Having a dominant scrum in terrible field positions is like negative gearing. It’s nice to know you are getting something back for your effort but you’re still losing 60-70 cents in the dollar.
Such is the problem with the debate between scrum and lineout in the Wallabies at the moment – it’s great that the team has a stronger scrum, but if we don’t have field position through our kicking game and lineout, we are only getting 30 cents back for every dollar of effort we put in.
Having predominately coached lineouts in my career I am sure I am biased, but Saturday night showed some scary similarities to the Waratahs’ semi-final against the Highlanders where a New Zealand team tightened the screws playing field position with no fear at all of an Australian lineout.
In Sydney a fortnight ago, the Kiwis had two options:
1. Kick and keep it in, in which case you face Izzy, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper in counter attack
2. Kick it out and essentially give away possession to a what was perceived to be a stronger Wallaby lineout
The result was they kicked less and the stats look like this:
ANZ Stadium Lineouts
The Wallabies had seven lineouts, with five of these being in the opposition’s territory in the first half. Notably, this was aided by a strong kicking game by our back three and Matt Giteau’s left boot, undoubtedly a tactic created by the belief that the Wallaby lineout was the match of the All Blacks.
And this is the key point. Belief in your own lineout compared to the opposition’s allows you to use the lineout and a kicking game as a tactical weapon.
Teams with perceived lineout dominance use field position as a strategy.
Through this they can apply pressure by:
1. Kicking and keeping it in to force the opposition to run it out of their own half, building pressure and hoping for an error and a scrum, or even better a penalty within kicking range.
2. Kicking it to the corners knowing they can pressure the lineout, hoping to win a turnover or at worst mess up delivery, leading to a poor exit, counter attack or an attacking lineout.
Fast forward to the much more difficult to watch Eden Park Test, and look at the difference in Lineout attack.
Eden Park Lineouts
The results are almost a perfect mirror.
Seven attacking All Black lineouts, built off a New Zealand kicking game that showed no fear of the Wallaby lineout, and even less of our attacking back three in defence.
Now you might say that the tactic was more about Quade Cooper than it was about the lineout, and there might be some truth in that, but the fact is that the All Blacks had the option to take that gamble because, at worst, they were giving away possession to have it kicked back and attack from counter or from a lineout under no pressure from Australia.
So how does this relate to the scrum I hear you say?
Well, the thing about the scrum is that you can’t force them to happen unless you want to deliberately knock on your own ball, which is a very front row way of rationalising Australia’s handling issues.
Field position puts pressure on teams, and an aggressive defensive line puts skills to the test. But against world class side like the All Blacks, even a defensive effort like that at ANZ doesn’t necessary yield results as shown below:
ANZ Stadium Scrums
For all the field position we had, all the praise our scrum deservedly won, and the pressure we put New Zealand under, the Wallabies had zero attacking scrums.
Yes, we did well in our defensive scrums, but we were relieving pressure not building pressure!
Compare that to the Eden Park game and you start to see a pattern.
Eden Parks Scrums
Four attacking scrums, none closer than 60 metres from our intended goal. Compare that to New Zealand’s three attacking scrums, from one of which they scored.
A strong scrum is a fantastic thing, and a necessary part of a strong foundation, but it is greatly over-rated if it is utilised in the wrong part of the field.
And – you guessed it – to utilise a strong scrum, you need a kicking game and lineout that can win you the field position to even start allowing the forwards hard work to begin putting some positive return back in to your pressure account to influence a game.
I’m keen to hear your views on how big an issue this is for our World Cup chances in a pool against England and Wales.
Next week we’ll look at the idea that where a team wins their ball in the lineout is just as important as what part of the field they are on at the time.
Greg Mumm’s playing career was cut short at 19 with a dodgy knee. Since then he has coached everything from schools up to a couple of World Cups with Fiji. Having previously specialised in the ball winning aspects of the game, he is now passionate about athlete welfare and transition, and the strategy of current teams and coaches.
The Roar welcomes Greg, who is a former coach at Fiji, Sydney University and the Waratahs, as an expert columnist.
concerned supporter
Guest
Would this be the Wallaby winger of the 1960,s who had a twin brother Stewart Boyce?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Lolo is currently injured but will play for QC I believe.
DJW
Guest
Excellent article, really interesting. Show's one of the dilemmas facing Cheika. Balance is important and while Skelton offers physicality I feel our forward pack doesn't have the right balance when he is included. Someone above made a really good point that we can accommodate the styles of Hooper or Skelton but not both at the same time.
DJW
Guest
It's a bit of dilemma, he is captain so will start every game, but his form hasn't been the greatest. Also been ill-disciplined.
RobC
Roar Guru
Im with Bakkies re scrums. It is as critical defending the 5m (eg ANZ vs ABs) as it is attacking it. A good example is ANZ when Phipps passed ingoal: - forcing Foley to ground the pill in goal, which in turn forced Read to force Foley's head in goal. haha. - Whilst the ABs scored a 3 point offside penalty, - the ABs had limited opportunity to attack off the scrum base - other than the NMS try when Phipps was off the paddock. In Eden Park, WB lost critical field position when Sio was pinged off the park. This, in combination with uncontested LO, rush AB D and a narrower attack off the WB 12, gave ABs the attacking territory they need to apply pressure. This was from around 20' onwards. Scrums anywhere should never be over-rated. In any case, I think the general point is good scrum without a good LO is pretty useless: - A good example is the Spirit Rising semi-finals. - Rising punished Spirit in the scrums, but every LO is TOd by the Spirit who then used more LO TOs to score points. - Or maybe just watch any Rebs game this year. - I am curious how many non-jumping 8s SR teams will field next year. btw does anyone know where is Adam Coleman and Lolo Fakaosilea during the NRC? Likewise, it was been shown that a good LO without decent scrum is equally useless. I couldnt say either is over-rated irrespective of which part of the field it is played.
RobC
Roar Guru
Hi Greg, welcome to the roar! Thanks for your expert analysis. WBs have one of the most feared LO in the biz. Or had. We shall see. ABs indeed had considerably diminished respect for WB LO in Eden Park, which thankfully didnt cost too much in 1H. Dane Cole's job was made a tonne easier in both matches. vs Wales? Not really too much of an issue, unless we uses Pooper and Big Willy at the same time. vs Eng yes it will be a big issue imo, just like how you outlined for Auckland. Unless WBs use the 2013 back five, replacing Mowen with another jumping, scrummaging 8, who is....? Also use Poey instead of Hoops. I do look forward to the Eng scrum rematch, esp Marler & Co vs Kepu & Co.
chucked
Guest
Weaken the line outs at your peril. circa 2001 to 2002 NZ got thrashed in SA in one game..we lost 12 of 18 line outs throws...our tactics using Merhtens were to play territory,.we did it superbly..and we gave away 12 possessions...that's a staggering amount a joke in NZ in Angons Oliver's days ans NZ hooker was that the best partnership in world rugby was Anton Oliver ...and John Eales.... so Lineouts can win or lose games...remember...
Jack
Guest
He's played SOO. He's hard enough to look after himself . The point I'm making is professional teams adapt the player to the need. Your can have two 7's if one of the backs can provide a line out option. Same with throwing in. Does have to be the. Hooker. It was wingers when I were a lad.
runit
Guest
That flashing Oprah ad on the right is the most annoying ad on the internet, get rid of it please.
really
Guest
My bad Horwill also gives away stupid penalties
`grapeseed
Guest
Good stuff Greg. Looking forward to some good set piece analysis during RWC.
Mike
Guest
Very good point. If we are going to use a small agile 12 then we have to really open things up for him.
Mike
Guest
Good point re the locks. I would be happy with Skelton on the bench, but I wouldn't promote him if Horwill or Mumm went down before a match. Rather bring in someone else (maybe Simmons) and leave Skelton on the bench
Mike
Guest
Fardy plays 6 with a high work rate because that is what a 6 is supposed to do. What else would you expect? Horwill doesn't just "stand next to rucks doing nothing" The pack doesn't neatly divide responsibilities the way you seem to be suggesting. The best props in the world will look dodgy in front of a dodgy back 5, and same applies to locks in the line out and back rowers at the breakdown. But perhaps I am misunderstanding you And the two best Aussie packs were Brumbies and Rebels? I would have thought Reds were somewhere in there too.
Ozzie Bob
Guest
I think Dean has had a very positive impact since coming back to OZ! Good luck to him and i understand why you want to stay out of the debate!
Bakkies
Guest
I would leave Palu and Douglas at home. Neither deserve to be selected
Bakkies
Guest
You can't get away with in Europe even at club level. That's why the IRFU addressed it quickly after Court and Ross were done at Twickenham. Now Ireland has more quality props than ever and can match the English, Italian, Welsh and French scrum. The Welsh depth got smashed by the Irish back ups. Hibbard one of the few first choices in that pack was dropped out of the squad
Bakkies
Guest
You can still dominate your opponent under the new laws. It's more evident in the Top 14 and not the Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken
sheek
Guest
Thanks Greg, Will need to read your article in full & totally digest it.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Yeah, excellent addition to the Roar. Really top article, that said, I don't think the lineout and scrum should be an either/or situation. Based on performances this year that Mumm/Horwill, look our best bet to me. With Simmons in competition for a starting spot if either of those two need a rest or lose form. Simmons (or one of the other two if he is in for one of them) are then in a battle with Skelton for the bench lock spot. Which isn't a lineout v scrum selection battle. It is actually a set piece + work rate battle vs impact in collisions + maul defence battle off the bench which is less clear cut. Particularly since Dean can play in the looseforwards as well. A pack along the likes of: Sio Moore Kepu Simmons Horwill Fardy Hooper Pocock with a bench of Polota-Nau Slipper Holmes Skelton Mumm Would be a strong set piece and breakdown unit, although a little underdone in the carrying stakes - but that could be upped with Skelton and TPN coming from the pine.