The article says from 2004 to now, not from 1996 to now. KC has slowed down as he's got older but he's still a skillful player and a line breaker as Bullseye describes. The reason he has managed to play in this position so long is simply because it's not as quick now.

And the difference is that Saints have been quicker to adapt to, not manipulate, the rules.

Still I win your most idiotic post award so today has been worth it!

I think all youth and amateur rugby under the age of 16 should be played with a 5 metre rule.

Wrong. He was slapped and punched by Senior.

And that is the problem in British RL in a nutshell

Ask him to give you A Smack it could just work.

It would be carnage if you let a defences line up that close. Defences that know the damage they can do it they spring up and put pressure on an attack.
Letting the defence play closer will change attacking teams to be much more cautious, run from acting half, get a good kick in probably early and then play a pressure defence to win possession in the opposition 20.

If you want to make attackers develop more skills, then give them structured defences to break down. I am constantly amazed at the defensive naivety shown, whether it be wingers stuck on their wings, markers sprinting all over the place or players following their opposite number around the pitch. Such defences can be broken relatively easily and it's that lack of ability in defence if anything which is preventing the development of attacking skills - not that that is as big an issue as being made out.

Put better defences in place and attacks will evolve accordingly.

not at 13-14 which seems to be the age the big lads take over, only to drop away at 16-17 when everyone else catches up,

i think the problem is at youth level, we are having kids play the adult game,

a smaller pitch with a smaller ten, would help these skills develop, id even go as far as to limit subs to put less emphasis on explosive power and more on stamina, maybe even cut a tackle off the count to force a more attacking style,

maybe a limit on running from acting half to one per set, or even as has been suggested in Aus, removing the props all together at youth level (though this leaves a clear and obvious problem of where we get props from)

and just for clarity, i am only talking about the game and players on a proffessional pathway here, not the amateur game as a whole

Correct.........suprised he didn't have to bid for the punch on ebay TBH.

What I,m worried about is that down under they have cleaned up and speeded up the play the ball area, when we play in the next world cup, we will be totally pedestrian and embarrassing.

The PTB is a right mess now and I think Wilkin is right in his constructive opinion, if we make it any slower we will be closer to American Football with all the defence piling in, complete with the occasional forward pass.

Defences are so "set" now after a slow PTB that I can,t see any half backs being developed (ever) to break the defence line other than a chip kick or a boot down field. For me 5 wrestles and a kick has no entertainment value whatsever, give me open rugby everytime.

Australia have just changed their approach to slow PTBs because it wasn't doing as you said. It was just making defences harder to breach.



No it was because defences then were less organised and players weren't as fit making it easier for sides to break them.

all teams want quick play the ball when theyre attacking.all teams want to slow it when theyre defending.it just gets boring if every time you have a slow play the ball it results in the usual 1 man drive.its then that ball players should earn their cash.a 5 metre rule in todays safety 1st rugby would just result in more safety 1st drives for most teams because theyre are only a handful of decent ballplayers.most supporters also have little patience when up and coming ballplayers make mistakes when fresh in the 1st team,which discourages them from adventuress play.
a reduced tackle count might encourage ball play though.u wouldnt get far on 3 drives and a kick would you regardless how fast/slow the play the ball was

anyone that says wilkin was slapped by senior.
I would like to see how they would react from the same "slap"

Imo, the slowing of the play of the ball this year has been ridiculous.
Even dominant tackles dont seem to have and greater advantage than a less effective tackle.
Its an issue that needs sorting.
There have been some very dull games this year, and I have watched many games, not involving saints that I have been infuriated with the refs.

If this isnt sorted I think fans will simply stop watching RL