Xs & Os - Phase Play (AUS vs NZL)

Here's a nice setup that caught my eye. Just for some context I'll explain the situation from first phase: 

PHASE 1

Off a six man lineout (throw to front) B9 throws wide to B10. B7-B13-B23 form a three man front outside him, and B14 is coming up on his inside. This three man front advances angling in to B10, B10 switches with B23. B9 is flat footed. B23 crashes into the line. B7 moves out as play unfolds to position himself to the left for the next phase. 

PHASE 2

B14 picks and drives. He is initially stuffed for a loss, but squirms around and gets well beyond the previous ruck. 

PHASE 3

All Blacks have 4 forwards close the the ruck on the left. B2 gives a short ball to B4 who drives into the fringe. 

PHASE 4

They attack in the same direction, left, with B10-B15-B11 ready to attack with a 3v3. B6 is a decoy who fixes the guard, leaving the All Black backs with the 3v3 against A13-A11-A15. B10 incorrectly, in my opinion, takes the contact.

PHASE 5

B10 passes to B9 from the ground who passes back to the right to B5. There is a cluster of forwards here. B5 doesn't get much ground taking it up. 

PHASE 6

This is the setup in question. The All Blacks have a three man POD (B3.B4.B8) outside B9. B9 passes to B4 in the middle of the POD. He advances, drawing a cluster of Wallabies. B8 comes up straight beside him as a crashball decoy. B10 is behind the POD, with B15.B2.B14 lying shallow beneath him. B13 is behind B2, also shallow. B4 passes behind B8 to B10, who immediately draws A10, who shot out of the line. He has B2 angling in towards him, but passes behind him to B15. B13 comes into line to form a new three man line with B15 and B14, between them. B15 sends a missed pass to B14.

Man the game has evolved from the days when we played in bare-feet with a plastic rugby ball. If what you describe in Phase 6 was intentional that is a whole new level of planing in rugby. Amazing that so many players could have such roles and be able to execute them. Good post Plum.

I had a bunch of guilty looking wallabies in my driveway last Saturday.

So we know where the Wallaby tight five went missing.

Thanks JW, though, I'm not Plum. 

The game has changed alot. I believe it was Campese who bemoaned the use of screen and layers. He'd like the backs to play like in his day, but they'd have to reverse the ELVs. 

The All Blacks were very organised. Once they started to put a few phases together the old engine began to rumble. In contrast to the Boks, they are very much more purposeful ball in hand, though we do have useful tools available. I didn't like the way the Boks kept attacking the same direction repeatedly, mostly with short passes. I didn't like how they used their backs so little. The shape of their game is completely different to New Zealand, less fluid. Meyer actually implemented something more similar to what New Zealand do. Such a pity it was never appreciated. 

Off a lineout New Zealand attack wide, hit up in the middle of the field, throw in the opposite direction and catch a pool of forwards. They used their pods more creatively. Like the pass to the middle runner, he'd slip a short ball to the outside man just as the defence was in their face, he'd send him through pretty much everytime. There were quite a few things I could have pointed out in a post. The way they manipulated the opposition or probed for an opening. We need more of that. We really haven't had something like that since 2013. 

Overall, very impressive. They are clearly the team to beat. The Boks will require a disruptive effort by their pack backed by stout defence and the taking of opportunities when they are on offer. If you have a period of dominance you simply have to score tries, because the All Blacks will do just that when they return fire. 

AO

A rather positive assessment until you come up with Meyer implementing anything like the AB's did.   He never could for two reasons -

*   the fact that the AB loosies and even other forwards plays a role in attacking play of the AB's - totally absent iro the loosies selected by Meyer; and

*    Meyer himself denied any ball-in-hand play by essentially the Springbok backline  by his own remarks on the issue.

Aside from that he predominantly used a flyhalf who kicked balls away 48% of he time and in rare ball carries never got over the gain line and had a very poor passing record.   The reason for the latter is he stood dead still receiving the ball too far behind the set pieces and was slow in passing - his first preference being to kick the ball away.   

With that kind of game there is no way that anything like you said were in fact in Meyer's game plan ever and there was never sight of  real implementation of the plan/   In 2015 the position got worse when he started using forwards as first receivers of the ball from rucks and line-outs - neutralizing the hole backline.   

If Meyer's plan neutralized back play, then how did Damian and Kriel show they were the best centre pairing in world rugby? You said yourself, Damian played the fool with "Bobu" until he was subbed. You are stepping on your toes again. 

Anyway, nothing else to add? Perhaps anything in relation to last week's games? Or maybe that of today? Or at least something relevant to the current Bok team and coach? 

Never said they were the best center pairing in the world - they might have been better  if they did see some good balls - which virtually never happened.

That incident involving Nonu let to the normal BS by De Allende's pet haters.  However, that was one case in a test and I never said it made the pairing  best center combination  in the world.  Fact is that was only the second test which they played as a pairing.   At times they did look good - but was never allowed to develop as a pairing.  When they played in the 2015 WC it was only the fourth match they started as such against Scotland..

Keep to facts - please.       

Clever Mike, if you could keep your forked tongue in check you may speak some truth for once. 

As it is. You have nothing to add to this thread other than yet another Meyer bashing bore fest. You are ruining too many of my threads with garbage. If you have nothing to offer, be quiet. Ende. 

Auge, please cut CleverMike some slack. He can be a bit repetitive and off subject but Moz needs him