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Michael Foley’s recent comments suggest there is more 10-man rugby in store for the NSW Waratahs in 2012. He is quoted as saying that the Tahs will play to their strengths, which in the Tahs’ case are their forwards.
While the Tahs’ backline is defensively strong, it is at best limited in its attacking capabilities, especially now that Kurtley Beale has gone.
I still remember Beale walking around at the end of last season, smiling and shaking his head in frustration with what was being played in front of him.
Ewen McKenzie, when at the Tahs, played 10-man rugby, playing to the Tahs’ forward strengths. Nothing much has changed.
McKenzie has now won a Super Rugby title, having the Reds play to their backline strengths. All coaches coach to their team’s strengths – they would be crazy not to.
The last time I remember running rugby being played, was when the Wallaby forwards were limited and could only guarantee 30 percent of the ball, but the then-Wallabies were also gifted with wonderful backs – they had no choice but to run the ball.
It was the only way that they could compete.
The last time the Tahs played running rugby were in the days of the Ellas, Campese, Hawker, in short, a long-time ago.
We, as Tah supporters, need to take a deep breath and accept that Foley – who learned to coach under Knuckles Connolly at Bath – is using ‘attacking kicking’ as his speak for 10-man rugby and putting the ball in front of the forwards.
The reality is that it has also become the preferred tactic used by coaches in finals football; witness the recently completed Rugby World Cup final.
For the Tahs to get ‘attacking kicking’ right, Barnes has to play at 10, to execute the attacking strategy – he is the only one capable of doing it.
More importantly, the Tah ball-runners should be receiving the ball at pace, rather than being stationary and struggling to get over the advantage line.
Attacking kicking is only possible with ‘front football’ – anything else fits into the aimless/panic kicking category and is usually a soft turnover.
The days of running rugby in Tahland, for the moment, are gone.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.