You have a lineout 10 metres out. The maul is stopped and now we have goal line phase play. The object is to get the ball to within 2 metres and burrow over. Ten or more times the ramparts are charged…but the backline is excused. It’s a forward thing …boring and often unsuccessful. Ireland is particularly guilty of this junk rugby, but we aren’t far behind.
As one looks at these phases they move mechanically in one direction….nobody receives the ball at pace, there is no variation of tactics..no deception, why not have a runner at pace crossing just behind the ruck with the right to call for the ball if he spots a gap. A modern Joe Cool variant ….where the runner moves in the opposite direction to the phases, looking for gaps as defenders cross over.
Breaking down the walls of defenders is the big challenge of modern rugby and there has to be a better answer than bashing. This is particularly true for the side, like Australia or Argentina, who are power disadvantaged.
Rugby is now mostly box kicks and forward bashing….backs get involved in kick chases and when defense is upset in broken play. Coaching has advanced a lot in terms of defense…..attacking play seems to be in check mate. Is there a coach out there that can tilt the balance back to attacking play? It’s not any of the current major country coaches.
