Will Skelton’s size and weight of poses challenges for any team he’s playing in when it comes to lineouts.
The fact that the Waratahs don’t often use him as a jumper confirms the difficulties players face lifting him, and the Wallabies didn’t use him as a jumping option once in the third Test against France, despite the fact that he was unmarked on a number of occasions.
Before some of you get your backs up, I’m not suggesting the fact that he’s a very limited jumping option is a reason not to consider him for selection.
But it is an issue that requires options to be considered, as no team at the higher levels can afford to carry a lock that impacts negatively on their lineout.
When Skelton was in the National Rugby Academy in 2011 and 2012 I had the opportunity to see him training as a lineout jumper. Obviously his weight makes it hard for lifters, but he can jump, or at least he could back then.
There are a number of options that can be used by the Waratahs and the Wallabies to get him more involved in lineouts.
We’ve already seen the short lineout options, with Skelton positioned in mid-field as a runner to crash the ball over the gain line. That works well, but it doesn’t suit the Wallabies’ preferred game plan of using the width as often as possible.
As you’ll see in the accompanying video, once you use a shortened lineout the opposition also have forwards in their defensive line, which takes away space for the Wallaby backs to operate with.
The Wallabies would prefer to have as many full lineouts as possible for their wide game plan.
Another option that’s been used with Skelton is to position him towards the front of the lineout and throw to him on the ground without needing to be lifted.
This allows you to win the lineout but limits the attacking options as the ball is delivered so far towards the front of the lineout, so it’s another option that has to be used sparingly.
I’ve included examples showing the impact of that option in the video.
The other option that people talk about regularly is using Skelton as a dedicated lifter, with his height and strength meaning he should be able to throw a jumper up fairly high. Again this works well, but limits the number of jumpers you have available.
There are already two props in a full lineout who are dedicated lifters and if you add a third player to that category the only way to have four jumping options is to use your number seven as a jumper.
If you have to use Michael Hooper as a jumping option he’ll be restricted in his ability to scamper after the ball on first phase, which would limit his effectiveness simply to fix another issue. That doesn’t make much sense.
Some of you will suggest that the Wallabies can get by with only three jumping options. I disagree and the video shows why.
At Super Rugby level you may be able to scrape by with only three jumping options but the skills of players at international level are too good to survive without at least three front-line jumping options and at least one backup.
What other options are there for using Skelton in lineouts?
The first option is to change the structure of the lineouts. With Skelton in your lineout a lot more thought is required as to structures used. The Wallabies used Skelton at the front of the lineout last week – I wouldn’t.
If we look at the lineout I’ve analysed in detail in the video, I would have switched Skelton with Sekope Kepu and pushed Scott Fardy in front of Kepu. I also would have moved Rob Simmons forward slightly.
[Jumpers in these graphics are denoted with an oval while lifters are denoted by a circle.]
If the French tried to use two fixed pods to defend this structure, they would have had to allocate a pod towards the front to cover Fardy and probably their other pod to cover Simmons and try to float back to cover Wydliff Palu.
Fardy would have had Sio and Kepu as his potential lifters, Simmons would have had Kepu and Skelton as his potential lifters, while Palu would have had Hooper and Skelton as his.
That setup would have made it a lot harder for the French to defend against. In fact, it would have forced them not to defend with two fixed pods, as I’ve shown in the image, as there was too much space available for the Wallabies.
The aim with any lineout structure is to force the opposition to do what you want them to do and a simple change in structure such as this would have impacted on the ability of the French to defend the Wallaby lineout.
There are also some trick options that could be used. For example, teach your halfback to jump as a surprise tactic.
Imagine Nic White coming into that lineout as a receiver in between Simmons and Skelton, with Hooper switching out to act as halfback just before the ball is thrown. How high could they get White? However, you don’t want to use trick options like that too often.
The other option with that setup would have been for Palu and Simmons to lift Skelton as another surprise tactic.
That final option is the one that needs to be worked on. Skelton may be big and heavy, but he needs to be coached to become a jumping option.
It’s not that the lifters need to find a way to lift him. Lifting is not actually about lifting – it’s about pushing the jumper into the air. The only way you can push a jumper into the air is if they generate momentum from their jump.
The lifters latch on to the jumper as they leave the ground and use the momentum already generated by the jumper to push them up.
If the jumper isn’t dynamic with their initial jump off the ground they don’t generate momentum and they’re very hard to lift. It’s not about how high the jumper gets off the ground – it’s about how quickly they get off the ground.
Can Skelton be taught this skill? I can’t say for sure, but what I saw of him on the training ground a few years ago suggests he can.
Lord Bledisloe
Guest
Pick & go agreed but i just look at the all blacks locks tireless work around the field and it has really made a difference over the past 18 months, i guess it is about having the right mix. I think the wallabies need Skelton to take them to the next level but he will be thrown in the deep end in the rugby championship as i bet my bottom dollar he will be targeted ruthlessly, don't think we will see much of his pointing to the sky until you plat Argentina.
Jeznez
Guest
A short jumper with short lifters could still be very quick off the ground but not get high. They are linked but not 100%. Speed in the air (or as Scott puts it off the ground) is critical. In a defensive line out you are watching your opposition jumper and he is often the trigger for you to jump. Speed getting up allows you to see him move, follow him into the air and if you are quick enough you can be up competing for the ball at the same time he is. That quickness really is a critical thing for a jumper/lifters.
Highlander
Guest
Thanks Scott, all fascinating stuff and multiple permutations but a couple of outcomes for mine. (a short oversimplification but you will get the jist) 1. While you focus here on the Wallaby ball, Skelton's inclusion will seriously limit ability to pressure the opposition, eg. ABs will station Kaino opposite him on black ball - leaving Whitelock, Rettalick, Read and then McCaw as options, impossible to cover a jumper down. 2. Expect RC to see teams respond the way France eventually did in your vid - tall guy at the front, arms up, again expect the ABs to use Kaino, 6'4" - this eliminates the short flat throw, and skleton become a lifter only - and then same numbers as above. Can imagine Victor Matfield sitting in a small dark room planning already Reinforces for me how well Simmons did managing the lineout last week, but that will get harder as the opposition have time to plan. A question though, the Tahs seem to have managed their lineoutok with him in there - any observations on them?
RobC
Roar Guru
Ah no. Im not 'predicting' compromise will not work. However, I believe it will not be as effective as the France experience. Based on recent + last years internationals and SR, my assumption was that WBs will not overpower the ABs Boks in the same way they did France. I thought that would be fairly safe bet. But would be v happy to be corrected :) Unless there's been some sudden change in form, the tests will be fierce contests, and all aspects of the game will be important, and weakness exploited - including lineouts. But as you said, its all theory & speculation until it starts two months from now.
pick & go..!!
Guest
"For France game 3, it worked v well on balance. When the WBs are able to overpower the opponent, the lineout will not be so important. This is not going to happen vs Boks and Poms, and unlikely for ABs. Who themselves are pretty heavy up front." We don't know until the RC kicks off... Until then we are only speculating it won't work. The balance may very well work, it may not. But saying it won't work before they have even played is a tad nieve.
superba
Guest
Matfield will read it like a book .
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks Scott. Nice demonstration. Lineout is a compromise when Skelton and Palu are on together. For France game 3, it worked v well on balance. When the WBs are able to overpower the opponent, the lineout will not be so important. This is not going to happen vs Boks and Poms, and unlikely for ABs. Who themselves are pretty heavy up front. The jumpers for all of WBs top opponents will be at least two locks, the eight. Sometimes one more backrow. I think for closer games, lineout is a game breaker especially in set piece attack situations. Compromise solutions might not work so well.
Squirrel
Guest
Hey Scott and Brett is this an admission that you agree Skelton is now embedded as a wallaby.
Aussie in London
Guest
I was thinking that too, receive the ball then straight into a maul. That was a tactic the Irish worked really well against Wales (I think it was Wales?) in this year's 6N. As you point out it couldn't be relied on for midfield or defensive play, but in a good attacking position and able to push in for a try.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
He did, but he's not the best jumper and if his knees are a problem as they seem to be I doubt having him jumping in lineouts is going to do wonders for him.
fredstone
Guest
Don't know if he (or anybody else) would be able to keep control of the layer in the air when he's being pushed around and bumped whilest the opposition jumper is in the air trying to get to the ball.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Scott, great article. He absolutely has to add value in the lineout, a spare person destroys the dynamic. I didn't see the 3rd test but I am still stunned I just watched an international team leave the two jumper completely unmarked on the 5m line! I can think of two lineouts that had massive impact (Harrison and Kay), Wallabies just cannot afford to "carry" someone in a lineout ;-). The French had never seen him before, but everyone else has now.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
I don't think anyone else wants to lift Mr Skelton anyways if they value the health of their back ;-)
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Mr Skelton doesn't even have to jump he can just stand there ;-)
Train Without A Station
Guest
Only decent suggestion I've heard. Skelton can jump but he cannot beat a player in the air so you need to rely on him winning unopposed ball. Skelton could lift Hooper, but still hooper doesn't jump partially due to height and partially because he doesn't have the Ariel skills and therefore can again, only win uncontested ball. The question becomes do you want to rely on beating the opposition on the ground, which you always aim to, and know if they beat you on the ground they've won the ball in the air?
Evan
Guest
I've played in grade teams where a starting lock has been out long term - and successfully jumped the blind winger at 2. This let a non-lifter - like an 8 - sit in the pocket of the 10. Gave a good run/decoy option. Only used on one side of the field, and only on our ball, and ball came off the top. You only need to do it once and early - and the defense know they cant just sit back and jump deep. Prob not any worse than jumping hopper. And less impact on next phase.
Clifto
Roar Pro
Congrats on your conversion, David! :)
expathack
Guest
"It’s not about how high the jumper gets off the ground – it’s about how quickly they get off the ground." Aren't these two, speed of the ground and how high someone jumps, completely inseparable for a vertical jump?
pick & go..!!
Guest
Lord Bledisloe. It depends on what you are looking for, Work rate or impact?? I could argue that having tremendous amount of work rate with no impact= an average game. It's like getting to a lot of rucks without making a turnover, supposed to getting to 3 rucks & making 1 turnover. Scott great analysis on the different ways to utilize Skelton as an option in lineouts. We all know Skelton is not a lineout guru. There were a lot of opinions from Roarers who thought Skelton was not cut out for test match rugby. I just feel that we should wait for Skelton to actually play against the ABs, & Boks before we single him out for his weakness. His only played one test so there isn't a lot to go off. This is not a dig at your analysis by the way.
bryan
Guest
I suspect Skelton's use will be tied directly to Fardy's abilities on the field, and whether Higgs can improve/ Palu's injuries. Does Pocock jump? Been so long I can't remember.