Engineering a victory
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Rugby fans will be keenly anticipating the moment when, on Saturday February 6, England begin their Six Nations Rugby campaign at Twickenham against Wales.
But who would want to be in England manager Martin Johnson’s shoes when the whistle blows? Winning the Webb Ellis Cup in 2003 was a magnificent achievement but has yet to be replicated.
Step in Frazer-Nash. The engineering consultancy is supporting the Rugby Football Union as part of its work with sports performance specialist PGIR, which is providing the RFU with performance analysis services over the next two years.
Frazer-Nash is to develop software tools with PGIR that will help England’s coaching staff and players analyse and improve their game. No stranger to the sporting arena, the company has brought engineering solutions to the development of Ergometer cycling machine and Powerwheel instrument for wheelchair athletes.
Indeed,UK Sport, the governing body that directs the development of British sport, has consistently demonstrated its willingness to embrace engineering solutions to help bring success to Britain’s elite athletes.
However, technology can only do so much: on the day it is the team or the individual that must perform.
With this in mind, Futurescope looks back ruefully to Wednesday evening and thinks that no amount of technological jiggery-pokery can account for leaving Wayne Rooney unmarked in the penalty area to score the goal that denied Manchester City its first major cup final since 1981. You just don’t do it. Not ever.
Jason Ford
News editor (and not remotely bitter)
Readers' comments (10)
Iain Bain | 29 Jan 2010 2:33 pm
Perhaps Rugby fans will be equally as interested to see Wales begin their Six nations Rugby campaign against England.
Come on Wales.
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BB | 29 Jan 2010 2:48 pm
There's other technology associated with the Six Nations for the first time this year. As a female rugby fan, I'm particularly looking forward to watching the action live in 3D at my local cinema. I only hope a close-up of the scrum doesn't put me off my popcorn.
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Frank Shinn | 29 Jan 2010 2:53 pm
Come on Wales? The guy did his best to be impartial- "Rugby fans will be keenly anticipating the moment when, on Saturday February 6, England begin their Six Nations Rugby campaign at Twickenham against Wales."
What did you read?
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Paul Bridgeman | 29 Jan 2010 3:10 pm
Well, Frank, 'England begin' is the bit that all rugby fans read - Iain is right - BOTH teams begin their campaign at twickers.
Let's wish BOTH teams good luck.
ps - Come on Wales - another Grand Slam year is coming
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Michael Libman | 29 Jan 2010 3:18 pm
Another example would be the clash in the FA cup between Leeds and Tottenham, with 4 out of the 5 minutes of extra time played and with Tottenham 2-1 up it is quite obvious that if you get anywhere near a player in the penalty box he's going to go down, hence Leeds got a penalty, scored and got themselves a replay at Elland Road.....
I guess the point Iain Bain was trying to put across is that England was mentioned before Wales! but he was being impartial as the article was about the England team working with Frazer-Nash. What he also has to remember is that England are playing at home so their team name will come first, if the game was in Cardiff Arms Park I would understand him being a little agrieved.
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Editor's comments | 29 Jan 2010 3:18 pm
Or even the Millennium Stadium...
Peter Field | 29 Jan 2010 3:25 pm
Only the best will win, let's hope it is a UK team. But sporting contests must be fair and I have gnawing doubts about using engineering expertise and technology, only available in wealthier countries, to enhance sporting achievements. Enhancing drugs would be fairer since they would be readily available to all countries, rich and poor.
Obviously this last sentence is outrageous in its content.....but is there not some similarity between the principles of these enhancements?
The 6 nations could usefully be extended to have women teams as well, to open up the interest.
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Robert Smith | 29 Jan 2010 3:42 pm
If we stopped all technological investment they would still be playing with leather balls and boots, dressed in long shorts and wooly shirts!
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Alex Wilks | 29 Jan 2010 4:21 pm
There seems to be rather a lot of Wales fans on here, good for them, so just to even things up a bit "COME ON ENGLAND". Moment of patriotism over, back to work.
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Charles | 29 Jan 2010 5:14 pm
"I only hope a close-up of the scrum doesn't put me off my popcorn."
Watching the scrum is one of the joys of rugby!
Good luck to Wales!
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Mark Paulus | 1 Feb 2010 8:31 am
There is a parallel womens 6 nations championship, as well as U20s and U18s. They just don't get any media coverage but you can check the rbs6nations website for details.
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