Alright, let me tell you how I stumbled down this rabbit hole today. Woke up thinking about rugby skills – specifically, what separates the good from the truly great. And Erin King’s name kept popping into my head. Seen highlights, knew she was good, but wanted to really get why. Wanted to see it step-by-step, like taking apart an engine.
So, fired up the laptop, grabbed a coffee (strong, black), and started digging. Headed straight for the raw footage. No fancy commentary first, just pure game tape. Skipped the highlight reels immediately. Wanted the grind, the tough tackles, the messy scrums – that’s where you see the real deal.
What I Actually Looked For
Started simple, just watching her movement. Not the ball, not the tries – her. And it slapped me in the face almost right away: her positioning is totally cracked. Like, she ain’t just fast; she’s always in the spot where the ball gonna be, or where the big tackle needs to happen. Doesn’t look frantic, just… efficient. Like she knows the script before it happens.
Next phase? Handling Pressure. Man, I focused on those moments when everything’s collapsing around her. Lineout gets messy, defenders charging – what’s she do? Not panic. Not rush. Seems to gain this half-second extra just by being calm. Her hands stay glued to the ball until the exact right millisecond to offload. Saw her take heavy contact, twisted like a pretzel, and still somehow got the pass away clean. Mind blown. That ain’t just skill, that’s some next-level nerve.
Then I went hunting for specifics, her signature stuff.
- That Step: Watched it slowed down, frame by frame. It’s not flashy dance moves. It’s brutal efficiency. She plants, shifts weight almost imperceptibly, and suddenly a gap appears that wasn’t there a second ago. Minimal movement, maximum damage. Makes defenders look frozen.
- Decision Making In Traffic: Dived into game footage where she’s buried in the breakdown. Chaos everywhere. How does she decide? Pass? Keep? Tackle? Her eyes are scanning like crazy, body already angled for the next move. Saw her dummy a pass, suck in two defenders, and then burst through a tiny gap she’d spotted earlier. Total awareness. Reads the field like it’s open water.
- Work Rate Off The Ball: Seriously tracked her when she was nowhere near the action. While others are kinda breathing, she’s constantly repositioning, supporting, tracking the ball path. She just pops up exactly where she needs to be for the next phase. It’s relentless. No coasting.
Putting It Together
After wasting way too much time glued to the screen, it clicked. It ain’t about one “best skill.” Nah. It’s the scary mix.
It’s her insane rugby brain – constantly processing, anticipating. It’s that freakish calm when bodies are flying. It’s the foundation of technique so solid she doesn’t need to force things. She lets the game come, waits for its mistakes, and then punishes hard. Her physical skills are top-notch, sure, but the killer combo is that mental game paired with execution. Doesn’t try superhero stuff; just does the right thing, constantly, under massive pressure. Makes everyone else look like they’re moving slower. Total game changer for her team.
Spent the whole morning deep in it. Ended up with pages of scribbled notes and a serious appreciation for what she brings. Not flashy tricks, just brutal, consistent excellence built on brains and rock-solid basics.
