According to the experts, 27 metres is the ideal distance for high bombs.
I reckon half the players take 27 milliseconds to make up their minds to do the kicking and for mostly nil gain. A lot the high kicking bombs are products of utter stupidity.
The Springboks indirectly led to the resurgence of the ‘Garry Owen’ or ‘up and under’ when they cleaned up the All Blacks three nil in 2009.
The men in black reversed the score the following year by having a back three that could compete in the air and disarm the South African tactic.
With shallow defences and fewer players committing to the tackle, the smart coaches decided that a contestable kick back to the opposition was a different way to attack and so we have what we see today.
The game has evolved to the extent that the contestable kick is overused and with marginal benefits – how many others than perhaps Ben Smith for the Blacks are successful in regaining the ball?
I was absolutely perplexed at the weekend when I saw the Springboks persist in kicking the ball back to Israel Folau who last dropped a football when he was in kindergarten. The Boks needed to grind away and keep the game in their control.
But the more I looked at at the Test match and analysed the games at provincial levels in both Australia and New Zealand, the thought struck me that the high kick as an attacking weapon may soon be overtaken by other tactics.
Apart from kicking away perfectly good attacking ball for the magical distance of 27 metres which is the ideal contestable distance (supposedly), how often does the tactic simply give possession back to the opposition?
Mind numbingly frequently, the ball is then returned all in the name of playing in the other’s territory.
Not only does that tactic smell a lot like defensive thinking, it also comes at the expense of attack in the absolute sense of ball in hand.
The game is evolving but the bomb has always at best been 50-50. What might kill if off is the experimental rules preventing hands at the breakdown.
It is obvious with the experimental rules that the fight for possession is diminishing and the only way to get the ball back is by waiting for the other side to make a mistake.
OK, a big hit might do the job but the role of the fetcher is disappearing.
Any team that is able to retain the ball will find it more rewarding poking and jabbing for an opening rather than kicking it away.
The essence of rugby, that is the contest for the ball, is eroding away and so is the flavour of the match.
The big lumbering packs a la the Springboks will have to run with the ball in a style reminiscent of rugby league.
Sometimes the game changes so much that it removes the need for 15 different shapes on the field and we are rapidly changing to a game of touch.
Oh for the hard men and rucking rather than the sanitised free flowing stuff being served up now. Rugby possession has to be contestable!
I think we will see long distance kicking coming back into vogue – time for Roger Gould to shake the dirt off the boots and make a comeback. Then hang on and wait for an opposition error.
Derm
Roar Guru
That referee is the model for the kind of referee we need in the future. Very articulate young man. Kudos.
Jock M
Guest
Kiwineil. Well written- the whole law change and loss of the competition for possession fiasco is a tragedy. Don't allow yourself to be silenced by those that will not recognise the obvious.
Chinmay Hejmadi
Roar Guru
As far as the new laws are concerned, the 'contest' isn't eroding, it's just the contest using your hands that's being done away with. It is unfortunate that we won't see jackals too much under the new rules, but then again safety is paramount. The new 'contest' will be a nice old melee of legs trying to hack the ball away. Not pretty but we'll see how rugby finds a way.
AndyS
Guest
Cheers DT, very interesting. Will be curious to see how it plays out...the need to come in from the midpoint may remove the tackler competing for the ball (depending on how the ball carrier falls), but the requirement to stay on feet might make it harder to remove the first player to arrive. May need to run for a couple of years to get a real sense of it though, as it could take a while for the tactics to play out. Funny though; the NRC dabbles with the value of tries and penalties and is vilified as a joke, while the Mitre 10 Cup significantly changes a key aspect of the game and is still held up as the grail. Shows how much it is about agendas. Had to watch it again for the subtitles though. Guess voice-to-text can't be expected to work miracles... :)
Jock M
Guest
Kiwineil
kiwineil
Guest
I kinda agree .... and one of the things I fear is blurring the lines between union and league is the reduced contest for the ball - less in the contest means more in the backline, and the width of the fireld has chnged .. hence teams go from side to side desparately searching for a gap or, a la Beaden, a size/pace mismatch .... Under the new ITM Cup laws, unless you drop the ball, kick it away, or are penalised, it seems pretty tough to actually lose the ball at all .... league anyone?
kiwineil
Guest
bullrush is banned in schools nowadays (thats where learnt to tackle, and tun a line - not very well i might add, but it was the training ground).
DT
Guest
Hi AndyS Here are the boys from Sky in NZ. "Removing the jackal player" is the quote that stands out for me (last minute) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvoldpbSio
AndyS
Guest
Maybe I'm missing something - what experimental laws are we blaming for eliminating the fetches role? I know the old ARC tried allowing everyone to use their hands and that was a disaster; is someone trialling the opposite now?
superba
Guest
How about this one then ? " I'm not an alcoholic but only have a drink each time Richie Mc Caw cheats in the rucks and mauls ".
taylorman
Roar Guru
Gee that's a pity...
Scrumma
Guest
NT, the lunch time scragg we used to play back in the 80s wouldn't be anything like what they'd be playing out there now.
Jock M
Guest
Poth Ale, Sorry about the mistake - anyway the Garryowen is still virtually worthless and so too is the maul- Rugby has lost its soul through its dumbing down in pursuit of the media dollar.
Phill L
Guest
I hear adagio for strings in the background
Derm
Roar Guru
The name is Garryowen, not Garry Owen. It's a club not a person.
Phill L
Guest
I can hear adagio for strings in c minor in the background , when wally comes on. So tearful however I do enjoy listening to someone who loses and makes pitiful excuses for losing. Its always them ref they been doing it since 1905..................
Phill L
Guest
I love it when minnows start throwing stones. If you guys had any credence one would laugh to say the least. However since you started a poor mans losing criticism and start crying over nothing that the ref , ass refs, TMO, match commissioner ,sanzaar plus 15 cams per game that missed all these alleged misdemeanors it so refreshing to see that the wobblies and their supporter(3) the wombles do not acknowledge any foul acts and indiscretions by the wobblies. Why is that I ask? Wally, an apt name, and Wally by nature let me know when a Wobbly side consistently wins and a 'starlian SR side plays attacking winning footy. This side of the ditch you guys have become the New Poms OF RUGBY Bit!@# and whining, losing is really upsetting and good to see chopper!
piru
Roar Rookie
Didn't realise sneaking a yard or two when the ref had his back turned was such a capital offence - or having a go for the ball when you think you can get away with it. I was doing that at 9 and 10 years old! Rugby was originally intended to be refereed by the players, you might get away with a sneaky hand in the ruck or you might well lose your fingers - that's how the game is 'supposed' to be played. With the advent of refs, of course they are going to miss things, it behooves a player to know what he is likely to pick up or miss and play accordingly. Doesn't it?
Beamer
Guest
Hey Wally its not cheating its called playing to the whistle. If your team isnt playing to the whistle its called losng.
Phil Kearns
Guest
When you support a team it is easy to highlight the opponents teams intentional rule breaking. This will happen whether you are an All Black, Wallaby, England or whom ever supporter. As a neutral viewer it is safe to say that ALL teams carry out incidents which provide them with an advantage during a game. This happens with all sports not just Rugby. So rather than some of you bloggers wasting your time with continuous comments about cheating etc you need to really look at the games with open eyes and then comment. I look forward to comments after these weekends games !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!