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Different week, same problem! We alluded to it in last week’s edition where they had 59% of possession and scored just one try, and last Saturday again highlighted the lack of penetration in the backline attack of the Western Force.
Despite the Western Australians’ hard-working pack providing a 52% possession ration overall – with the share rising to 64% in the second half alone; the Force managed just one try: and from a close range forward barge, compared to the six tries – five of which were scored by outside backs – grabbed by the home side in its impressive 41-7 victory.
The Force’s ills are the result of execution, not effort.
Indeed the visiting side only missed one more tackle than did the Brumbies: both teams made 146 tackles in the game, with the Force missing an additional 19, while the Brumbies failed on 18 occasions.
As with their attack however, it was the Brumbies who were the more accurate defensively, limiting the Force to just four off-loads in the tackle, while achieving 10 themselves.
A Springbok in waiting
With Marcell Coetzee and Heinrich Brussow on the loose, South African rugby is already well served by quality opensides, but don’t be surprised to see Arno Botha join them some time soon.
The impressive 21-year-old underlined his credentials again at Loftus Versfeld last weekend where his statistics compared favourably with the Wallabies Test seven, Michael Hooper.
Botha carried the ball on 13 occasions, while completing 12 tackles, in contrast to the 13 tackles but just three ball carries made by Hooper through the game.
Game turning
If you want to beat the Bulls at Loftus, the lesson is clear: don’t give them free ball!
The Waratahs did, and paid the penalty – literally, with sharpshooter Morne Steyn kicking six penalty goals, alongside the Bulls’ two tries, one of which he scored himself.
As good as the Bulls were; the Waratahs were the architects of their own demise, with a deplorable lineout and inadequate re-start, which saw the turnovers stacked heavily against the visiting side. All up, NSW gifted the ball to the Bulls on 16 occasions from set pieces (six of which were errant lineouts), while receiving the ball ‘back’ on just seven occasions from set piece turnovers in reply.
For all the subsequent complaints from Tahs coach Michael Cheika about the performance of Argentine whistler Francisco Pastrana; you can’t expect to win a game while returning stats like those!
Godwin’s a ‘Good-un’!
We’ve already discussed the short-comings of the Western Force, but one player on whom little blame can be attached is the highly promising inside centre Kyle Godwin.
The Zimbabwe-born flyhalf has been used primarily at inside centre this year but hasn’t let the side down, with last Saturday’s performance in Canberra being a prime example.
Although he featured in an outfit which was outclassed by 34 points; Godwin was both the top ball carrier (with 15) and the top tackler (with 19) for the game – for both sides.
Nor was his yardage token, making 100 metres for the Force, which was bettered only by Joe Tomane and Matt Toomua on the Brumbies side.
The JOC ‘Factor’
If Robbie Deans needs at all to ‘sell’ the prospect of James O’Connor as his first choice Test flyhalf, then Sunday’s performance against the Crusaders in Christchurch, which both Deans and his All Black counterpart Steve Hansen watched from the grandstands, was a pretty handy advertisement!
Concerns about the O’Connor kicking game appear unfounded, with the 235 metres he gained highlighting the usefulness of his tactical boot.
It was with the ball in hand, however, that O’Connor was at his most effective, repeatedly breaking the line to get in behind the Crusaders, with his nimble footwork and strength exposing less athletic forwards.
O’Connor totalled 135 run metres for the game, which was 55 more than the total yardage achieved by the best Crusaders player in this category (by comparison, Australian flyhalf rivals Bernard Foley ran for 108 metres against the Bulls, Quade Cooper for 103, although some of his were accrued returning the ball from his position at fullback when the Reds were on defence, while Matt Toomua clocked up 102 for the Brumbies against the Force).
Fortitude not flash
The Reds built up a reputation for flash when they won their Super Rugby title in 2011, but this year the recurring theme through their seven wins has been that the Queenslanders have been at their most effective without the ball.
As with their outstanding win over the Chiefs two weeks ago, where the home side made an incredible 15 line breaks to the Reds’ five but still lost; Friday night’s 12-11 win over the Blues was also built on what Queensland did when the Blues had the ball.
The Blues recycled the ball on 133 occasions to the 73 of the Reds, and forced the Queenslanders to make a whopping 233 tackles, yet they could score just one try!
The workload may have taken its toll on the Reds ball retention though, as they coughed it up seven times at the breakdown, which is most unlike them.
One tactic that the Reds have employed that opposition teams seem to have cottoned onto is their rolling maul, which Queensland had used effectively earlier in the competition. On the six occasions that the Reds tried it against the Blues, they were held up three times, forcing possession turnovers.
Stats courtesy of Verusco Sports Statistics, official supplier to Australian 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.