When England were eliminated from the 2011 World Cup at the quarterfinal stage, one voice in New Zealand said farewell by hoping the players enjoyed their return to the Premiership and its “kick and clap” mentality. The risk averse men in white would not be missed.
The image of English rugby being a home for the pragmatic and the conservative still persists even as the evidence evaporates. The Premiership is becoming occupied by the bold and the adventurous with players backing themselves rather than sending the ball high into the sky.
Kicking has not gone out of fashion, but it is more n...