What special ability do Victor Vito, Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Richard Kahui and Rene Ranger all possess? An uncanny ability to offload the ball in the tackle.
Defensive systems have become such an integral part of international rugby – and in recent years, teams have been remarkable in how well they can defend, whether in the middle of the park, scrambling or holding the line.
Rule changes and stronger defences almost spelled the end of the rolling maul. And even now, a series of rolling mauls are more an anomaly than the rule.
Traditionally, going wide to the wings created the space for penetration, but nowadays floating defences manage to drift across and counter these movements.
So coaches look towards line breakers. But this is more likely to occur towards the end of a game when the oppositions tire.
Peter DeVilliers, the Springbok coach, found a nugget by reaching for the skies and the up and under became fashionable in 2009. But once anticipated this tactic wore thin and the Boks ended their year with several cringe worthy performances and exposed their lack of penetration through ground warfare.
Nevertheless, those that rule the skies win the ground war – so we can expect more of the same for the 2010 internationals.
As a tactic, we need more in the mix – particularly as now the larger slower pack need to retreat rather than stand in midfield while a rushing winger puts them all onside.
So the enforcers will be slower in hitting the catcher of high balls with less turnover ball occurring.
This also leads to more counterattacking – so coaches have looked towards counterattacking players – the likes of Drew Mitchell, Habana and Siviatu are well suited for this.
Yet, when counterattacks occur, everyone is aware where the ball is.
A number of years ago, the All Blacks demonstrated an ill-conceived and bizarre set piece when they packed together, tapped and ran the ball –after hiding the ball so the opposition had no idea where the ball was (or did I dream that? I seem to recall that it was under the Taine Randell era).
When a player offloads a ball in the tackle, not only are they typically right on the advantage line, but there is a moment of time when the ball is momentarily in “another place”.
Opposition players are either looking on the ground for a non-existent ball to scavenge, throwing themselves on top of the tackled player to stop the now gone ball from being feed backwards, or looking at the wrong player thinking that they may have the ball.
Or support players expecting an offload in the tackle are there amidst the advantage line, ready to take the ball behind the opposition’s defensive positions.
In many respects, the offload in the tackle is the most unpredictable of plays – and it outperforms the up and under because the attacking team still retains the ball.
The pop pass from the ground, while effective, is a poor man’s version of the tackle offload, yet even this brings good gains in territory.
Is it a coincidence that the All Blacks are gathering and nurturing a core of players that excel at this penetration tactic? And is this why we see the grand overtures towards Sonny Bill Williams?
How do you defend against multiple players executing offloads in the tackle with running support expecting this to occur? And finally, is this the masterplan Henry and Co are deviously plotting behind closed doors?
CraigB
Roar Guru
Sorry, but do you expect me to believe that the pop pass in the tackle is the new secret weapon??? I recall being taught about it in U/10's in the mid eigthies..... If this is all the AB's are pinning there hopes on, heaven help them. This bit about the ball being in 'another place'??? Please, do you seriously expect the best players in the world are looking for a ball on the ground that isn't there and meanwhile the oppn is off upfield??? This is ridiculous. Pop passes in the tackle work because if a players has reached the ad line and isn't felled then the oppn defense is behind the ball and back pedaling menaing they are far more vulnerable to attack.
klestical
Guest
Red Rooster, correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation
Red Rooster
Guest
Sorry to rain on the parade but a couple of stats. Waratahs in 07 - highest offload team and came 13th, Reds in 09 - highest offload team came 13th, Bulls in 09 and 10 had the least number of offloads and won the title. The point I make is it is not the offload volume but when and who does it that is the most important. I think encouraging the whole team will subject yourself to a higher rate of turnovers and tries against. Use it but get the guys who can do it after they have broken the tackle, not before or during the tackle or it will end up in tears
Jock M
Guest
If anyone ever needed proof that Rugby and League are virtually the same game read the bloody article above. Floating defence!-the(forwards) are not committed to the breakdown so all they do is float around with their hands on hips. How long will it be before the lineout is removed? When will they drop off the breakaways? What a tragedy for we real Rugby people.
The Way It IS
Guest
This is a very good article and very topical at the moment. The new super 15 team Melb Rebels are recruiting players who have these off load skills and it will be a core skill used to break up defences, thou it can"t be used continuously but within a mix of attacking options to get pass the advantage line, as turnover ball will occur eventually.
JK
Guest
Bring back the Wall!
Matt
Guest
I am sure every other Roarer will tell you it was an Australian who invented the ball under the jumper ploy, (and the flying wedge). I also rate the offload. It was coached out (on pain of death) under Eddie Jones, and the hangover still lingers. I remember watching France about 10 years ago, with their pack of mobile forwards hitting the adv line, popping to another player running hard who would then make big metres, etc etc all the way down the pitch. I saw a similar display from the Stormers (or Sharks) a few years ago. Big men, running from depth. The key is that in the modern game where player endlessly recycle and hit it up from a flat footed start, defence is easy to organise. Offloads catch the defending players having to run backwards to make the tackle, and therefore the tackles are not dominant, and more quick ball is achieved. I find boring, the endless phase play where tight forwards bash it ahead 1 metre. Why can't 2 or 3 of them stand a bit deeper and run different lines at the D?