Ruck and Learn
Wales centre Jamie Roberts makes a second appearance on Planet Rugby this week with a look at how best to attack from quick line-outs.
Wales centre Jamie Roberts makes his second appearance on Planet Rugby this week, giving us a look at how best to attack from quick line-out ball.
Roberts is a man speaking from experience on this matter as he's regularly used as the battering ram to try and break down a team's blitz defence.
This piece offers an insight into how to combat both the blitz and the drift defence that rivals can put up so read on for more from the 2009 Lion.
Planet Rugby and RuckingBall.com bring you this technical piece in collaboration. For more coaching articles or to talk to Martin Corry, Jamie Roberts and other experts, please visit RuckingBall.com
Previous Ruck and Learn features:
Pre-season training By Mike McGurn
Centres of attention By Eddie O'Sullivan
The Line-Out Calls By Shane Byrne
The Captain's Role By Martin Corry
The Flanker's Role By Richard Hill – Part 1 – Part 2
Tighthead Masterclass By Cobus Visagie
The Blitz Defence By Jamie Roberts
Loosies and locks By Martin Corry
Attacking from 'Off the Top' line out Ball
By Jamie Roberts
Hi all!
This is quite an interesting piece for me to pen after my recent article on the blitz and drift defences, as it's highly relevant.
In the Welsh side Alun-Wyn Jones is our line-out captain, but he'll work closely with our 9 and 10 to determine the game calls for the line-out. The key point to this is keep it varied and keep it relevant to the overall gameplan.
A lot of first phase lineout plays will be informed by the type of defence you're playing against. So let's examine our options:
AGAINST THE BLITZ:
If we get fast 'off the top' ball, the moment the line-out ceases, we will have the blitz defenders running hard at pace against us. We'll be either at a standing start or just commencing our runs, so they will have more momentum. So the key here is to move them around, get behind them or make them turn.
The best ways of doing this are:
A chip or grubber kick by the 10 or 12 with the other 3/4's running to chase and collect.
A cross field kick to our openside wing, just behind the defending winger
Wrong footing with a dynamic inside pass
Take ball hard into contact whether through the 12 or a back-rower standing in the line
The key against a blitz is what you're looking to do off the second, not the first, phase. If you take the ball into contact, then a fast ruck will leave the blitz defenders narrow and without momentum, forcing them to adopt a push defence very quickly. This then offers us the opportunity to go around them, due to the lack of 'spread' of their defence.
AGAINST THE PUSH OR DRIFT DEFENCE:
Obviously, as I've discussed before, a good push defence will be enticing you to go wide and to use the openside touch as their sixteenth man or defender. Once they've shut down the first phase, the defensive attack will be on your second phase when you lack momentum. So to overcome this you need to:
Run HARD, Run straight and set up fast, dynamic second phase ball and attack from that.
This can be done through the 10, 12 or flankers
Decoy runners are key – use them to pull the full-back across the pitch and open up space behind the defensive line
Out to In ball – easily the hardest ball to defend against – pull the drift across and get your openside wing running onto one of the centre's inside shoulders and change the point of attack. If you look at Jason Robinson's try for England in the RWC Final 2003, this is the perfect example of executing this from first phase (scrum) against the drift. England did it twice – once with Lawrence Dallaglio, and then Jonny Wilkinson again inside to Robinson coming off his wing at huge pace. A textbook try.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
As with all these things, have a feel for the game. Understand what I like to call the 'Match Landscape'. For example:
If you have a big heavy dominant pack, use the catch and drive to tie in the defence and take way their momentum.
Don't be overly predictable – have a variety of plays
Use your back-row intelligently – take a flanker to make an extra battering ram or decoy runner in the 3/4's. Use a number eight powerhouse like Ryan Jones or Nick Easter to make a dent, and use both front and back peels to add variety, especially against the blitz.
I hope this helps put some context into my view on attacks from primary line-out possession. It can be some of the fastest ball available, but on the downside, you need to leverage your options to break down a well organised defence.
Speak soon and enjoy the sunshine!
Jamie