In the final game of the four, Bath took on Exeter in Bath. Bath were odds-on favourites, and history supported this claim. At half-time, Bath led 26-10. What followed next was feasible, but the ending was a mixture of high drama and stupidity.
Exeter had clawed its way back and was going into the final couple of minutes leading 27-26. Bath threw the proverbial kitchen sink at them and trapped Exeter inside their 5-meter line with minutes to play. Bath continued to batter Exeter’s defence through over 30 phases of pick and drive. Despite numerous instances of overlap that required two passes, Bath ignored the obvious. They also ignored several drop goal options, some directly in front of the posts, 10 meters out.
I have been fortunate in my coaching career to work with some talented under-12-year-old teams. All of them, bar none, would have slotted a drop goal. Easy!
We watched…
International players playing dumb! Thousands of pounds paid to players playing dumb!
Bath’s rugby coach Johann van Graan refused to criticise his players. I’ll bet Bath’s owners, languishing in their hospitality area, were livid. Now they know, “You can’t buy common sense.”
Elsewhere, the top two teams in New Zealand breezed into the final of Super Rugby. The Chiefs demolished the Crusaders 49-12, and the Hurricanes destroyed the Blues 57-21. Both results were predictable, but maybe not so the final. Home advantage may see the Hurricanes lift the trophy.
In the remaining Gallagher premiership semi-final, Northampton Saints beat Leicester 45-31. Home advantage proved vital for Saints, whose forwards stood up well to a Leicester pack that had overwhelmed them two weeks earlier.
Saints will go into the final as slight favourites, and I expect them to win a free-scoring game.
P.S. I think World Rugby should examine the pick-and-drive. It’s becoming a blight on the game.
Wherever you live, enjoy your rugby.
The Global Rugby Coach, Mike Penistone, is a globally renowned professional rugby coach based in Phuket who is also an ambassador for the Asia Center Foundation, a charity for disadvantaged children. For more information visit: www.rugbycoachingconsultancy.com.