Ackford settles write into new role
IT was funny to see former England lock forward Paul Ackford hunched over a laptop, pecking away at the small keyboard with his huge fingers.
For so long one of the lynchpins of the England pack, Ackford was in town last week in his new role - rugby writer for The Sunday Telegraph.
'I was in Ivory Coast the week before I came here. The paper wants me to do stories on all these new teams which will be playing in next year's World Cup. It is enjoyable going all over the world and writing about rugby,' said Ackford.
So despite having retired from international rugby, Ackford still gets to travel around. And his impressions about KL and Asian rugby? 'Well, I think this tournament should be a two-tiered tournament. I can't see any benefit in the weaker sides getting hammered by huge margins. It will only be a detriment to the development of the game in those countries.
'I don't think Hong Kong's 164-13 rout of Singapore will do any good to Singapore rugby.
Ackford also was surprised to see Asia's World Cup representatives Japan adopting a forward-oriented style of play.
'They may have been the biggest team around here. But no way are they going to be able to match the sides they meet at the World Cup in terms of size.
'It is surprising that they have taken up an European style of play. I know everyone thinks that is the way to go.
'But the Japanese should not revert to this style of play, rather they should try and mix it up and concentrate more on ingenuity, their quick hands and passing, and running the ball.
'They should evolve a style which suits their particular talents, rather than just ape the Europeans method. At the World Cup, when they come up against sides with bigger forwards, they will be up against it,' Ackford predicted.
The Japanese are certainly at the crossroads. They don't know which game to play. Whether to use their talented backs or keep the ball with the forwards, and punch through from the sides of the scrums, rucks and mauls.
On the subject of records, Ackford was sceptical that Hong Kong's re-writing of the books with their massive win over Singapore is worthy of remembering.
'How can you equate say someone like Phil Bennett, who played far superior opposition when he kicked so many goals, with that Hong Kong player. No doubt it was a good performance from Hong Kong, but one must take into account the so-called opposition. If Phil had been playing, he might have converted 20 instead of 17 kicks.
'Or their might have been more than ten tries scored by an individual,' added Ackford.
Going back to his first comment about the format of the tournament, it is a pity that the Asian Rugby Football Union failed to take a decision on changing the current system.
It was brought up at their council meeting on Saturday, but Sri Lanka objected to any change being made. The Sri Lankans said the main thing about this tournament was not winning, or by how much one lost, but rather what mattered was the friendship.
They also reminded everyone that not so long ago, Japan lost to New Zealand by more than 100 points.
