15 = A Low IQ
It has been a less than auspicious week for England rugby. Fullback Ben Foden was today cautioned for criminal damage following a drunken incident (at half three in the morning) last Sunday. You can almost hear the creak of Martin Johnson's brow gurning itself into another furrowed crevasse, as he digests the morning headlines. At present, the RFU are awaiting Northampton's internal investigation prior to sanctioning any further disciplinary action.
It is not however the first foolish act from a member of Johnson's squad. Last month, Delon Armitage was banned following an incident with a doping official. Armitage was found to have been abusive towards the officer and even to have pushed him. I'm sure it is frustrating to be asked for a sample at the end of a game, but to assault the officer is wholly inappropriate, especially for a seasoned international.
Martin Johnson is also not a man to take indiscipline lightly. Following the 2008 tour Mike Brown was fined Ã'£1000 for his involvement in an alleged sexual assault, and for flouting regulations on team curfew. He has not been picked since. He has not even been in a matchday 22. Three years on, in January of this year, he was selected in the England Saxons side.
Three years on.
Johnson is not a man to forget in a hurry.
There is however a strong link between these separate acts of indiscipline. They have all been perpetrated by fullbacks.
Traditionally, fullback was viewed as the least glamorous position on the pitch. Much like a football goalkeeper, they are exposed as the last line of defence. Even if not responsible for the cause of the try scoring opportunity, they are often blamed for not stopping the try. They are also exposed to the constant scrutiny of the high ball or 'garryowen'. Consequently, the number fifteen jersey generally fell to the quiet unassuming chap in the corner, someone who could handle the abuse, as well as hoof the ball miles. They were also predominately the favoured goal kicker. Being slightly removed from the cut and thrust they were less likely to become injured. England had a long string of such players: Simon Hodgkinson, Dr Jon Webb, Jon Callard, and Matt Perry (England's most capped fullback). Of these four, the most controversial moment came when Callard was used as a tactical substitute to kick a late penalty for Bath....oh the scandal.
From the mid to late 1990's this template was changed forever. New Zealand's Christian Cullen set world rugby alight as a strike running fullback, scoring forty six tries in fifty eight tests for the all blacks (Pre-Munster, Irish fans). Suddenly there was a worldwide change in rugby psychology. Fullback became the position for your mercurial and elusive back. England began to pick players such as Mike Catt and Paul Hull, players who could run the ball back at pace, hitting the line to bring greater attacking threat. This evolved further in the selections of Robinson and Lewsey, to the current crop of Foden, Armitage et al.
What is different with the current generation of fullbacks, is that they are the first who have been brought up to play freely, without the previous constraints the position held. Most kicking duties are also now held by fly halves. Therefore, the previous conservative mindset has been eradicated completely. We now have different characters playing fullback. These are the individuals who are less inclined to adhere to structure and discipline. It could be argued that the current high rate of external disciplinary problems (in this position) may be a direct result of this.
So, if Johnno does decide to wield his fullback axe once more, then who may get promotion to the full squad. Nick Abendanon may have been first in the queue, but he himself blotted his copybook last saturday. After being substituted late on in the match against Leicester, he decided to rejoin the field of play in order to get involved in a fight between the two teams. What was more surprising, was the fact that he was still able to get up. The beleaguered Bath player had been targetted by the Tuilagi brothers, who between them snotted him five times. Poor Abendanon went down more times than Jess Willard. It does however have to be said, that if he brought this amount of aggression to his tackling, then he may have already won a fair few more caps. Of the other candidates, Gloucester's Olly Morgan might yet get a recall, if he can manage to stay fit for more than four games in a row. It's no wonder that Josh Lewsey has come out of retirement!
