Time to kick RU into touch (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Time to kick RU into touch

11:47am Friday 26th October 2007

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Primary school teachers must be rejoicing. They have found the ideal way for young tots to learn their three-times table.
Simply sit them down in front of an England rugby union match. One kick is three, two kicks are six, three kicks are nine … see, it rolls off the tongue. Multiplication the Jonny Wilkinson way.
No, I’m not having another cheap shot just because we lost the final – but England winning the World Cup would have been the worst possible advert for the 15-man game.
Rather than opening up the sport to those of us who would rather stick pins in our eyes, it would just confirm the view that it’s an inferior, pedestrian version of league where the ball spends more time in the air or in touch than in any player’s hands.
It says it all, the fact that England only managed one try in four games against “proper” opposition and still managed to make the final – and that try against the French was down to their guy misjudging another up-and-under kick.
Wow, that’s exciting.
A fella in the office has attempted to educate me to this sport over the many weeks/years that the tournament has dragged on. He failed dismally.
Having suffered through last week’s kickathon in the Stade de France – the sporting equivalent of a three-hour council meeting – I came up with only one conclusion. Roll on Super League.