Shane Williams has expressed concern at the amount of kicking in rugby union and the world player of the year for 2008 has pleaded with teams to "throw the ball around more".
The 32-year-old Wales wing has scored only two tries for his country this year and is contemplating the prospect of the least productive 12 months in his decade as an international player. He claimed nine tries last year and is worried about how few teams are prepared to take risks and instead indulge in the safe option of kicking ball away.
"I grew up in an era of exciting players, such as Ieuan Evans," Williams said. "We used to criticise England then for kicking the leather off the ball but it seems the game has gone that way now and it is not a direction that suits me. Sometimes it is a case of kicking for kicking's sake and I just wish sides would throw the ball around more. I am a little bit old-fashioned, I suppose, and set in my ways but I am sure spectators would rather watch tries being scored than three points kicked and teams playing ping-pong.
"There is so much kicking now that when you receive the ball your first thought is whether you are going to be doing something wrong by running with it. I want to beat players and get involved in games. I am fortunate that Wales are one of the teams that is prepared to mix things up and have a go and I would hate us to go the one-dimensional route."
Wales have struggled to score tries this year. They have managed one in their two autumn internationals against New Zealand and Samoa so far and they face obdurate Argentina at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow with Williams knowing that he and his fellow back three colleagues, James Hook and Leigh Halfpenny, are in for some catching practice.
"I watched Argentina's game against England last week and there was a lot of kicking," said Williams, Wales' record try scorer with 46 in his 66 games. "You pay a lot of attention in training now to receiving kicks and kicking the ball back, something I have not had to do over the years. The modern game is about finding territory, but there is also room for running and Wales have plenty of flair players.
"We are a side that can throw the ball around and I would like to be part of a backline that looks to create chances and wants to score tries. We only got one against Samoa, but, in fairness to the guys who played that night, we made 11 line breaks. We can excite spectators and get them on the edge of their seats.
"I am not saying that there is not a role for kicking and everyone should go out and play sevens rugby, but it is a question of balance. Defences are tough to break down these days, so structured that kicking is sometimes the only option. It is about getting the blend right and I will never shut my eyes if there is the chance of a counterattack."
Williams believes the Ireland captain, Brian O'Driscoll, one of seven players shortlisted for the IRB player of the year, is likely to succeed him. "He has had a terrific year, winning the grand slam and Heineken Cup and performing for the Lions, and it is good to see other attacking players on the list like Matt Giteau and Tom Croft."
