"It's all in the look'' a mother said describing how she gets her child to bend to her will.
The tone of voice, the stance, and the look are all effective tools in being able to shape and mould those under our charge and English rugby coach Eddie Jones has these mind-control strategies down pat.
I had the honour of meeting this intimidating coach a couple of years ago and I was shaking in my shoes before he even said anything. He seems to be working his magic on England and combines his look of steel with a sharp and tactical coaching mind. From the outside looking in, he appears innovative, intolerant of fools, and demanding.
His latest trick of bringing in Australian rugby league great Andrew Johns to mentor his playmakers could be seen as a stroke of genius or a gamble. In a sport in which gaining an advantage is becoming more and more difficult in the professional era, getting a different perspective may give England the edge it desires. The All Blacks did it with AFL's Mick Byrne helping the men in black with their kicking game, so if it is good enough for the All Blacks why not for England?
The key difference however, is that 1) Byrne was in it for the long haul whereas Johns' visit was fleeting; and 2) flair (or the lack of it) indicates a culture's approach to change and risk. What impact will a pep talk and a few tips from Johns really have on English playmakers Owen Farrell and George Ford who have had a lifetime of doing things and thinking in a certain way that probably suffocated flair out of their soul? Will they implement any of the new knowledge and skills passed on, or will they feel conflicted between old habits and new ways of thinking, seeing and moving?
As playmakers, you'd hope they are fast and agile thinkers but England doesn't really have a legacy based on flair and creativity.
England first five-eighth Jonny Wilkinson's kicking stance may have been innovative at the time but it wasn't spontaneous. It was a routine that was rigid enough for Wilkinson to perform each and every time which is why it was so successful.
During open play, decision-makers in rugby need to be fast-thinkers, great communicators, demonstrate tactical awareness, see space and know whether to take up that space themselves or put others in that space, have a plethora of tools they can tap into at any moment, be fearless and level-headed and take calculated risks. Is flair something that can be taught? Yes - but the willingness to be creative and take risks often reflects the culture of the team and the upbringing of the player.
Flair is not innate; it can be developed but it takes time. Players such as Andrew Johns, Carlos Spencer, David Campese, Aaron Cruden and Beauden Barrett have it and it was encouraged, rewarded and developed as part of their skill repertoire from a young age. It will take more than one visit from Andrew Johns to instil flair into the England side, but one thing is for sure - Eddie Jones has it in bucketloads and if he sticks around for long enough maybe a nugget of whimsy will take hold in the souls of the men in white.
