- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It is often said ‘forwards win you the game, backs decide by how much’. I would propose a slight change to this ‘forwards win you the game – in the ruck’.
The breakdown is the key to unlocking the secret of consistently winning rugby matches. Watch any All Blacks game and it follows the same formula.
Slow the opposition ball, win the pilfer or penalty, counter-attack when the opposing defence isn’t set and win.
It is something that seems to have been lost in the Michael Cheika era. More often than not, the Wallaby formula has been; try and make the tackle, do nothing after, hope and pray the opposition makes a mistake and lose.
The alternative is when David Pocock gets involved, which usually ends with him winning a herculean turnover using his gigantic biceps complete with veins that look like anacondas!
Or, he gets absolutely hammered by a train of opposition forwards (as they well know he is the only one they really have to worry about). We all know Pocock is basically the Bradman of the ruck.
But even Don Bradman needed other blokes to bat with him.
There are a lot of calls going around that we don’t have the talent to compete at the highest level. I would disagree. We just aren’t picking players based on the right metrics.
To give an example, the Wallaby starting team picked for last weekend’s game had collectively won only nine pilfers and penalties all Super Rugby season from a combined 230 games.
They had tackled at an average efficiency of 77.9 per cent and conceded 116 penalties all season.
Compare this to the starting All Blacks team picked. They won 50 pilfers or penalties, had a 77.3 per cent tackle efficiency and conceded 110 penalties. (The All Blacks had only 188 games between them so I have adjusted the figures as if they had played the same).
Yep, you read it right – over five times as many pilfers and penalties won at the ruck with fewer penalties conceded and pretty similar tackle efficiency.
You can have a backline full of players with the body of Jonah Lomu, the step of Shane Williams and the vision of Stephen Larklam but you will find it very hard to beat a team five times better than you at the ruck!
Here is a potential Wallaby team that focuses on this issue (with how many pilfers or penalties won this season).
1. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 6
2. Anaru Rangi, 4
3. Allan Alaalatoa, 0
4. Izack Rodda, 0
5. Rory Arnold, 0
6. Pete Samu, 5
7. Liam Wright, 13
8. Lachlan McCaffrey, 6
9. Joe Powell, 2
10. Christian Lealiifano, 0
11. Cameron Clark, 0
12. Billy Meakes, 4
13. Karmichael Hunt, 4
14. Henry Speight, 4
15. Tom Banks, 1
They’ve won 49 pilfers and penalties, tackled at 79.7 per cent efficiency and conceded only 94 penalties.
This team, coincidentally, has 230 games between them too. I know, there are a few injuries, Hunt is out of position slightly and a few positions there aren’t really ball poachers so I just chose good defenders. But you get the point.
With a few selection changes, we could be equal to the All Blacks at the ruck with a slightly better tackle efficiency all while giving away fewer penalties.
On the face of it, you might think the attack wouldn’t be as good as the Cheika alternative. But, I ask you this – how many extra tries would be scored when you have five times as many counterattack opportunities? I cannot see that side letting in 35 points as we did on the weekend.
Unfortunately, getting your hands dirty in the ruck won’t make the highlight reel like Bernard Foley’s ‘career peak’ penalty against the Crusaders, or one of Taniela Tupou’s perfect no arm shoulder charges on a helpless flyhalf after a clearing kick, or even a beautiful high ball take from the fella who used to play fullback.
But winning brings the crowds back.
This is just an example but it hammers home the point that we have severely neglected the most important area of the game. However, it is so easily fixed with just a few selection changes.
Worth a shot don’t you think?
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.