Does size really matter? Well, if its rugby, the received wisdom is yes, the bigger the better. That same received wisdom says that the best rugby teams are made up of 15 similar sized players. Backs are the new forwards. Large the new regular size. Six and a half foot tall and sixteen stone, the ideal dimensions. The extra inches and added pounds are needed to punch holes in defences. And to counter the other team trying to punch the same holes in you. But it doesn’t take someone with too much wisdom, recieved or otherwise, to soon realise that large versus large soon nullifies itself. Its pretty easy to draft in your biggest people, teach them to just about catch a rugby ball and then put a rose, a fern or a cockerill on their chest. And if your short of tall. Then you can always draft in a ‘big un’ from one of the pacific islands and put a rose on his chest. Simple. Well, if you watched the 6 nations this year then you will have seen that big is not better. Better is better. And in this case small was better. Stand up Shane Williams, one of the smallest wingers in the game. Stand up too Martyn Williams, one of the smallest forwards. If you stood them on each others shoulders they would probably be smaller than most of their opponents. And yet they were head and shoulers above the rest. Indeed, they made the most sizeable difference between the teams and one of the biggest reasons for a victorious grand slam. Time for a change in received wisdom.
Posted on March 16th, 2008 by dave in Uncategorized