Thoughts For 2012

Here are some thoughts for the 2012 year in rugby.

1) The Scotsman disables the ability to comment on its articles. These days everyone and his dog has a view on something and there a few positives in knowing what Tam from Cumbernauld, or Jockey Badger, or 'snake in the grass' thinks about who will wear Scotland's 10 shirt. I reckon about half of the comments are from Glaswegians complaining about west-coast rugby folk getting a raw deal or Borderers reminding 'posh edinburgh folk' that rugby is still played in the region.

2) Rugby continues to be a sport for all shapes and sizes. Few things are more depressing than seeing teams lining up in the tunnel and each one being indistinguishable from the next - that is rugby league. Props must remain short and stout. For this to happen, the IRB must continue the improvements they are making in the scrummage. Matches are no longer being blighted by interminably collapsing scrums as they were 18 months ago. Similarly, for there to be space for those remaining players who duck and dive, and those who can run an arc and swerve and cut and slash, the ruck must be policed properly.

3) Rugby learns more from Sonny-Bill Williams and his famed offloads. He is potentially one of the players who come along and change the sport by updating everyone's perceptions about the game.

No longer should the back of the hand offloads be considered flash. This is what is now needed to break down defences. And it is definitely not the preserve of a few players who just 'have it', that manual dexterity to flip a ball out of the back of the hand. It can be practised and it is worth it.

Some coaches will naturally react against it because it might seem flash but it needn't be. Like all skills, if it is done at the wrong time or done too often then it will become useful. But imagine a team, or even just a back-line who have the ability to offload the ball in the trickiest of circumstances. Like passing practice, all it does is make players more comfortable on the ball.

It will revolutionise support play and turn half-breaks into breakaway tries. It's exciting, and players and coaches should begin devoting time to this neglected way of breaking down a defence.