So interestingly the team with the defensive bias won all the Quarters…..one of the semis although the other one was a virtual defensive tie……and the final.
Also interestingly the most tackles were made in the Irish/NZ quarter. Cane made 23 for example. High tackle counts by individuals on both sides.
But by far the biggest defensive bias in the knockouts was the Boks in the final at 117, the next biggest bias was 71. Not surprising then that the impression of that game was NZ using the ball and the Boks defending it. What makes that so much more remarkable is the player differential…usually the man down team does the defending.
But in knockouts a sturdy defense tends to be a match winner and these stats support that theory. Defense trumps attack….is that really the way forward for rugby, the thing that will draw in the crowds.
World rugby needs a wake up. Too much advantage is being given to the defensive team at the breakdown and on the box kicks. With better athletes and stronger defensive systems the spectacle of free running backs is being squeezed out of the game.
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quarters:
Wales 166….defensive bias 71
Argentina 95
Ireland 155
NZ 226…….defensive bias 71
England 151……defensive bias 36
Fiji 115
South Africa 158….defensive bias 66
France 92
Semis
NZ 185
Argentina 192…..defensive bias 7
England 89
South Africa109…..defensive bias 20
Final
NZ 92
South Africa 209…..defensive bias 117
…….
So interestingly the team with the defensive bias won all the Quarters…..one of the semis although the other one was a virtual defensive tie……and the final.
Also interestingly the most tackles were made in the Irish/NZ quarter. Cane made 23 for example. High tackle counts by individuals on both sides.
But by far the biggest defensive bias in the knockouts was the Boks in the final at 117, the next biggest bias was 71. Not surprising then that the impression of that game was NZ using the ball and the Boks defending it. What makes that so much more remarkable is the player differential…usually the man down team does the defending.
But in knockouts a sturdy defense tends to be a match winner and these stats support that theory. Defense trumps attack….is that really the way forward for rugby, the thing that will draw in the crowds.
World rugby needs a wake up. Too much advantage is being given to the defensive team at the breakdown and on the box kicks. With better athletes and stronger defensive systems the spectacle of free running backs is being squeezed out of the game.