Shallow Waters: Charlie And Jonny

By smoothhound
January 12 2005

Over a year on, and the hero of the World Cup final has been forced to sit out all the England test matches since dropping "that" goal. In that time, the young pretender has donned the crown. Can he wrest power for himself, or will the king return? Smoothhound ponders...

---

(With acknowledgement to Johnnie Cash’s “Frankie And Johnny”)

The debate as to who would be England’s flyhalf when the 6 Nations start has been raging since before Christmas. The only man who really knew was Andy Robinson, and he was keeping his own council. If Jonny reached the form he displayed prior to the World Cup, then there was no choice. His nerveless place-kicking and back-row defence are second to none. His attacking passing and line-kicking are usually excellent, his footwork has improved out of sight, with just his speed below top level. But…… and it’s a big but….. would his form be back to those levels?

Wilkinson’s form at that start of this season, prior to the haematoma layoff, was to say the least, patchy. Certainly he lacked the defensive power he’d shown in the past, and his passing was inconsistent. His play was not up to his own heroic standards. His judgement (and that of his advisors) has to be questioned – why did he continue to play with the injury?

Andy Robinson made the first mistake of his reign as England’s coach before the Autumn Internationals. While his RWC-winning flyhalf was struggling with form and fitness, he made him England’s captain, and told the world’s press that he would be first choice as fly-half. And this is where he lost some of the rugby-following public. Because it was obvious that Jonny would not at that time have made the team purely on form. And if that was the case, then he would inevitably lose some fraction of respect. Not a good recipe for a new captain’s first few games. Particularly as Sir Clive had been selecting on reputation and not form just prior to his departure and look where that got England.

Robinson was rescued from his potentially embarrassing selection by the tale of the haematoma – which grew important enough to impinge on Jonny and his advisors. He withdrew from the AIs. Robinson turned – where else? – to our own Sale fly half Charlie Hodgson. Charlie strikes me as a fairly laid-back character, he certainly didn’t kick Robbo into touch in a fit of pique, despite Robbo seemingly ignoring his early season good form. He saw it as a challenge, after all the consensus seemed to be that he was one of England’s few success stories on the Summer 2004 Antipodean tour. He certainly underlined his selection as his rival watched from the Edgeley Park sidelines, scoring two tries and kicking four conversions and two penalties while disposing of the Falcons in the week before the first AI. Charlie played well but kicked poorly against Canada, was the full package against South Africa, but his kicking wasn’t up to the expected standard against Australia. Charlie, misguidedly, was honest, and admitted that he allowed the pressure to get to him. And the rugby watching public, guided by the rugby press, allowed Charlie to drop in their estimation.

Charlie returned to Sale, where his talents are much appreciated and strengths and weaknesses are well-known. His creativity is vital to Sale, with his accurate passes describing their long flat parabolas out wide, where we play best. His running too can be dangerous, keeping the opposition back row interested, and given the opportunity he can sprint away from defences. His place-kicking is usually very accurate, but he does have the occasional off-day. Likewise his touch-kicking can be extraordinary and occasionally pretty ordinary. But it is his defence which is perceived as his biggest Achilles' heel. He can get steam-rollered by the bigger back-row forwards, although his tackling is improving.

Charlie kicked well enough in the Narbonne game away, but missed three penalties against Bath. The press had their usual field day in the build-up to the Newcastle game, although both flyhaves played it cool, saying in effect “if I play mano-a-mano, my team will lose”. Charlie conquered his nerves for the game and kicked everything on offer in atrocious conditions, even one from just inside his own half. Jonny missed two, but scored the deciding try deep into injury time after CRJ slipped while defending. As Barnesy says “you need the luck”.

Its unfortunate that Squeaky chose to enter the debate after the game. The comment that Charlie is “a very very good player” and Jonny is a “great player” is fair enough, after all Jonny dropped “the goal” and has a World Cup Winners medal to show for it. But the comment that Jonny “completely outplayed” Charlie is just not borne out. I was not at the game, but have read every report, amateur and professional, that I could find. No-one else was that one-eyed. Supporters supported their man, or declared it a draw. Lawton in the Independent under the heading “Hodgson at risk from Wilkinson propaganda machine” placed Squeaky’s comments in context.

One thing was clear, Jonny was on his way back to form. Although not yet at pre-World Cup level, his play was improving, and should continue to improve. Robinson now faced a balancing act. Did he go for an as-yet not at top form Jonny, with his metronomic goal-kicking abilities? Or did he go for Charlie, in-form at directing the game and with creativity in full flow, albeit with the occasionally wayward goal-kicking. With the England manager’s already-expressed preference for Jonny, it was probably getting in to the realms of “No Contest”.

Until this weekend’s games. Charlie played very well on Friday evening, making tries for Lund and Cueto, and a 70% kicking success rate in exceptionally windy conditions. All involved with Sale are delighted that he’s signed up for another two years. For seventy minutes in Perpignan, Jonny showed that his form was continuing to improve, sufficient probably, if Robinson’s mindset had not already picked him, to be selected for the 6N. And then, Jonny’s seeming injury hoodoo struck again, as he stretched ligaments in his left knee. Obviously in pain and distress, he was taken from the pitch, and the prognosis is some four to six weeks. That will certainly put him out for the first two games in the 6N, and possibly the complete tournament, particularly if he eases back into action, as he has recently done. And particularly if Robbo decides to select on form, and Wilko needs to prove that form.

Which misfortune resolves the selection conundrum for Robinson for the moment (if there ever was one in his mind) and gives Charlie a further opportunity to show what he can do. Charlie must now be a racing cert to start the first two games of the 6N as England’s flyhalf. It’s likely to be a tough task with perhaps two inexperienced international centres alongside him. But Charlie will want to impress both his critics and the public. Let’s hope he gives free rein to his talent providing opportunities for his club teammates out wide. So stay healthy Charlie. And get fit soon, Jonny. A battle for the white flyhalf shirt can only be good for English rugby.