Wednesday 20 June 2007

to drop goal or not to drop goal

The Springboks beat a fired up Australia on Saturday in the first match of the Tri Nations due in part to Francois Steyn’s two spectacular drop goals in the dying minutes of this edgy game.

As the world cup tournament looms ever closer, the faint rumblings that once again a crunch world cup final could be won on a drop goal seem to be getting stronger. Steyn’s metronic kicking from just about anywhere on the field fires out a warning to those teams who may not have such a specialist in this area.

Wilkinson arguably almost single-handedly won the World Cup in 2003 for a battle hardened English team, and in the process, inspired calls for those without a specialist drop kicker in their own team to review the scoring system for a goal to be given just one point as opposed to three.

Graham Henry in a hint of worry cloaked firmly in mirth suggested this week that the only way to beat a team with an expert kicker was to perhaps eliminate the drop goal altogether. A statement that not everyone would entirely agree with, particularly South Africa with their diamond in the rough Steyn waiting to take centre stage, I should think.

that is the question

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