Dave Craven: The art of kicking eclipses creative handling in modern game

That is an absurd idea given the importance of the art in rugby league but there are growing calls to reduce its impact.

Watch any Carnegie Challenge Cup game this weekend and the likelihood is around half of all tries scored – if not more – will emanate from the process of a player putting his boot to leather.

More and more tries seem to materialise from the tactic of delivering pinpoint kicks to the corner, targeting a side’s widemen, with people like Danny Brough, Lee Briers and Kevin Sinfield near mastering the skill.

The more traditional grubber is just as prevalent but players cannot be faulted when such a craft proves so bountiful in its supply of points. However, it is easy to understand why some traditionalists are concerned the familiar ploy is becoming a tad mundane, fearing it is strangling the scope of creative handling as a means of opening defences.

Alan Hardisty mentioned his concerns to me last week but the legendary Castleford stand-off was wary of sounding like a stereotypical long-since retired old player grumbling about the state of the present game.

He need not worry. As someone who has been watching the sport for just over 20 years, a novice compared to the soon to be septuagenarian, I too have been troubled by concerning changes in that short period alone.

Hardisty suggested reducing the number of points awarded for tries stemming from a kick to two instead of four as an incentive to adopt more piercing passing and it is an interesting theory.

However, for all rugby league welcomes radical change, this is one innovation which will never be adopted; kicking expertise will continue to remain crucial in the modern game. That is a fact not lost on England coach Steve McNamara and one which will be clear when he names his squad to face the Exiles next month.

He is the first to admit his side’s kicking game was simply not good enough in last year’s Four Nations, a principal reason why the tourists failed so badly against Australia and New Zealand while struggling to overcome Papua New Guinea.

McNamara will not leave his side open to such exploitation again so do not be surprised if he packs his side on June 10 not necessarily with the best players but, firstly, the best kickers.

Some feel Huddersfield captain Kevin Brown was harshly treated being left out of the Elite Training Squad and the back-up England Knights group despite the skilful stand-off featuring heavily in the Four Nations.

However, while seen as supremely gifted ball handler, Brown’s lack of top-class kicking skill is probably the reason for his total omission.

Danny Brough was brought to Huddersfield when Giants coach Nathan Brown recognised that deficiency in his own side last year and he has married the pair – with the dynamic Luke Robinson – perfectly to transform his club’s hopes of securing some success.

But, on the international front, where the standard is so much higher, McNamara realises he needs at least TWO specialist kickers in his side if they are ever going to truly prosper.

With Australia boasting Darren Lockyer and Jonathan Thurston, not to mention Cameron Smith out of dummy half, and Four Nations champions New Zealand having Thomas Leuluai, Nathan Fien and Benji Marshall mixing their threat up, he has seen the obvious worth for such weaponry.

For that reason alone, it is likely Sinfield could see off the challenge of Leeds rival Danny McGuire for the No 6 jersey, and Brough – the finest kicker in Super League – seems a shoo-in for the scrum half role.

McNamara knows he will have to sacrifice the creativity and artistry that McGuire and Brown undoubtedly provide but he will be safe in the knowledge that his first choices will deliver crucial field position on which to build.

In all reality, kicking capability and proficiency has never been more important in the world of rugby league.