and at the moment I’m out of contract and we are all waiting for things to start again. I’m mad keen to play on and feel as good as I have done and was happy with what I was doing on the pitch before this happened. If the Sarries thing had been different it would have been me staying there. Hopefully, something can be sorted when we all get going. If not, then I will wait to see what happens with other places.”
Wigglesworth, who built a gym in his home two years ago, is following a personal fitness programme set out by his club’s strength and conditioning coaches who helpfully identified hills to be climbed near player’s home. Government advice permitting, all Premiership clubs are aiming to spend June getting their squads ready for the season to restart in July with the Premiership final in August.
“I understand the different training schedules that have been done and having spoken to the lads at Sarries, they have done a great job of sourcing gym equipment and are working exceptionally hard but there is a difference between running and playing. Getting ready in a month is possible and while it won’t be the same as a normal pre-season, getting back into the rugby and contact will be looked after by the strength and conditioning experts. I don’t see it being a problem.”
With players leaving Saracens to take up contracts with rival Premiership clubs on July 1, there is the possibility of some key inside information being utilised by other teams if the 2019/20 season is restarted. “It will bring a bit of interest to things with people playing for other teams mid-season, knowing the calls and it will add something to the competition,” reckoned Wigglesworth.
“I finished my level three coaching course but what I don’t have is the certificate and the final stuff done. It has been good and I had a brilliant introduction to coaching with Harrow and the last two years with Ealing Trailfinders. I have given up a lot of my free time to do it.
Chiefs boss unimpressed with one particular suggestion for rugby's return https://t.co/TEoqedBbYX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 1, 2020
“I feel ready to kick on and become a better coach but that is hopefully not for a couple of years when the playing career is over. Sarries have a brilliant culture of wanting players to do things outside the game. I want to coach and have spent the last five years working hard on that, putting pressure on the family by not having as many days off. But everyone who has left the game was big on learning and trying to improve.
“I have not asked about coaching at Sarries because I want to play on, but if you look at the coaching staff it is pretty full. The place is very close to my heart and you would never say never, but what I’m asking for at the moment is a playing role.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 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!
3 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 …
30 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
3 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.
3 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!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments