Alright, so let me tell you about this little project I got myself into recently. I’ve been watching a ton of rugby, as usual, but I decided to go a bit deeper with one player in particular: Leicester Fainga’anuku. It wasn’t just about enjoying the tries; I wanted to really break down his game. Call it a personal study, a practice in observation, if you will. Had some time on my hands, figured why not, eh?
So, I pulled up a bunch of footage. Old Crusaders games, his All Blacks appearances, and more recently, his stuff with Toulon. I wasn’t just passively watching, mind you. I had a notepad – digital, of course, because who uses actual paper for this kind of thing anymore? And I started jotting things down. What I was looking for was pretty straightforward: what makes this guy so darn effective on the field?
My Initial Observations
First thing that hits you is the obvious: the sheer power. The man’s built like a freight train and runs like one too, especially when he’s got a bit of steam up. But here’s what I started to really focus on during my little ‘study’:
- His running lines: They’re not always the flashy, arcing runs you see from some wingers. Often, it’s very direct, very smart. He picks a weak shoulder, or explodes into a gap that’s only there for a blink.
- The fend: Everyone talks about his fend, and yeah, it’s a monster. But I was watching when he uses it, and how he sets it up. It’s not just a wild arm thrown out; there’s a technique to it, a timing.
- Work rate off the ball: This was pretty interesting to track. You see him pop up looking for work, chasing kicks, making those efforts that don’t always make the highlight reel but coaches love. That’s something I think a lot of casual watchers probably miss.
Now, trying to actually apply any of this if you’re, say, coaching an amateur team, or just thinking about your own game (not that I’m playing much these days, the old joints aren’t what they used to be, you know?), that’s a different story. You can tell players to be powerful, but you can’t just magically bestow Fainga’anuku’s physique on them, can you? And sometimes I reckon modern coaching gets a bit too bogged down in overly complex attacking patterns, forgetting that sometimes, pure, unadulterated go-forward from a strong runner with good instincts can be your most potent weapon. It reminds me a bit of my old job, actually. They brought in all these super expensive, complicated software systems, and you know what? Half the time, the simple, old spreadsheet we’d been using for years did the job quicker and better. But try telling that to the folks in charge.
What I Took Away From It All
So, after all those hours of rewinding footage and scribbling notes, what’s my big takeaway from this Leicester Fainga’anuku deep dive? Well, it mostly just hammered home that rugby, at its heart, can be a pretty simple game that we often overcomplicate. He’s a fantastic example of how raw athletic power, when it’s harnessed with good instincts and a direct mindset, is incredibly tough to handle. It’s not always about the ridiculously fancy footwork or the impossible offloads, though those are great to watch too. Sometimes, it’s just about running hard, running smart, and wanting it more. And that, for me, was a good thing to be reminded of. A decent bit of ‘practice’ in just observing and appreciating that fundamental effectiveness. Definitely kept me occupied for a good few evenings, that’s for sure.
