Oldschoolsocks wrote:
I don’t necessarily buy into the one trick pony narrative either though, Billy V pretty much has only one trick but it’s really good one.
That's absolutely not true if you've watched Billy V at all over the last few years.
Both Sarries and England have used his handling game a lot, in open play and set moves.
He's very much a double threat. Something that Stander for example hasn't managed to add to his game and could make him far more dangerous if he did.
Billy V's one trick is being really hard to stop and being able to pop a pass in contact, to this he has added tasing the ball in set moves. He is also used as a decoy.
it's being argued that Ben T'eo's one trick is being really hard to stop and being able to pop a pass in contact - which Leinster couldn't really take advantage of at the time. I've also seen T'eo throw impressive passes off set plays
so... apologies for not being 100% clear, but i think we're saying the same thing.
One trick pony is for more limited players. Vunipola is a really good player who does plenty of everything like tackling, winning turnovers. Not jumping in lineout, obviously though.
He's not an all rounder, you have to play a little differently to get the best out of him. But if you have a skillful player who can carry as well as him you want to get the best benefit out of that.
Sometimes you call a player like that a system player but at his level any team would make adjustments.
ronk wrote:One trick pony is for more limited players. Vunipola is a really good player who does plenty of everything like tackling, winning turnovers. Not jumping in lineout, obviously though.
He's not an all rounder, you have to play a little differently to get the best out of him. But if you have a skillful player who can carry as well as him you want to get the best benefit out of that.
Sometimes you call a player like that a system player but at his level any team would make adjustments.
OK fair enough, in my mind I’m comparing Billy V. with Jamie Heaslip and Kieron Reid who had serious well rounded games. The point I am trying to make is that compared to time he is limited but very very effective in what he does. Similarly I see T’eo as limited when compared to Ringrose, for example, but he was still very effective at what he did.
