'The question is this: how did one northern town of around 81,000 people hijack one of international rugby union's biggest days? Clearly a degree of Anglo-Welsh rivalry will still swirl around Twickenham on Saturday but the whiff of Wigan is unmissable. Two rival coaches – Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards – were part of the same all-conquering Wigan side. So was Wales's head of rugby, Joe Lydon. England's two main scoring threats, Owen Farrell and Chris Ashton, were born there, as was England's fitness coach, Paul Stridgeon. Most of them even attended the same school, St John Fisher Catholic high school in Baytree Road. It cannot all be a coincidence. "I see Wiganers everywhere," Farrell Sr says. "You only have to do a bit of digging."
Why should this be so? Statistically there are hundreds of English union strongholds which stand a better chance of dominating Saturday afternoon's cast list.'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/feb/24/wigan-andy-farrell-england-wales
This example echoes Matthew Syed's points in 'The Myth of Talent'. Where you're born , when, who the teachers around you are, the critical mass of competition that surrounds you during your formative years that those talented teachers have helped to create... these are crucial factors in determining prospects and career paths. Much like Silverdale Road in Reading was to British table tennis in the 1980's, Baytree Road in Wigan has similarly blessed the country with rugby coaches and stars since the 1990's.
So every time you hear a teacher say 'It's the kids round here' as the excuse for failure... question it.
Here's a video to watch while you think about that one:
