Coach’s Corner Issue 23: Will the exiles come flooding back?

Many thanks to all who contributed a question, or developed it in the debate at the call-out stage!

If you were to pick an Australian XV from anywhere in the world, who would you pick and why?
– RugbyRah

What would be your perfect selection criteria to pick overseas players for the Wallabies? Would it be a lower amount of Wallabies caps, such as 20?
– Take the Points

Wallaby query: which five overseas players would you bring into the squad? I’m guessing Skelton is number one? Rory Arnold second?
– Harry Jones

And maybe Kerevi, Perese and McMahon?
– Bobby

Something that bugs me a bit is seeing our players go to Europe, and coming back more skilful and fitter than before they left. Some examples include White, Giteau, Mitchell, Beale, (who when they came back just seemed to be in great form, fitness and more tactically astute) and more recently Skelton – completely transformed from the player he was in Australia.
– Faithful

There is no question that Australian returnees from Europe can bring back genuine gifts with them, especially if they can find a top-class environment in which to work.

Nic White and Will Skelton are the most recent examples of how Australian players have improved their skillbase, and their outlook considerably by exposure to quality rugby environments at clubs like Exeter, Saracens and La Rochelle.

I believe Dave Rennie should be looking at restricted measures: to bring back only ‘players of national interest’, who can help immediately in the quest for the Holy Grail of the 2023 World Cup.

Right now, players of the first rank in importance would Rory Arnold and Will Skelton in the second row, Tolu Latu at hooker and Samu Kerevi in the centres.

All four players would be automatic choices in any 23-man matchday squad. Kerevi is already back in the fold, and both Arnolds and Skelton are playing in top-class organisations at Toulouse and La Rochelle.

On the second level would be Sean McMahon and Richie Arnold up front, and Luke Morahan behind. They would all make the wider squad, adding both playing depth and rugby IQ.

It is such a small group that, in practice, the change might not be as significant as it appears at first glance. Others, like Izack Rodda, have returned to Australian rugby after playing only one season in the Top 14. I am unconvinced that removing restrictions would lead to a mass efflux of talent to Europe and Japan.

The European clubs, in particular, do not have a limitless financial reservoir post-COVID, and there are limits on the number of foreign imports who can play. The English Premiership has voted to restrict the number to two in any 23-man matchday squad, and the Top 14 in France is moving rapidly towards the production of home-based players from youth academies.

It nonetheless remains important for Rugby Australia to maintain primacy of contract whenever possible, loaning out its players to clubs from Europe or Japan on sabbatical or exchange schemes, rather than signing their futures away completely.

The French use their halfbacks as playmakers more than the number 10. Could Tate McDermott become of that mould? He certainly has the talent and Rugby IQ to do so. Can you outline how DuPont plays that role and is Tate McDermott already doing it similarly?
– Leigh Brown

I realise the “buck” stops with Rennie but I thought the Head Coach were more about selection and player management. The strategy and in game tactics are with the various assistants – attack, defence, forwards and backs. The attack coaching failure seems to me to be where the rot set in – fair or not?
– Monsta

When the new law amendments at the breakdown are consistently applied, ruck ball tends to be quicker – turnovers are quicker, the regrouping of the attack and defence both have to be quicker. Those are some of the essential lessons to be learned from the climax of the English Premiership season.

It is also the reason why the halves from the Harlequins club, who eventually won the competition (Danny Care and Marcus Smith), rose to prominence as the most lethal attacking pair in the Premiership.

If you get quick ruck ball, you need to design an attack off your number 9 – if only because the attackers outside him do not always have time and space to re-align.

With Tate McDermott at scrum-half, Dave Rennie’s Wallabies are doing just that. The attack coach Scott Wisemantel is creating compact attacking shapes around the threat off 9. The author of this article misunderstood the intent behind the attacking shape which led (eventually) to Hunter Paisami’s intercept try in the first Bledisloe match.

In fact, the pattern was working well before Hunter spoiled the party! It was repeated in the second game, this time with a successful conclusion for the Wallabies.

The start point is a midfield run from lineout. On second phase, Tate McDermott takes over.

Tate is taking steps away from the ruck to pull the inside defence out of shape. On the first play he draws Nepo Laulala out before dropping off a reverse pass for a strong run by Rob Valetini.

The panoramic view looked like this after those two phases are completed.

There are 14 Australian players condensed in the space between the left touch-line and the near post, with two pods of three to the right and the other two forwards attending the ruck. Only Andrew Kellaway (“1” out of sight) is providing width out to the right. That is the way the attack is designed.

The same themes were repeated on fifth and sixth phases.

When the scrum-half receives quick one or two second ruck delivery, he can scoot off himself against the first and second defenders, who will be struggling to get into position.

Once you have established the threat off 9 in a compact attacking pattern, it makes life much easier for the number 10 too.

On this occasion, there are only All Black forwards on the short-side, with no defensive pressure on Noah Lolesio. He doesn’t need to speculate with a cut-out pass – Marika’s strength will be more than enough in a straight one-versus-one.

After Koroibete’s tackle bust, it is a case of ‘rinse and repeat’.

Attacking play, until the very last phase, never moves beyond the near post.

Fourteen Wallabies are all still clustered on one side of the field, with Hunter Paisami the last man out to the right. This time, there is no need for a long speculator from the Queensland centre. A shallow cross-kick from the boot of Noah Lolesio is quite sufficient.

It is a one-on-one in 20 metres of space for Andrew Kellaway, and any international wingman worth his salt will back himself to score in that scenario.

Did Finn Russell’s play in Lions vs South Africa 3 offer any pathways for Australia, New Zealand and Argentina to put the South African defence under pressure?
– Sinclair Whitbourne

Have you been able to figure out the best way to score non-maul tries against the Boks?
– Harry Jones.

The replacement of Wales’ Dan Biggar with mercurial Scotland number 10 Finn Russell was probably the most intriguing sub-plot of the entire series between the Springboks and the Lions.

It marked the only time the Lions threatened to play aggressively with ball in hand, and the only occasion when Gregor Townsend’s coaching influence on the tourists became visible.

In many ways, the events that follow (in one long ten-phase sequence starting just outside the Lions’ 22) are a natural run-on from the discussion from the previous question. With quick ruck ball, the 9 becomes a threat from the base, and the 10 can stand flat and short for the next phase.

The Lions forwards had success working over the Springbok’s tight five (some of whom are average tacklers) in the first half. Even after the bust has been made, South Africa’s backs are still looking to rush on the next phase, but instead of risking the long pass, Russell makes a simple chip over to Josh Adams.

Suddenly, the Lions are over halfway with a minimum of risk.

The kick-pass recalled a similar ploy by the All Blacks at the start of the 2019 World Cup.

Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi are defending high and tight, and there is obvious space for Sevu Reece out on the right.

Finn Russell continued to challenge the Springbok interior defence by standing flat on the advantage-line, and short to his number 9 Ali Price.

Because Russell is flat, and square just before the moment of contact, it creates problems for the Springbok defenders who are trying to play catch-up from the inside.

Even when Russell wasn’t involved, the Lions developed momentum off their 9, or by moving the ball off their first receiver.

The Lions earned a penalty after travelling 50 metres upfield with ball in hand, and they scored a try from the ensuing five-metre lineout. It was just a pity they did not follow the courage of their attacking convictions more often.

Make sure to look in on the next issue on September 3!