Rugby Union: Wales sow seeds of revelation

IT HAS turned out to be a more interesting Five Nations' Championship than some people expected. True, the fancied teams - in those same people's earlier opinion, the only teams - England and France, have won their solitary matches. But neither side were wholly convincing.

The French made heavy weather of beating a courageous and battered Ireland. The complaints in the French press afterwards were about a punch allegedly thrown by Neil Francis rather than about any violence done to the boys in green. This demonstrates that nationalism is rampant everywhere, not merely in the Balkans and points east.

With every rerun of that blessing to rugby writers and curse to referees, the video recording, the English at Murrayfield appear more and more like headless chickens. The only players to emerge with their repuations intact after that match were, I thought, Rob Andrew, Will Carling, Brian Moore and Jonathan Callard, for his place-kicking rather than his support play (which has never been up to much anyway).

There were numerous lucky Englishmen around when the team were announced. I should have brought in Ian Hunter, Mike Catt, Dewi Morris, Chris Clark and Rory Jenkins. This last change would have been tough on Neil Back, but he had his chance, and spent 80 minutes virtually unseen, which is a difficult feat for any open-side flanker with blond hair to perform.

The revelation has been the Welsh performance. For the first time in years, Wales have striven for and attained quick release. This has made their central backs - missing Scott Gibbs, and with the rude abilities of Rupert Moon preferred to the more delicate skills of Robert Jones - look more skilful than they perhaps are. Three Llanelli players have proved inspirational: Ieuan Evans, Scott Quinnell and Phil Davies.

Reason tells you that France are bound to win at Cardiff on Saturday. My pounds 100 on them for the championship will look safer if they do. But I shall not be wholly sorry if, by the end of the afternoon, my money appears less secure. Whatever happens, Wales will be playing for the Triple Crown at Twickenham. Even a few months ago this would have seemed improbable.

My last column inspired several letters, of which I shall quote three. Dyson ('Tug') Wilson, now of Cornwall, who played for England in the early 1950s and toured South Africa with the

Lions in 1955, would abolish the direct kick into touch, though he does not say whether he would retain the punt from a penalty. He deplores the growing number of line-outs and the resulting 'basketball situation' when it comes to choosing forwards.

Mr Wilson adds that he was 'always amused' by people who thought he was 'a little on the light side' to play open-side flanker. He would point out to them that he was about the same weight (around 13 stone) as the then world heavyweight champion, Rocky Marciano.

Chris Walker, of Bedford, would simplify the present points system more drastically than I would, awarding one point for a try, or a drop goal: so that Scotland would have beaten England 2-0.

Richard Phillips, of Cardiff, suggests that the recent changes, which were designed to encourage open play, in fact do the opposite: faster, fitter forwards and 'no pile-ups' - that is Mr Phillips's opinion, not mine - mean less space for the backs. He also supports my proposal for a restricted line-out.

My impression is that there is widespread dissatisfaction with the new laws, above all with the law which denies the put-in to the side going forward if they have failed to recycle possession. My recollection is that this and other laws were announced as 'experimental'. At any rate the impression was conveyed that the old position could be restored easily by popular demand.

Some hope] As a few of us noted at the time. Few things in this life turn out to be so permanent as the temporary.