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There are plenty of ways to play the rugby and the style of play has changed often over the years.
That’s what makes it a beautiful game and separates it from the rest; while league is checkers, rugby is chess.
Every player has a specific role, having a well thought out game plan is critical, you need to adjust your thinking if things are not going to plan, and you need to earn the right to go forward.
I do not know that much about chess however I am pretty sure that if you played with six castles (against full arsenal) that it would be hard to beat someone decent; and against a great player an all-out attack approach probably gets you unstuck pretty quickly. Anyway, enough of the analogies.
When I first started playing rugby the forwards concentrated on the set piece as well as using the pick and drive/rolling mauls to go forward, and the backs stood deep and close and used quick hands to get the ball on the outside – with basic loops and cuts or creative moves to create deception.
By the time I played grade, drift defence was just starting and the backs stood wider and used a longer passing game to get outside the drift, or a five-eighth drifting across with a hard runner coming back in to get inside the drift.
Inside Centres were ‘over the advantage line runners’ who set up the second phase. There were some variations throughout this time – such as Bob Dywer stood the backs flatter and did all his plays on the advantage line to take time and space away from the defence.
With the advent of professionalism, defences improved and forwards became more multi-skilled. The Brumbies/Macqueen era saw the introduction of continuous phase play, committing fewer forwards to the breakdown in an attempt to wear down defences, create an eventual overlap or a ‘back on forward’ situation to exploit.
Eddie Jones probably took this a little further with phase plays being thought out well in advance, which probably over complicated the situation somewhat.
Attacks became very structured and players began to lose their ‘instincts’, that is, they stopped playing what was in front of them.
Needless to say, oppositions eventually worked out that they didn’t need to put as many forwards into the breakdown to defend the continuous Brumbies style. High fitness levels also meant that the defensive line could re-adjust much quicker.
This has resulted in the second line of backline play developing, whereby the ball is sent behind decoy runners who attempt to confuse or disrupt the defence, as well as the need for a second play maker role to provide options either side. And this is where Australia has become unstuck.
Love him or hate him, Bob Dwyer is on the money in my opinion.
By doing your plays at the advantage line you take the time and space away from the defenders. At the moment the second wave backline play being used just gives the defence time to read the play and re-align and this results in the Wallabies drifting towards the sideline and having limited space in the outer channels.
To make things worse we have also lost the ability to go forward initially and bend the defensive line, thus allowing the All Blacks to get excellent line speed. Therefore we often get caught behind the advantage line.
We seem to have lost the inside ball plays – i.e. George Gregan to Owen Finegan, or Digby Ioane off the five-eighth ball.
The pick and drive is rare and the rolling mauls is primarily used only at attacking lines outs. Surely if defences and fitness levels are at the highest that we have seen, the need to suck in numbers to the breakdown prior to going wide is a must.
In my opinion the All Blacks play with variation and incorporate both old and new backline styles. They play what is in front of them and make very good decisions. They use the second wave style effectively and their decoy runner are always playing havoc with opposition defences.
However as we have seen they will use quick hands when it is called for – rather than a cut out which often negates an overlap immediately – to get a man on the outside. And when they get a sniff of go-forward they punch hard at the defensive line to bend it, with straight runners hitting gaps.
Australia on the other hand are often on the back foot, we lack variation, and are therefore predictable.
It is not time to get rid of Cheika – we do not need the instability. However he needs to pick a balanced team for starters.
By playing two fetches, lack of lineout options, a fullback on the wing, a fullback who can’t kick, a small inside centre – the list goes on – it just gives the All Black staff the opportunities to exploit our weaknesses. They must love putting their game plan together.
And, as much as I liked Stephen Larkham as a player he has done nothing for the Brumbies or the Wallabies backline play. Let’s get back to basics and remember that we need to earn the right to go wide. Test match rugby is not Super rugby. If it is not on, then kick for territory.
Checkmate.
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.