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European Champions & Challenge Cup
Investec Champions Cup 23/24 - Rd 1
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<blockquote data-quote="Ragey Erasmus" data-source="post: 1167460" data-attributes="member: 56232"><p>All sides have bad games but I'd say Smith did everything you'd expect of a 10 in his last game and in others. He is frequently labelled as erratic and being the sort of player who produced highlight reel moments but can't actually control a game. Last game he was frequently kicking into empty spaces and putting his team on the front foot. On top of that, his running game was tearing apart defences. Farrell on the other hand has had some atrocious tactical kicking games both for England and Sarries and yet would frequently be labelled as some great game controller. That's not to say he couldn't do it, particularly for Sarries, but he definitely doesn't do the flair stuff, even at his peak he didn't. Smith is now doing the tactical stuff AND the flair stuff.</p><p></p><p>Also bear in mind Farrell is coming to the tail end of his career and has tons of experience, he should have the tactical game absolutely nailed down by this point but quite often his head goes and he makes some staggeringly bad decisions. Smith is 8 years Farrells junior and I'd say he is better now than Farrell was 8 years ago. This is less an attack at Farrell and more an attack at the stereotypes associated with the players. Farrells "iceman" personality I think should have melted away long ago yet somehow sticks around. Smith gives the same or better game management and is still labelled erratic, just because he can also produce moments of brilliance on top of that. Farrell isn't scoring the try that Smith did guaranteed and not seeing what Farrell would have offered above Smith in that game.</p><p></p><p>I think we have an aversion to x-factor, frequently labelling players who offer something special as "maverick" or "erratic" or "inconsistent", as if the special stuff and the basics must be mutually exclusive. As a Bath fan, you see the difference in Bath since Russell came in and the word of mouth is it's not just what he does on field, it's that that mindset is contagious and people get up for playing when they feel you have that option.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ragey Erasmus, post: 1167460, member: 56232"] All sides have bad games but I'd say Smith did everything you'd expect of a 10 in his last game and in others. He is frequently labelled as erratic and being the sort of player who produced highlight reel moments but can't actually control a game. Last game he was frequently kicking into empty spaces and putting his team on the front foot. On top of that, his running game was tearing apart defences. Farrell on the other hand has had some atrocious tactical kicking games both for England and Sarries and yet would frequently be labelled as some great game controller. That's not to say he couldn't do it, particularly for Sarries, but he definitely doesn't do the flair stuff, even at his peak he didn't. Smith is now doing the tactical stuff AND the flair stuff. Also bear in mind Farrell is coming to the tail end of his career and has tons of experience, he should have the tactical game absolutely nailed down by this point but quite often his head goes and he makes some staggeringly bad decisions. Smith is 8 years Farrells junior and I'd say he is better now than Farrell was 8 years ago. This is less an attack at Farrell and more an attack at the stereotypes associated with the players. Farrells "iceman" personality I think should have melted away long ago yet somehow sticks around. Smith gives the same or better game management and is still labelled erratic, just because he can also produce moments of brilliance on top of that. Farrell isn't scoring the try that Smith did guaranteed and not seeing what Farrell would have offered above Smith in that game. I think we have an aversion to x-factor, frequently labelling players who offer something special as "maverick" or "erratic" or "inconsistent", as if the special stuff and the basics must be mutually exclusive. As a Bath fan, you see the difference in Bath since Russell came in and the word of mouth is it's not just what he does on field, it's that that mindset is contagious and people get up for playing when they feel you have that option. [/QUOTE]
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