No-one disagrees that a good big 'un will be better than a good little 'un.
What we disagree with, Yoe, is your assertion that power is an irresistible trump card.
If you were right then Nemani Nadolo would be the best player in the world - but he's far from it.
People don't read or listen to other people. They take only the bits they're interested in to better criticize; it's a typical human reaction (of the masses, precisely !).
I've never said mass was the only factor in a scrum for e.g., but our friends
Olyy and
Draggs sure enough seemed to have had fun all by themselves there, on topics I haven't even grazed. I can't remember a match when France had more weight in the scrum, we're constantly under-weight, but statistically have the best one around. I've seen France destroy 80kg heavier scrums, technique is obviously primordial.
But people just listen to what they want to. It's therapeutic and allows them to exorcise some of their fears or complexes, all the while holding a scapegoat they can put a big part of the blame on. It's good for the conscience, and it's always been that way.
Burgess and Tuilagi. Sounds good at midfield, huh ? And how about, just imagine, Burrell coming off the bench at 23. How do you England fans like this ? How do you think all the others would perceive this ? As very bad news. We'd fear that thought. And what's the main reason, limpidly the common denominator betw. all three ?
Of course, it's understood 'massive player A' needs
some skill. What idiot believes mass alone is salutatory ? Put a guy who's never played Rugby there and it's a disaster.
Obviously, 'player A' needs alright handling, passing, and run okay lines. And he needs
some mobility and speed. But all that is implied. People have performed the shallowest of readings into that thought, making shortcuts at every possible corner of a fairly simple plot.
But it's hilarious for me everybody's walking in circles around the very obvious point. Some criticize Manu Tuilagi coz he can't/doesn't pass enough. Yeh, yeh...He's the guy who scored all of England's tries in 2012/2013 (again, a bit of an exaggeration, please don't read too *literally*), was responsible for 2.5 tries/3 in that infamous game against the Blacks (2012).
He goes down, England replace him with Burrell, a guy whose main strength is his size (1m91, 109kg). Okay speed and standard skill, but he breaks tackles, bends the curtain, and hits like a flanker on defense. The other guy is Twelvetrees at midfield...not exactly the personification of lightness and grace, surely you'll all agree to. His dimensions: 1m93, 106kg.
And guess what, soon, make way for Sam Burgess: 1m96, 115kg. He might make it to midfield. Surely Lancaster would want his perspicacity or intellectual qualities there. Because he's a brilliant young man with unparalleled tactical command, and the widest spectrum of moves you've ever seen at center. Hah, power/mass ?? Folly !...Folly ! What a strange, almost eerie argument to hold...really.
Even the fly-half is a hard-hitting, very solid on defense, bulky young man (1m88, 96kg). Yes, the fly-half. Do you know what flyhalves looked like just some time ago ?
"erp derp...errr, MAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, erpy derpy...massive mass..mastodon. Masssssss. Well if it were up to mass, then why don't we play Richie Gray at fly-half, errppppppppy derpy doopy derpy....MASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS".
