Rugby: Reliance on boot isn't new, says Wilson

Jeff Wilson, one of the classiest try-scoring wings in All Black history who lives in the same skin as a pragmatic Air New Zealand Cup coach, is a little conflicted.

Yes, he wants rugby to be a more open, free-flowing and attacking game. But he recognises where the game is at in terms of evolution and also knows the history of test rugby generally rewards the pragmatic.

"This isn't new," he says of the shift in the game which has reduced the role of wingers as pure try-scoring, attacking weapons and transmogrified the role into all-purpose, highly-skilled defender-attackers. "Canterbury and the Crusaders have done it for years and we are now seeing the South Africans bring it to the test arena.

"Even in my day, towards the end of my career, it was becoming more defence-oriented and finishing was not the only role of a winger.

"Rugby teams have forwards who can run like backs, pass like backs, who are incredibly fit, strong and fast and can defend well. They are athletes and backs now know that, if they are caught with the ball, the opposition will be competing fiercely at the breakdown and taking the ball. So the kick has come into play.

"But that kind of thing has always been part of the All Black game. In test matches these days there aren't that many tries scored and, because of the rules and the way the game is played now, there will only be two or three opportunities on average, per test, to score a try. The rest of it comes from pressure and accumulating points through that pressure and kicking penalties. "That has always been part of the All Black game just as defence has. Sure, it's about scoring tries but it's also about stopping the opposition from scoring - and All Black teams have traditionally done well in defence."

Wilson does, however, bemoan the dilution of out-and-out tryscorers because of the way the game has evolved.

"If you ask me if I'd like things to change, well, yes I would. I would love a more free-flowing, open and entertaining game with fewer stoppages and penalties. It's needed because the more we have a product that is not that good and perceived to be only average entertainment, people will turn off the sport - and that's what must be avoided.

"But I'm bound to say I don't have the answers either. I am sure it is not for want of trying but the lawmakers haven't been able yet to move the game away from where it is now.

"It's not just the lawmakers either. Some teams don't have a lot of fluent runners and ball carriers and they decide to play to their strengths anyway; playing defensively."

Wilson says it is not just the role of wings that has changed. "It's the inside backs too - they have to be more than passers and kickers and controllers. They have to defend. Look at Dan Carter. He spends half the game at fullback anyway, trying to control the game from there."

But, with wingers giving way to defender-attackers, he doesn't think the All Blacks are leading the way or overdoing it. Australian winger-fullbacks like Drew Mitchell are of the same ilk and South African wingers like Bryan Habana and Akona Ndungane also play a role in the South African game.

"Those guys know they have to catch the ball, get it back high in the air and in front of their forwards and they have to compete strongly for it - and they do it very, very well."