Flashback to 96 .

[The Red Baron]

That video is also an example of an extremely well drilled team. Each player knows where they should be, and makes the effort to get there, at all times. Look at how the maul from one of the kickoffs formed - Eales took the ball and in a matter of a couple of seconds the whole pack had formed into a cohesive maul. The maul then proceeded to drive down the field.
The link and support play was just superb.

I tend to disagree a little with the sentiments about improved defences ending this sort of play. Yes, defensive patterns are not as passive anymore, but a well drilled team providing a number of support options, with committed runners coming from depth will eventually unpick a defence. Sooner or later, if you support and link with your runners, the defence will develop a number of holes, as players are forced to constantly realign.

 

[I like to watch]

This most obvious response is,if that would still work today,they would still play that way today.
After all they train longer and smarter than they did back then.
So it is definitely a strategic decision,by all the current coaches, not just one.

 

[Gnostic]

ILTW I can't agree with that. I think that the advent of professionalism has de-skilled our players in many areas. The key post 1996 was to have fitter stronger players able to run over the top of others like, Lomu, Tuigamala, Z. Brooke. Then along came Macqueen's endless recycle game which called for a massive increase in aerobic fitness. In my view players spent less and less time training in the basic skills of the game, passing, kicking and running lines and more and more in the gym.

In the amatuer days I doubt is AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would have played at the level he has, certainly not for as long as he has without improving his base passing skills. Not singling him out as an isolated case but remember Berrick Barnes having to lecture Tom Carter on what angles to run an unders line. Carter had how many seasons at Super level by that stage? Now ask yourself how many pro players can kick the modern synthetic ball with the distance and accuracy achievce by the likes of Botha, Campese, Fox, Merhtens, Porta etc etc with the old leather unit which absorbed water like a sponge and ended a game at least half again as heavy as it started.

Is it the players fault? Partly, I don't think they are as motivated in some cases once they have "made it" and don't put in the extra. BUT that extra requirement need to be articulated to them and that critique has to come from the coaches at all levels. To use AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) as an example again, why after so many years can he still not effectively pass from both hands? It is inconceivable that he hasn't been told, and I find it just as unlikely that he is incapable of learning the skills. That just leaves insufficient application to the task, or insufficient weighting given to its importance, over say doing another rep cycle on the weights.

 

[The Red Baron]

This most obvious response is,if that would still work today,they would still play that way today.
After all they train longer and smarter than they did back then.
So it is definitely a strategic decision,by all the current coaches, not just one.

I would argue that a lot of NZ teams still play that way. To say that they would still play it if it worked is quite simplistic, and sometimes inaccurate.

I do acknowledge there has been a trend, and many coaches are coaching a more 'conservative' gameplan. However, the gameplan might be the result of the type of players available, and a coaches own mindset. The type of players available is a symptom of an issue within a developmental structure - or convincing yourself that we may no longer play an expansive style game because defences have gotten better. I don't subscribe to that.

Going forward and expansive play go hand in hand. Close in support play generates go forward, as pods of forwards are constantly carrying the ball up, not allowing a defence to re-set. If you run clever lines, and link with your outside men, you will then find gaps. A really well drilled will be able to do this. It doesn't matter whether the defence is pushing up or holding back. You will find space if you work hard enough.

 

[Jets]

Ah .. Garrick "Pogo" Morgan. What a combination he formed with Eales. No that was an extremely well balanced second row. I was very saddened when he went to League.

You can actually see why Morgan thought he might make it in league

This was actually the year Garrick returned from his 2 seasons with the Crushers. He was pretty handy in this game.

 

[kiap]

how many times do we see players make breaks these days and the movement dies because of a lack of support? Such a fundamental aspect of the game, which goes hand in hand issue of commitment at the ruck for clear out.

Exactly!

The team has got to be backing each other in support. Who was the coach back then?

 

[Gnostic]

Exactly!

The team has got to be backing each other in support. Who was the coach back then?

To many people's shock and horror it was Knuckles.

 

[Bardon]

To those who say it wouldn't work in the modern game I'd point to a number of teams who play a similar style but adapted to take account for more structured modern day defences. Teams like the ABs, Leinster, Harlequins and most of the NZ franchises play some form of this game plan.

The improvement at the Tahs under Cheika demonstrates what a change in training focus can do in a relatively short time. I don't see how improving things like handling, passing, awareness, support lines etc. in a time could be a disadvantage.

The modern version of this type of game is also what the world expects the Wallabies to play. But not just that many like myself would expect the Wallabies to be leading the way with this type of play and inventing new ways to pull defences out of shape with accurate fast paced passing back up by a tonne of support and all under pinned by fantastic skills.

Instead we see a team that is reliant on X-factor and a constant debate about how to get the ball to the X-factor players as quickly as possible. Then we often see moves breaking down for the same reasons.

1. When a player makes a clean break they have no support runners and are closed down and isolated by the defence resulting in a turn over/penalty.

2. Player makes a clean break and has some support player but the awareness of where the support is, is lacking on the part of the ball carrier and they either don't pass or delay their pass too long.

3. Basic skills letting players down when there's space and plenty of support. Often we see passes thrown behind players, over their heads, down at their toes and on the other side we see players spilling simple catches.

4. Indecision. Often times I've seen moves break down because the guy with the ball isn't sure what to do with it. No one is making a run for him so he delays that split second then decides to either take it on himself (often the defence can quickly isolate him) or goes for a pass that isn't which is either intercepted or causes a knock on, goes to ground before finding someone etc.

5. Someone decides to kick the ball and more often than not 1 of 2 things happen. 1) It's a poor kick and turn over possession 2) It's a good kick but the chase is poor.

6. The defence is well organised and closes down the move.

No. 1-5 can all be improved upon by spending time working on basic skills (at high speed) and awareness. While with No. 6 someone probably spotted space someone else that can be exploited in a subsequent attacking phase.

Most modern players can play this way but it requires commitment and a lot of trust in each other and that doesn't happen over night. I know at Leinster when we changed our style we ship a few heavy thumpings while we transitioned but eventually it came good and we reaped the benefits.

For me, as a pure rugby nut with a soft spot for the Wallabies, it's saddening to look back at that video and see that most of the forwards have better hands, better awareness and run better support lines than a lot of backs that have represented Aus in the past few years.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The modern version of this type of game is also what the world expects the Wallabies to play. But not just that many like myself would expect the Wallabies to be leading the way with this type of play and inventing new ways to pull defences out of shape with accurate fast paced passing back up by a tonne of support and all under pinned by fantastic skills.

Instead we see a team that is reliant on X-factor and a constant debate about how to get the ball to the X-factor players as quickly as possible. Then we often see moves breaking down for the same reasons.

A thousand times yes. What we saw in that clip was how Australian teams used to play. It was expansive, high speed, high skill and above all successful. Hard running support lines from depth and adherence to the mantra that the ball always beats the man. It's a source of great disappointment to me that we seem to have lost the ability or desire to play that way. There's too much static, one out stuff and less cohesion in the "tight loose" and quality passing.

I do not accept for one minute that this kind of rugby can't be successful and moreover be our brand of footy again. The All Blacks play a wonderful "total rugby" style and so did Link's Reds team at their peak too. It's what the Wallabies should be aiming for. Watch the fans flood through the gates to see it too, just like we did in the 80's and 90's when our running game lit the place up.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Is the issue that much of our coaching and training is done in 5 x 5 grids?

With my rose coloured spectacles on, I can't recall all that much grid stuff done in the older days.

Lots and lots of semi opposed team runs (vs the reserves or second grade) on a full field with an expectation that basic catch and pass skills acquisition and practice were an individuals responsibility.

Grid work seems good to practice individual skills under pressure, but they do not afford the opportunity to do things that need lots of space to practice.

 

[kiap]

To many people's shock and horror it was Knuckles.

Amazing! I don't believe it.

 

[Brumbieman]

Anyone who says that defenses would shut that down is laughing. The precise reason the Reds slaughtered that extremely good Blues team, is because they got it so comprehensively correct.

You cant defend agaisnt that. When passes are going 20m across field like lightning (anyone think that even the speed of the ball through the air blitzes what we see now?) and landing on the chest of a player who has had to actually accelarate just to even catch the ball, having come from serious depth, even if you read it perfectly and end up in position to make the tackle, there were multiple support runners and forwards ready to blow clean over the top of the ball, or take the much more intelligently timed offload, AGAIN at high speed and from depth.

Almost all the tries we see from open play, set piece or turnover balla re still scored using exactly the same principles. The game is much slower these days because everyone focuses so much on strength and power that the basics of PUTTING THE FUCKING BALL IN FRONT OF THE RECEIVER have been all but forgotten.

Seeing White's passes to his forward runners on the weekend gave me a semi, it's the closest we've seen to consistant in-front-of-the-man passing since Rod McQueen was coach. And no, Genia isn't good at it. He has a lovely pass but the % of times it's sufficiently far enough in front of his target that they need to accelarate onto it would be single figures. The rest are "slow down a bit and take on the INSIDE shoulder (IE have to turn a bit back to the ruck and blindside themselves from what's happening out wide). I reckon a big chunk of our shit decision making stems from that, players having to face the ball when receiving and not having time enough to assess the outside options.

 

[I like to watch]

Look at each try that was scored,and see where the defenders were placed.
In a few of those tries there is a 20 metre blindside with only the poor right winger.
One of them from our midfield kick!
Understanding how the Reds got their mismatches,by viewing the phases leading up to these tries might be more relevant,than claiming they were better ball handlers in the good old days.

 

[Aussie D]

I was watching a SS semi or final (can't remember which) game the other week and the half time rugby wrp showed highlights of a Canterbury v Manawatu(?) match where at times the Cantabs ran through the opposition's defences with what used to be basic catch / pass / support plays. Very similar to what Bob Dwyer often espouses in his opinion pieces. Was lovely to watch and made me lament the drivel we are usually served up by the men in gold.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Don't get too enamoured with the Canterbury style of footy.

It does not translate across the Tasman.

We have just spent 5 years experimenting with that and the Men in Gold were unable to replicate the style.

 

[Scotty]

how many times do we see players make breaks these days and the movement dies because of a lack of support? Such a fundamental aspect of the game, which goes hand in hand issue of commitment at the ruck for clear out.

Yes, it is almost like out players are just lazier?

vs the Boks in Brisbane there were many times where having a support player or two there would have created something for the Wallabies, but they just took too long.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yes, it is almost like out players are just lazier?

vs the Boks in Brisbane there were many times where having a support player or two there would have created something for the Wallabies, but they just took too long.

Yep, we created enough opportunities that better support play would have finished off. In spite of the fact that the Boks played by far the better footy, we didn't cash in anywhere near as much as we could have.

 

[Brumbieman]

Even the 2nd Bledisloe. To'omua made a good half dozen runs at the line and had his shoulder clear and through, ball in hand but there was no one running support lines off his shoulder. We'd have scored 3-4 tries if we had just one or two players running an angle just off his shoulder for the offload.