Rugby needs more drama. We’re through the group stages of a highly eagerly anticipated World Cup, and while more may come in the knockouts, there is little to point to in the way of pure sporting drama on or off the field.
Admittedly, the Portuguese performances have been dramatic, as have the Wales v Fiji and Ireland v South Africa games.
But sporting drama off the field, arises from intense rivalries, trash talk in the media, player and coach gossip; so where has it all gone?
Currently, if we are honest, Eddie Jones is carrying the rugby world in this regard. The old master of mind games, winding up the media, and stirring the pot, Eddie is an old relic of a time gone by from intense sporting theatre. While he’s now developed into a self-anointed pantomime villain, and deserves most of the stick he gets, his antics are from a bygone age.
Looking to other sports and theatre and drama is intertwined. Golf with the heated Ryder Cup, football with managerial/historic rivalries, even cricket with the debate on the spirit of the game.
Formula One has largely, fabricated it own drama with welcome addition of Drive to Survive, which has intensified and put rivalries and tensions under a microscope. Before then, F1 was devoid of paddock drama, now it is ever present, which more importantly has driven in new audiences to record highs.
But there is so much rugby could do to give better insight and therefore drama and tension.
Heres a few suggestions, some more serious than others:
Mic Up Players
So perfectly simple, but yet so effective. The NFL have done this for years, mic up the players and edit the best bits into a post-game highlights. Omit all of the sensitive parts discussing tactics etc, but include the grunt, communication and banter between the opposition. It may not create drama, but it would certainly foster more interesting content + insight, equalling more new fans!
Drive to Survive Style Docs
Rugby, again after everyone else has finally come round to the effectiveness of these behind scene documentary. The All Blacks did an All or Nothing Doc in 2017 which was brilliant and the Lions behind the scenes have fostered incredible moments, yet for some reason it has taken years for the Six Nations to welcome them in and even then to not publish it before the RWC. More behind the scenes content once again adds insight and intrigue!
Managers on sidelines
This one is a bit left field, but would be superb. We have seen recently with Ronan O Gara in the Top 14 having a sideline spat, the same with Borthwick and Pat Lam in the Premiership. Getting rugby coaches out of their stuffy glasses boxes, and onto the sideline where the real action happens can only be a good thing to foster drama. Analysts can stay up in the stands, but get the coaches on the sideline, and the theatre will follow.
Promote individuals
Rugby lacks interesting solo figures. Like I say with Jones, I’d go as far to say he is the only interesting coach in the game, Erasmus used to have his moments but each of the others follow the media script.
Cliché heaven with the guys like Borthwick, Farrell, Townsend, Foster. It’s the same with the captains.
Dupont is the only true world star in World Rugby and even then you wouldn’t say his fame is universal like that of Usain Bolt, Lebron James, Lionel Messi, I suppose that more speaks to the limitations of rugby globally.
But yet the point remains, harnessing personalities, creating interesting role models can only be a good thing, rugby naturally seeks to put team first at the detriment of the games attractiveness.
Hopefully these suggestions, mostly stolen other sports could be a quick fix to help foster tension and drama to a sport largely devoid of such attributes. A lot is at stake for Rugby, it must to all it can to attract new fans, lets start by fabricating some drama.
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