Jeremy Guscott: Life at No.10 hots up but don’t forget big Sam

When I look at summer transfer news the key position to me is fly-half. It is above tight-head prop, hooker, scrum-half, lineout caller, inside-centre or full-back, because fly-half dictates the style of your team.
There have been times when this has been forgotten because of the infatuation with defence, or the huge emphasis coaches have put on things like scrum penalties – making the 10 into nothing much more than a penalty goal-kicker.
The fly-half is always the biggest differential between teams. If you look at Northampton winning the Premiership, the main factor was that Stephen Myler had been given the opportunity to play in the Saints 10 shirt all season. He had been entrusted to do the job, his head was in a good place, and as his game improved so, too, did Northampton’s.
The same is true of Bath following George Ford‘s arrival. Their style has become more attacking and diverse, with the emphasis on playing an all-court game. Then there’s Sale. Is it a coincidence that, with Danny Cipriani starting to find his confidence again, they transformed from tailenders into a top six side that secured a place in the new European Champions Cup?
James Hook’s arrival at Gloucester is one of the most influential signings of the close season. Gloucester did well to get into the Heineken Cup last season with a poor pack, and they also had the handicap of a fly-half in Freddie Burns who was away with the fairies once the news of his transfer to Leicester broke.
Hook plays with tempo and structure, and he knows how to execute a game-plan. Your 10 has to be able to dictate play, and since his stint at Perpignan he has even more experience. Hook is a goal-kicker and a playmaker, and at his best there are few who can hold a candle to him. He’s still a Test player, and only Warren Gatland and his Wales coaching team know why he is not being picked.
Burns could be a great signing for Leicester if he settles. The Tigers must be chuffed because his performance in the first Test against New Zealand in Auckland was great – what he has to do now is to become more consistent.
Leicester haven’t gone mad in the market, and Burns is a straight swap with Toby Flood moving to Toulouse. Burns is an attacking influence, and if he links well with Manu Tuilagi and Vereniki Goneva – along with his ability to strike the ball a long way – he could make things happen.
The big signing for Bath is Sam Burgess, who arrives in October. He has had a huge impact in Aussie Rugby League, and make no mistake he is a Rugby League superstar. But, what he isn’t, is an Israel Folau or Jason Robinson.
Burgess is a big man, and he could be incredibly dangerous on the gain-line because the off-load is an important part of the Rugby League game. Very few people will stop him dead, so, as long as he has support, he won’t be exposed. I cannot see him playing anywhere other than in the outside backs, but Burgess needs to be an 80-minute player with Bath – and it should be the goal of their coaches to get him there.
Another new arrival at Bath is Henry Thomas. I don’t like this nurturing stuff, and Thomas needs to be ready to go for it. He has gone to a club with an incumbent England tighthead in David Wilson, but I would want to be first-choice tight-head at a leading club at 22. If he isn’t the No.1 by the end of the season he’ll need to move on again.
Nick Abendanon is a big loss to the club because he had a fantastic last season. Anthony Watson is a superstar in the making, but he is not as elusive as Abendanon. When it comes to straight-line running Watson is very quick, but his kick, catch, and jink are not there yet.
I’m pleased that Alesana Tuilagi is back at Newcastle, and it’s a great signing. It’s a shrewd move because he’s still reasonably quick and elusive, and by taking on a big workload in counter-attack he takes the heat off other ball-carriers. He’s a powerhouse who breaks tackles, and where most wingers don’t look for traffic, if he finds traffic, then he’ll clear it.
I’m surprised we do not see more big wingers like him in the Premiership because they are worth their weight in gold.
Chris Cusiter is a good signing for Sale. He’s been unfortunate with injuries, but having worked with him at the BBC I like his character, and he has a good insight into the game. Some scrum-halves are frenetically quick but cannot see the whole game, whereas there are those like Cusiter who have a good handle on what forwards and backs both need.
It will be different for Saracens without having Steve Borthwick‘s tactical input to help them to turn around a deflating season – where they went for everything and ended up with nothing. He’s been replaced by Jim Hamilton, who is a worldly lock, but they have to rebound pretty quickly.
London Welsh know what they’re getting with Olly Barkley. He is a seasoned, mature player who will kick his penalties. Even though they have earned promotion again, any side coming up is under huge pressure. The question is whether they can score enough tries, without conceding lots, and keep themselves up? Have they signed enough firepower?
London Irish went through a big exodus of players last season, and survived, so they know the territory, and there’s a chance they could pull it off again. That said, they’ve lost an international player in Marland Yarde, and it is Harlequins who have gained another significant weapon in attack.
Quins have not made many signings this summer, but a few good ones outweigh a boatload of bad ones.
*This article was published in The Rugby Paper on July 6.