The Waratahs played very well in beating the Brumbies on Saturday to lock up the Australian conference for 2014.
The ‘Tahs are playing some great rugby and look a really complete team. They have the x-factor stars, they have the hard workers and they have size and power.
If you’ve followed The Roar tipping competition this year you’ll know I’m a terrible tipper when it comes to Super Rugby. However, I have been tipping the Waratahs to win the Australian conference in articles on The Roar since August last year.
When making that tip I didn’t take it further with a prediction on whether the ‘Tahs could actually win the competition but I think they can. However, they need to win their last two matches in order to guarantee an all important top two spot or it could be tough.
The ‘Tahs have been particularly good this year with their execution of attacking plays, both in the forwards and backs.
Getting the execution of plays right takes planning, skill and lots of hard work on the training field. It also requires good decision making. The little details are so important to get the execution right.
In Saturday’s match there were a number of examples of good execution and I’ve chosen two from the ‘Tahs I want to look at today.
The first was in the lead up to Bernard Foley’s try in the 61st minute, which came on the second phase after a lineout ten metres out from the Brumbies try line.
The forwards took the ball down from the lineout and made around eight metres with a drive which the Brumbies defended poorly.
At the ensuing ruck Ruaidhri Murphy failed to roll away quickly which slowed the release of the ball from the ruck. Steve Walsh called an advantage for a penalty against Murphy but the ‘Tahs wanted to continue as they were set up for a play off Foley.
When Foley received the ball he had multiple running options around him which made it really hard for the Brumbies defence as did their lack of defensive numbers in front of Foley.
Ben Mowen had players running towards him from all directions and Foley forced him into a decision to focus on Skelton with a nice little dummy inside.
The three runners in Mowen’s eye line were hard enough to deal with but the other option was Foley himself.
Foley may have scored the try by just catching the ball and running directly outside of Mowen but the little detail in that inside dummy sealed the deal.
The second play came in the 69th minute in the lead up to Alofa Alofa’s second try. On Thursday I’ll publish my 3D analysis of the workings of this try but today I want to concentrate on one little detail early in the play.
Again, the ‘Tahs have multiple options for Foley to work with.
While Rob Horne appears not to play much of a role in this try he is an option that the defence will have to keep watching.
Horne knows he’s not going to get the ball and it would have been very easy for him to just jog through running a decoy line as the ball was passed across him to Kurtley Beale.
The fact that he’s got his hands out looking like he could receive the ball would have caused the defenders to take a second look at him.
It’s all well and good to run a decoy line but you have to run as though you’re going to receive the ball – that means accelerating towards the line, having your hands up and calling for the ball. Those little details help to ‘sell’ the play to the opposition.
Of course decoy runners should also be an option to receive the ball if the play maker sees they’re a better option than what was originally planned.
If the decoy runner doesn’t have their hands up they aren’t an option for the play maker to pass to but all too often players don’t get this little detail right.
As it tuned out Horne didn’t receive the ball but he played his part well.
Finally, here’s an example from the Brumbies where the little details weren’t right and as a result the execution was poor which led to a decisive moment in the match.
In the 18th minute on the second phase after a lineout the Brumbies ran a wide play. There was actually space outside of the ‘Tahs defensive line and with Robbie Coleman and Jesse Mogg in the wide channel there was an opportunity for the Brumbies.
Rodney Iona was making his Super Rugby debut off the bench and was called on early when Tevita Kuridrani went off with a concussion. He would have had limited time to prepare with the players around him making it a tough gig.
Iona wasn’t helped by the line Coleman ran angling in towards the defence. I’m not sure if this line was part of the plan but the space was outside Alofa and Coleman needed to stay out wider to give Iona the option to pass wide.
The difference between one step and three steps is all it took for Iona to get too close to the defensive line so that when he did try to make a pass, Alofa was close enough to attempt the intercept play.
It was a close but it looks like Iona could have accelerated into the hole between Ashley-Cooper and Alofa without needing to make the pass. We’ll never know whether he was in space or not or where the Brumbies could have taken this play if the pass had been made early.
As it was Alofa ran away to increase the ‘Tahs lead and put the Brumbies well and truly on the back foot.
Gnostic
Guest
G'day Scott, Great stuff mate. Loving the 3D analysis too BTW. One thing I would like your opinion on is with Skelton's binding/positioning in the scrum. In the Wallabies test and again with the Tahs his initial setup looks good, but after the engage and the first shove he seems to slide up his prop's backside and his shoulder is at best on top of the prop's hip, at worst in the middle of his back. I would be interested to know what your view is on why this is happening to him. I don't see it as a function of his height as Douglas is almost as tall. I worry that details such as this very technical area are being neglected at the Tahs with Chieka admitted that he paid little attention to the scrum leaving it to Fatcat.
Oz Rugby fan
Guest
Just read all these replies and select Tahs fans are going on like those crazy QLD folks, bad form! You can disagree but there is not need to be a right bellend about it. I must add as a Tahs fan I certainly won't be crowing yet, they haven't really won anything at this point. Also like 99% of readers I think Scott Allen's articles are awesome and not biased. This as another great read, keep up the good work Scott.
Hopperdoggy
Guest
Why are you on my case? Scott understood what I was getting at. To answer this point I'd go back to saying that especially at 10 you should never play folks out of position. Better to have a tradesman (e.g Foley) at 10 than someone who might be a more individually gifted player (e.g Barnes, Beale, JOC) playing out of position where a central program or game plan won't be adhered to. If you've got a bit of both (e.g. QC, Carter, Cruden) you're a long way down the road to success, but as Foley is proving, individually brilliant skills ain't everything. Following a plan and attention to detail far more important, which goes back to Scott's article and my original point. This is where I think Deans made crucial errors in his selections & game preparation. Sure he had to make tough choices, but then so has Link and so far the latter is making the right ones IMHO.
Michael Lee
Roar Rookie
I am pretty sure that this is not "typical NSW" thanks Zero..... far from it. I think that Scott is as impartial as anyone and that the above is a great analysis. Messa's tirade is about as good as Johnno's Randwick conspiracy theory about Hoiles being brought in to replace Dave Dennis.
warastew
Guest
Have to declare how much I cheer every time Jaques Potgieter gets the ball !!! Have you done (or considered doing) an individual analysis of how this South African is helping bring the Super Trophy to NSW?
Combesy
Roar Guru
oh sorry did that not justify your position. you're a hypocrite.
Combesy
Roar Guru
That's funny messa because he has also been injured and rested because of fitness... whos the nit wit now.
Buk
Guest
Yeah ditto to Combesy's comments - Scott and Brett, besides their well thought out stuff, make the discussion "alive" as they reply to comments and discuss various debates. Makes the reading of the columns much more interesting.
Shungmao
Guest
Spot on mate!
DMac
Guest
No, that's just a weird comment. I didn't see Sio dominate Kepu at all, nor Alexander over Robinson. The one and only time the brumbies scrum dominated was when tpn missed the strike and the brumbies put on a shove when he lifted his foot. Otherwise it was even or edge to Tahs.
Deez
Guest
Does anyone in the know on SA rugby know any big 6/8s that might be on the fringe or have contract up? There are a bunch of Aussie teams that could use an import like that (Reds for one...). Biltong?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Welcome back Red Kev, we're you going by the name Redder than Kevin at one point ? I disagree with your comment about Higgers at Wallaby level. He has done little to prove he is up to it. He shows great flashes at Super Level however he doesn't have the work ethic of Palu or McCalman which is why he is third on the pecking order. He is very talanted but flaky at the same time IMO. He can add value off the bench as impact player but that's it.
Mike
Guest
So you are telling us that most people at the time thought that Deans should have played Barnes at 10? Funny, my recollection is that most comments at the time went the other way. Or are you one of these people who has forgotten the reasons why Deans chose Beale in the first place and why it was in fact a sensible decision?
Mike
Guest
You've missed the point. The original comment is at the very least poorly phrased.
Hopperdoggy
Guest
Sh!t eric, had to go through several pages of rubbish to get to this reply but, yes - exactly what I was referring to. Taps, Fingers, Harris, all very lazy this year. Turner was awesome early on in the season till his injury. How much difference did he make when he came on for Ships (poor bugger) on Fri night?
Hopperdoggy
Guest
And to add one thing I only subliminally picked up in Scott's article, but schoolboy basics like having your hands up looking for the ball - that stuff never dies in importance, but how often DON'T you see it a top level rugby?
Hopperdoggy
Guest
Coming up with cool sounding social media meme's would be my guess Scott. Like P Lota Minnut - that kinda thing'd do wonders for ticket sales in the 10 to 14 age bracket!
Magic Sponge
Guest
Its funny how they all played in the same side together. The legacy of the shute shield
BenBris
Guest
Your bias against slipper has closed your senses
Hopperdoggy
Guest
I'd throw Beale in to that as 10 as well. Him JOC & McCabe no doubt out of position, worse in that they were positions they hadn't proved themselves at SR level either. For mine, Fardy & Toomua have proved better performers at 6 & 12. Link is also being consistent and not moving guys around, which is a nightmare for developing the kind of detail Scott is talking about in his article.