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Total Flanker Awards 2021

Tuesday, December 7, 2021 10:02

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My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Yes, somewhat unbelievably another 12 months have flown by and 2021 will soon be disappearing into the rear view mirror.

Time again, therefore, to gather together – virtually of course – for the 15th Annual Total Flanker Awards where we celebrate certain achievements in the world of rugby viewed through the unique lens of this particular blog.

And so, without further adieu, it is time for our first award of the day…

Let’s start big with the Total Flanker Most Dominant Rugby Team on the Planet Right Now Award. The Springboks? The All Blacks? The brilliant French? A resurgent Ireland? Nope, none of the above. I am referring instead to the Red Roses, England’s Women. Unbeaten in 18 consecutive matches, the year culminated in a November series in which the Red Roses amassed 239 points from four tests including two huge victories over New Zealand’s Black Ferns. A fantastic effort all round and Simon Middleton’s team are quite rightly hotly tipped to win next year’s World Cup.

OK, time to move on to our second award – the Total Flanker It’s Time to Start Believing the Hype Award. We’ve been here before of course – England’s next big thing – but it is beginning to look as if Marcus Smith could be the real deal. On fire for Harlequins during their run to the Premiership title back in June, capped for England during the summer and then a late call up to the Lions squad, there was always the chance that Smith might struggle to live top to expectations as the new season started. Two excellent performances against Australia and South Africa, however, dismissed any doubts. This lad has got it all. The only question now remains who Eddie Jones selects alongside him.

Next up, we have the Total Flanker Red Hot Favourites for the 2023 World Cup Award. This may not be a mantle that they will wear particularly well, but currently it is France who are the team to beat if anyone wants to win the World Cup in two years time. Obviously much can happen in two years, but the French have been building very nicely through 2020 and 2021, culminating in their outstanding win over the All Blacks in Paris last month. Whether they can continue to improve, or deal with the pressures of being hosts as well as favourites, remains to be seen, but if I was a betting man I know where I would place my euros.

Over half way through now, bringing us to the next award which is the Total Flanker Have the Doors of the Last Chance Saloon Finally Closed? Award. Back in January this year I reported that Chris Ashton had joined Worcester Warriors, his sixth club since crossing over from Rugby League in 2007 and his third club in twelve months. At the time I had assumed that he would comfortably score the five tries he needed to surpass Tom Varndell’s Premiership try-scoring record of 92, but a mere three appearances (and no tries) later it looks very much like his time at the Warriors (and maybe even his time in rugby) could be over, reports being of yet another falling out with management after previously falling foul of the powers that be at Sale and Harlequins. Steve Diamond’s arrival at Worcester was probably the final nail in the coffin, but it does appear that, at 34, Ashton’s distinguished career might now be over. Which, love him or loathe him, would be a shame.

And so to the penultimate award of the day – the Total Flanker Have You No Shame Award. So here’s the thing – let’s just say, for argument’s sake, that I was a World Cup winning coach who had decided to step down as Head Coach and take on a role as my nation’s Director of Rugby. Would I then pretend to be a water boy so that I could dispense on pitch coaching to my players during Test matches? Would I (my team having lost a Test match) then post an hour long video online questioning the integrity of the referee of such Test match? Would I then, when facing charges from World Rugby for posting such a video, vigorously seek to justify my actions? And then, having been found guilty, would I (after a mealy mouthed apology via SA Rugby), then announce that I was participating in a documentary which would present “my side of the story”? Well, no, I wouldn’t. And yet Rassie Erasmus would. Has he no shame?

Finally, and last but not least, we have the Total Flanker Possible Game Changer (Inching Closer to a Level Playing Field) Award. I am referring, of course, to World Rugby‘s recent decision to change international eligibility rules, making it possible under certain circumstances for international players to transfer from one country to another if they can demonstrate a close and credible link “via birth right” to the country they wish to transfer to. The effect of the ruling should mean that so-called Tier 2 nations, and Pacific Island teams in particular, should be able to field their strongest line-ups more often, hopefully closing the gap on the so-called Tier 1 nations. Yes, I do fear unintended consequences of such change, but believe that the decision has been taken for all the right reasons and that it is something we at least have to try.

Well, that’s all for the TF Awards 2021 folks – it just leaves to say many congratulations to all of this year’s winners, thank you (as ever) for your continued patronage and I hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year, Omicron variant notwithstanding…

Total Flanker – the older I get, the better I was

Source: https://www.totalflanker.co.uk/2021/12/total-flanker-awards-2021.html

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