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As professionalism has spread its influence across the world, we have seen the rugby battles change from the free-flowing cavalry charges of the past.
There was a time when defence was merely something you jumped over with your horse. Now, it is a war of attrition where the less intelligent and more expendable resources – the forwards – are sent to bludgeon the opposition line into submission.
However, Rugby World Cup 2015 has uncovered something of a renaissance movement in the art of attacking, and luckily for the fans there seems to be a change in the air sparked by the best attacking teams returning to the free-flowing game.
As it turns out, it is once again the furthest corners of the Old Empire that are bringing with them the spirit, youthfulness and cheeky attitude to test the status quo.
New Zealand and Argentina have set alight this tournament with a free-flowing style of rugby created in the spirit of the game itself. All members of the team are involved, short and tall, fast and not so fast. The forwards are allowed, no actually encouraged, to join in the attack and when opportunity permits there are more players behind the ball than in front.
The result is a support game that allows a continuity of play, a blitzkrieg of running ruby that even the strongest defensive line cannot withhold.
Just like Wayne Bennett did with the Broncos this year, they have seen past the rhetoric and physical arms race which tells the rest of the rugby world that defence and size is an inevitable result of professionalism, and have focused on speed and skill.
It is my understanding that in their review of 2011 and how they could stay ahead of the game, New Zealand deliberately identified catch-pass skills and decision making as the focus of their next four-year crusade.
They have a standard training rule that any scheduled team session has to have 25% of time allocated to general catch pass skills in decision-making scenarios.
This has been developed on top of a fantastic foundation of skill already created by a nationally implemented ‘Game Sense’ philosophy, pioneered and developed by Wayne Smith.
Game Sense is a coaching philosophy whereby no skill is practised without a contextual element of competition and opposition, and within this an intended result. As such;
• Catch pass is not practised in single flat lines against nobody, but against varying defensive numbers
• Defensive technique and breakdown are not unique skills, but practised in scenarios that challenge defenders and support players alike to make decisions upon the outcome of the tackle.
• Backline attack is decided upon and executed based upon the shape and numbers of the opposition defence, not just what was discussed from a 22m right hand scrum in the sheds beforehand.
Across the Pacific, to the best of my knowledge the Argentines adopt a similar coaching model but with some small distinctions.
Similar to the French and the Italians they work on a ‘General Movement’ principle, which develops off the idea that rugby is a game built on your ability to move and adapt to the flow of the game, not to be broken down in to a series of static moments.
In this system, coaches may start with two 15-man teams, and initiate the drill/game by throwing or kicking the ball in any direction. Each team then needs to make their decisions based on the situation they find themselves in and choose the required skills and execute accordingly.
Both of these approaches require brave coaching and management. As liberal democracy in general has taught us, freedom of choice and expression can create some messy and confusing situations that test the vision of leaders and community alike.
But it is always the vision of what it can become that drives people forward, and the New Zealand and Argentine wins last week are a great example of the greater good they are striving for.
Australia are striving for this as well, though are hampered by the skill development of forwards and a general culture we have created whereby the strength of our game is often articulated by the ability of our backs. Within this, forwards are generally the cause of poor performances, though never the foundation of success.
South Africa are the opposite. Put bluntly (and slightly tongue in cheek) I think they just love forwards and the backs are invited to the Braai only if they finished off a few tries after the forwards were tired of using the ball.
I am oversimplifying of course, but there is one interesting distinction between the All Blacks and the Pumas and other World Cup teams, and that is how and when they choose to use this approach.
They have not thrown the baby out with the bathwater and recklessly adopted an attack-at-all-costs approach. They still use similar structures to both Australia and South Africa at times, but they use them wisely and for the purpose for which they were designed.
All teams use a forward pod in front of a backline attack at some point to forge ahead or to hold defence and shift the point of attack. Against a well-organised defence this prevents them from rushing forwards, and short passes close to the gain line allow the attack to get over the advantage line quickly.
The difference lies in a team’s decisions around what to do when the attack is in ascendency.
In these scenarios Australia and South Africa continue to use their forwards to hold defence in the front of the attack and pass behind them, but they end up with large numbers of players in front the ball. Smart defences are able to rush on the outside and shut down this attack catching the team short of support.
New Zealand and Argentina differ in that they have the ability to identify the opportunity, and they allow all players to join in to the ‘team’ attack, including standing between backs and joining in.
The result is an attacking line that has large numbers of options constantly in play and constantly in support of both the pass and the breakdown. This allows continuity of play and prevents the defence from gaining the organisation it needs to be able to apply pressure through line speed.
This weekend’s games will be a great test of this theory, the purists vs the pragmatists, but whichever camp you are in I think you will agree it will make for some extremely entertaining rugby.
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.