The 'outdated' notion an England rugby columnist wants to bin
Names of the back of rugby shirts will be a talking point this weekend following the recent headlines generated by England confirming they will put them on their jerseys for the Autumn Nations Series, starting on Sunday versus Argentina at Twickenham. However, one advocate of the names on rugby shirts campaign wants club teams in England to take this initiative a step further and allocate squad numbers to players for the duration of an entire season.
Former Newcastle newspaper writer Mark Smith now works as the media manager for the Gallagher Premiership Falcons and his latest match programme column for Saturday’s Kingston Park home game versus Bath has debated the idea that names on squad numbered shirts would be a long-term positive for the sport in England and beyond.
Smith first raised the idea on social media but his suggestion was generally rubbished by rugby fans. However, he has now revisited the topic and made an impassioned plea for rugby minds to become more open to the idea of change to help grow a sport in England that is struggling to regain ground lost due to the pandemic stoppage.
“Rugby needs to start thinking differently to attract and retain new supporters, but my recent suggestion regarding shirt numbers took a right old battering when I aired it on Twitter,” began Smith in the neatly produced digital match programme that can be accessed by clicking here.
“The catalyst was the fact international rugby is finally catching up to the club game by having names on the back of the players’ shirts during the autumn internationals – hardly revolutionary, but welcome nonetheless. My idea was that Premiership clubs move to squad numbers rather than the traditional one to 15, so each player at the start of each season gets their own squad number, unique to them, with their name and number on display for each game.
We all know the drill.
I make a witty remark imploring you to read our programme, threatening violent repurcussions if you don’t. You ignore it, I don’t live out my side of the deal and get sacked for poor reader numbers but we meet up again in 15 years’ time and laugh about it. https://t.co/OEXuE3wHTW
— mark smith (@markismith50) November 4, 2022
“Currently, the clubs have players numbered one to 15 with names, which to seasoned rugby watchers seems to be the ideal scenario. On a practical level, this means clubs have to name and number hundreds of additional shirts each season to fit every conceivable selection possibility, incurring a financial hit at a time when the sport hardly needs it.
“For a Ben Stevenson or a Sean Robinson this can mean playing in three or four different numbers, home and away, so you are up to six or eight shirts for one player before you even start accounting for spares. The finance is a side issue for me because the real benefit comes from the marketing and branding opportunities offered up by each player having their own unique number.
“If I see a Newcastle Falcons No15 shirt, am I thinking of Elliott Obatoyinbo, Tom Penny, Alex Tait, Iwan Stephens, Louie Johnson, Josh Thomas or Nathan Earle? It’s currently a lottery, and there is no immediate association between the shirt number and the player wearing it.
“‘Oh, I really liked that Falcons No.15 last week’. ‘Ah, actually last week’s 15 is wearing ten today, and last week’s ten is wearing twelve today, and last week’s twelve is in 13, and eleven and 14 have swapped shirts too’. At a time when we need to be attracting new supporters, it just feels like an unnecessary barrier.
“The main argument on Twitter was that people want to know what position someone is playing in but in this ultra-professional era, the issue of set roles is somewhat of a misnomer other than at the set-piece. Even then, you will get No8s packing down at blindside flanker and fly-halves defending on the wing at a scrum, while the lineout often sees wingers at the front and flankers at half-back.
“In general play, you get props jackalling, wingers in at scrum-half, fly-halves standing at full-back and hookers putting in a cheeky grubber, and are we really asking rugby newbies to learn all 15 positional roles by heart before they can feel part of it? It’s time to let go of this outdated notion that the number on your back dictates the limitations of your role, and if existing rugby supporters are the only people upset by the change, then that’s fine.
“It’s the new guys that we need to draw in, and if that means simplifying things by allowing Ben Stevenson to wear a No45 shirt for the entire season, then so be it. Let’s have a ‘Stevo45’ range in the club shop, change his Instagram handle to @stevo45, and get it on his boots.
“On its own, I’m not pretending it’s the answer to rugby’s problems, but at a point when we need new eyeballs on the sport we need to be more open in our thinking.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments