No it doesn't and you should not rub in different direction but make circles into the direction the strokes could go. This is important if you for example make hair or fur. Those circles are meant to fill the texture of the paper or the rooms between the sand.

What does make a difference is the type of paper and pigment of the media. My pastel pencils are not good enough for what I want.

Also there is a limit of layers one can use. It helps to use hairspray in-between a bit for extra grip.

I tried to use a damp brush over the pencils without the wanted result and next decided to use the Rembrandt soft pastels to cover it.

I believe that worked. I guess the pencils gave it ecmxtra grip since now I could blend, but...
I also started one (same paper) with Rembrandt soft pastels and also can blend it.
So I guess, paper and pencil are not the right combination.

And now you cannot even see the green. The structure only if you do not blend.