Skill level in international rugby are miles behind - Ryan

Former Fiji 7's Coach, Ben Ryan says skill level in international rugby are 'miles behind'.

Ryan who led Fiji to the Olympic men's rugby sevens title in Rio last summer and is currently working as a Welsh Rugby Union consultant believes that skill levels are lower than they should be.

Writing in a blog published on his website www.benryan.co.uk, Ryan said: "When you compare rugby XVs skills at the highest levels to other professional sports ‑ particularly in the USA ‑ then we are miles behind."

He says in the NBA, every attempted shot is technically on the money.

Ryan says rugby is still a very young professional sport in comparative terms, and he would say that the pass, catch and tackling skills are no more advanced than those playing the game 30‑40 years ago.

He says if the skill sets are not encouraged to improve across the board, then the game will become less accurate and based more on size and strength than skills and technique.

Ryan says this would only lead to a dilution of the sport.

Source: NZ Herald