Not a home but a fortress?
Last Thursday I played away at Campion in the Schools Cup. A hotly contested and visceral affair. Whitgift eventually ran out 8-6 winners against a well coached Campion side. However, this game highlighted to me the importance of the so-called home advantage, not just in the obvious sense of raucous support but also the pitch dimensions and familiarity of the venue. We played on a small claggy, pitch which limited our ability to play wide; our problems were compounded through lack of carriers as our main 8 was injured and we needed to make yards through the middle.
However, I would've done exactly the same. It gave Campion the highest possible chance of winning and evened out the game.
In England's poor run of form in early 2018 they only lost one test at home, to Ireland who ran out Grand Slam winners in the 2018 Six Nations and who are arguably the best side in the world at the moment. Twickenham has only seen 2 defeats in Jones' reign and can definitely be classed as a fortress. Eden Park is probably the ultimate fortress. New Zealand last lost at Eden Park in 1994 to France 23-20. The Lions controversially drew in the summer of 2017 15-15. Threatening one of the most impressive winning streaks in sport.
Ultimately, it takes a good side to make the most of home advantage. Italy may have passionate fans and a geographical advantage but their inferior ability and sometimes mental ineptitude lets them down. England, poor in 2015, became the first hosting World Cup side to exit the competition at the first hurdle recently seen in the media through Sam Burgess' thoughts on that campaign.
Home advantage is a valid sporting concept but it needs to be grabbed and used eagerly by sides and not relied upon to bring success.
However, I would've done exactly the same. It gave Campion the highest possible chance of winning and evened out the game.
In England's poor run of form in early 2018 they only lost one test at home, to Ireland who ran out Grand Slam winners in the 2018 Six Nations and who are arguably the best side in the world at the moment. Twickenham has only seen 2 defeats in Jones' reign and can definitely be classed as a fortress. Eden Park is probably the ultimate fortress. New Zealand last lost at Eden Park in 1994 to France 23-20. The Lions controversially drew in the summer of 2017 15-15. Threatening one of the most impressive winning streaks in sport.
Ultimately, it takes a good side to make the most of home advantage. Italy may have passionate fans and a geographical advantage but their inferior ability and sometimes mental ineptitude lets them down. England, poor in 2015, became the first hosting World Cup side to exit the competition at the first hurdle recently seen in the media through Sam Burgess' thoughts on that campaign.
Home advantage is a valid sporting concept but it needs to be grabbed and used eagerly by sides and not relied upon to bring success.
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