The use of creatine is one of the most talked about subjects in world sport today, with extensive research showing that the supplement has both its distinct advantages and disadvantages. Many athletes have been sworn off the product, others believing it’s beneficial on the field of play.

Identified in 1832, creatine is naturally produced in the body, supplying energy to cells within. Approximately 95% of the body’s creatine is found in the skeletal muscle. Given this, creatine is not in the IOC(International Olympic Committee) list of banned substances, making it a legal supplement for athletes.

So what is so good about Creatine?

Creatine is known to lessen the level of fatigue during high levels of exercise, such as sprinting around the rugby field and repetitive stints of running. This supplement benefits players during matches, increasing overall strength and adding extra muscle when needed. As creatine already exists in the body, adding more into your system gives the opportunity to add strength and provide energy.

As simple as it sounds, creatine is nothing without putting the training in. Rugby players are recommended to train three times a week, taking the supplement during the off season and pre season to gear up for the months ahead. Without high levels of strength training, creatine will simply not work and be a waste of time.

If taken correctly, the benefits are known to be huge for rugby players, many reporting the boost in performance and energy levels.

But why are athletes being sworn off the product and told standard training is simply good enough?

Long term effects are one reason. Some studies have shown that excess use of creatine can cause harm to kidneys. Other studies have shown various side effects such as aggressiveness, acne and even hair loss. Such reports have given negative publicity to creatine, some mentioning it should be banned.

Should rugby players use creatine?

The use of creatine supplements is purely up to the individual. As the supplement is legal, athletes have the opportunity to use this without the worry of being tested and discarded from their respective sports. Rugby players need to assess themselves and way up the pros and cons of taking this supplement. With all the negative press surrounding it, it’s slowly drifting away from the norm and reports of bad side effects are increasing. For those considering usage, the starting dosage for creatine is generally 20g a day for the first five days, then 2 – 5 grams a day from then on, backed up with recommended exercise to boost size and strength.

At the end of the day, creatine is designed to boost your performance but is it really worth the long term effects? Many say no and say structured training the way to go, and a much safer option.

The bookmakers have tipped a two horse race in the 2011 Super 15 competition, featuring defending champions the Bulls, and New Zealand’s leading hope the Crusaders. The Bulls are worthy of a third consecutive title, but can the Crusaders tip the scales and claim their eighth Super Rugby Crown?
 
It’s fair to say the Crusaders are New Zealand’s genuine title threat, looking at their past history. Having claimed seven titles and possessing many of New Zealand’s most lethal playing weapons, they’re on the verge of another. An eighth championship would underline their status as the most successful franchise in the history of the tournament, a huge feat any rugby region would dream of.
 
Featuring a powerful forward pack, the Crusaders will show plenty of dominance up front. With All Blacks’ Ritchie McCaw, Brad Thorn, Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and the Franks brothers(Ben and Owen), it’s hard to push past the quality of these players. Throw in ITM Cup star Matt Arnold and the experience of Chris Jack and the Crusaders look championship winning material.
 
The franchise posts another blistering backline, nothing more dangerous than the devastating combo of Sonny Bill Williams and Robbie Fruean. They were unstoppable in the ITM Cup, breaking tackles with ease and causing numerous headaches for opposition. With Sonny Bill’s impressive offloading skills and Fruean’s scintillating speed, they’ll be tough to stop. Dan Carter will again give direction to the backline, the world’s number one five eighth still with plenty to prove with the World Cup just around the corner. Halfback Andy Ellis, will be out to cement his All Black spot, a player which showed superb leadership skills and a certain grittiness which All Black halfbacks most often display.
 
Among the forte of exciting talent on offer, the Crusaders have added Hawke’s Bay magician Israel Dagg to the fray. Dagg was explosive in 2010, most memorable for his game winning try against the Springboks in South Africa, giving the All Blacks an important Tri Nations away scalp. His electric running skills, undeniable attack and vision of the game adds another notch to the Crusaders belt, a player which will be vital to their title aspirations. Throw him alongside teammate Zac Guildford, and the danger is evident among a backline with plenty of class.
 
Even though the Crusaders are the standout franchise in the New Zealand conference, they’ll be tested by their kiwi counterparts.
 
The Hurricanes will be looking to break their Super Rugby duck and give new coach Mark Hammett a successful start to his head coaching career. On paper they look strong, but will need to break their mindset of falling apart when it really matters, something that has haunted Hurricanes teams of the past.
 
The Blues are no longer the nemesis they once were, however, expectations are higher than before in the camp. Coach Pat Lam has put out the challenge to perform and they must achieve this for any chance of finals football.
 
The Chiefs were quick out of the gate in 2010, but fell apart towards the middle and end, resulting in a disastrous campaign. Their form at home was atrocious, one thing among many they will need to reverse in 2011.
 
The Highlanders pose the less threatening out of the New Zealand franchises, but will look to surprise. With a new coaching regime and some credible recruiting, a better year is fore casted for the southern men, putting away bad memories from past seasons.
 
The Australian franchises will look for a big year, especially the Reds who were a revelation in 2010, a team which features some outstanding individuals in Quade Cooper and Will Genia plus many more. The Waratahs, Brumbies, Western Force and newcomers the Melbourne Rebels will be right up there closer to finals time, but may lack that certain edge which is similar to past campaigns, to advance any further.
 
The Crusaders biggest threat will come from South Africa’s two leading powerhouses, the Bulls and the Stormers. The Stormers were arguably the best team in 2010, even though they fell short at the final hurdle. They produced so much balance and power which made them a hard side to crack in 2010. The champion Bulls have been in a league of their own for the past few seasons, winning two consecutive titles and winning when it really matters. Featuring reliable five eighth Morne Steyn, the towering Victor Matfield, Fourie Du Preez and Bakkies Botha, the Bulls have enough firepower to go all the way in 2011.

Will it be the Bulls who will continue their Super Rugby dominance or it will be the year of the Crusaders, a team desperate to bring the silverware back to New Zealand soil? It will be a telling season.

The sad reality that is dawning on the majority of thinking rugby people in New Zealand, is that the NZRFU are making some… if not bias… then certainly dumb decisions, and will there be more coming after the competition has finished. Surely Mr Tew learnt his lesson last year, remember the Northland / Tasman embarrassment mid season. What grass roots rugby people are looking for is a level playing field.

This article is written by Derek Ward. If you would like to submit a quality rugby article for consideration to this site feel free to contact me. ]]> http://rugbycoaching.net/opinion/lets-be-fair-nzrfu/feed/ 0 http://rugbycoaching.net/opinion/lions-tour-2009-south-africa/ http://rugbycoaching.net/opinion/lions-tour-2009-south-africa/#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 08:09:53 +0000 Simon Ward http://rugbycoaching.net/?p=138 ]]>

Itinerary

2009 British and Irish Lions Squad

The Lions squad is dominated by Irish players, more so than ever before with 4 players from the Champion Leinster club. The Lions Tour 2009 will be a chance for revenge for the World Champion South African team who lost to the Lions in their last visit. The tour will be an interesting one for sure. I will be watching, will you?

Growing up in rural North Auckland in the 60’s and 70’s and totally devoted to the Going Morgan rugby philosophy of play the game hard and purely for the love of the game, it is hard to reconcile the excitement and passion one felt in those long gone years with the week in week out bland product provided by the current Super 14 competition. Make no mistake the love of the game still burns strongly in this not so young heart. The All Blacks are still the real deal, notwithstanding our 4 yearly cycle of heartbreak/ depression provided by the Rugby World Cup, the AB’s can still stand up the hair up on the back of one’s neck.

The Air New Zealand Cup has to be retained as a viable competition, a breeding ground for our developing talent and as a competition the rugby loving public can relate to through their local players. One only had to live through the dark, depressing days last winter when the Tanawha were threatened with eternal rugby wilderness to appreciate the passion that is still burning strong within rugby people throughout the country.

It is the Super 14 then that is the problem. The professional era has delivered us a mix and match of teams where loyalty to one’s region is long gone. Players are now making a living out of the game and that’s fine but surely the governing body can provide a more attractive spectacle to ignite public excitement than the current format in Super 14.

Sky Television is offering free instillation for Super 14. Notwithstanding the current economic climate, there is still a reasonable level of public spending on leisure pursuits and it would follow that if the current format was working Sky would be busy with new instillations as they were in the first year of the competition. Free instillation for Super 14 offers an insight into what the wider rugby public feel about the competition, they are over it.

This article is written by Derek Ward. If you would like to submit a quality rugby article for consideration to this site feel free to contact me.

The truth of the matter is that Rugby is a game strongly influenced by specifics and interpretations of the rules, and the rules of the game keep changing. Will we even like this new game they are trying to create?

Lets compare Rugby with a pure game like Football (soccer). The rules of football are simple, you must kick the ball into the opposition goal. You need to stay onside, and you shouldn’t foul opposing players. That’s about it. The game is simple, yet it is easy to follow and understand, and because of this it is the most popular game in the world today.

Rugby is not simple. Ask someone who has been watching the game for 20 years to explain the technicalities of the tackle ball and break down? Or how a scrum penalty is awarded? Most simply won’t have a straight answer.

There is a real problem with the state of the game we love. The people that pull the strings time and time again show that they are more interested in turning Rugby Union into an elitist game with ridiculous technical rules.

Lets look at some examples. Many people would consider Richie McCaw to be one of the best players in modern rugby. Yet some openly consider him to be a cheat, who plays right on the edge of the rules. What sort of game can create such interpretive and varying opinions.

Refs make mistakes, often. But is it their fault that the game’s rules are so technical and open to interpretation that a game between the two same teams can be so different with a different official running the game. Look at the three instances this year – 2008 where New Zealand have played Australia in the Tri Nations. In the first game South African ref Joubert penalised New Zealand heavily, which removed New Zealand’s dominance around the scrum and tackle ball. Australia won. In the second game South African ref Lawrence didn’t penalise New Zealand so heavily and allowed them to dominate the break down, scrum and line out, and New Zealand won comfortably. In the third game, South African ref Kaplan, over refereed the technicalities of the game for both teams awarding a ridiculous amount of infringements against both teams. The game was close, but New Zealand just won. Same teams, different refs, completely different games.

Rugby rules rule rugby? What are your thoughts?