Finding space on the field is rugby’s final frontier

 
Sam Taulelei Roar Guru

By Sam Taulelei, 15 Sep 2009 Sam Taulelei is a Roar Guru

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It is sports’ most sought after luxury, time and space. It’s routinely used as indicators to identify the quality separating great sportsmen from the very good; the appearance that they have more time and space to operate in compared to their peers.

One of rugby’s oldest adages is that 14 players work hard to create space for the 15th. This theory has been severely tested in recent years as space has been harder to come by, with changing laws, improved defensive screens and a breed of fitter, faster, stronger players in the professional era.

We’ve seen a rise in similarly themed articles about a yearn to return to the good old days (which varies depending upon your vintage), to bring back rucking, change the laws (again), increase/decrease value of tries and goalkicks, have more stringent refereeing, have more accurate, consistent refereeing – well, okay, I admit that last one is in its own category as another of sports’ sought after luxuries.

In rugby, we hear a lot about open space, wasted space, finding space, tight space, closing down space and the vacant space between two ears.

As a youngster, when you first learn to pick up the ball and run, your first instinct is to find space, even if it means turning around and running backwards.

Perhaps some of this unconventional thinking is what’s required from coaches to break down modern defensive systems. It’s ironic that teams who lose nowadays are roundly criticised for taking risks in an effort to create space, and yet we also castigate them for not taking any risks when they lose.

Confused, frustrated? So, it appears, would be some players.

A recent interview with Joe Rocokoko, who at the tender age of 26 should be at the peak of his powers as a winger and finisher, revealed an insight into the fundamental change that he and his wing colleagues have had to undergo.

Previously what they call their work ons – additional skill-based work done after training – would concentrate on speed and agility work.

Now they devote more time to catching the high ball (which in itself is a necessary skill for any player) as wings and fullbacks expect to receive 6 to 10 kicks each a game where previously it would average between 2 to 3 kicks each.

They don’t sprint for as long as they used to for training. It’s a short 20 to 30 metre sprint they practice now, as open space has reduced so much, particularly against a rush defence.

It’s all about working in tight spaces now and possessing that quick acceleration and power to get clear of clutching defenders.

Wingers are expected, and probably coached now, to play as auxillary fullbacks. This is a sensible approach given the modern fixation with kicking, but there is no doubt that the likes of Habana, Shane Williams, Rocokoko, Sivivatu, Lachie Turner and others would prefer to receive the ball with space to move and provide one of rugby’s most spectacular images: a fleet-footed winger sprinting down the touchline to score a try in the corner.

That is at the heart and soul of rugby.

So come on Messrs Deans, Henry and de Villiers. Use your powers for good and find a way to unlock opposition defences and score more tries.

Following the Lions series this year, nobody would have considered that the Southern Hemisphere would have to take lessons and clues from them on how to play expansive, attacking rugby.

The cynics would probably kick that notion deep into outer space.

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