Insist on sprinting for glory at the expense of ignoring your fellow scrum buddies, and all you're going to end up with is an isolated winger, a crowd of over-eager defenders and yet another turnover.ĭefenders don't constantly stray offside anymore instead, the computer simply runs them back into an onside position for you, thereby removing one of the most annoying problems of any Rugby Union game you'd care to mention. In Rugby 08, offloads require not only improved timing, but better tactical awareness to ensure you always have at least one team member close by to act as a receiver. Being able to offload the ball in a tackle - the desperate art of passing the ball to a teammate as a burly defender pushes you face first into the dirt - was one of Rugby 06's best additions, but it ended up an over-used and overly-powerful skill.
The changes made to the core gameplay since Rugby 06 are almost all positive, making for a much tighter, more competitive match of rugby. Why? Because this is the perfect example of how an 'annual' franchise update should be done. Throw in EA's trademark polish and high-production values, together with the series' amazingly well conceived pick up and play controls, and you have a game no self-respecting rugby fan will want to be without. Understand Rugby, and you'll understand Rugby 08. This is a game about possession, territory and momentum, rather than any kind of ridiculous, American Football-style field-length punts and runs. Like previous games in EA's Rugby stable (the last being Rugby 06) Rugby 08 genuinely understands the sport it's based on. It's a shame, because Rugby 08 is a very good sports game indeed. Of course, you might also put that down to Rugby's lack of popularity compared to football, but then we'd have to obviously have to ignore you for being so completely wrong about what is definitely the UK's most entertaining ball sport. It might go some way to explaining the somewhat quiet launch to EA's latest Rugby game then, being as Rugby 08 is the official game of the 2007 Rugby World Cup and all.
Such has been the lack of the enthusiasm and general sporting press buzz over England's chances in the run up to the France-based tournament that you could be forgiven for thinking it was six years, let alone six weeks, until the competition started. Four years, countless embarrassing defeats and an almost bionically rebuilt Johnny Wilkinson later, and England stand nervously on the brink of what could be history's most unsuccessful attempt ever at retaining a Rugby World Cup title.
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