Giteau and his Crabbing

[Brumbies Guy]

That fine take it any way you want. I

f you do not know what an Oblique, or angled run is as opposed to a crab (which has no forward momentum) you are exposed as an isolated forum poster with no real experience in the game. Did you play in the backs? Have you been a long term student/fan/follower of the game?

If you say you have how do you not know these things? Cooper's line was a classic basic line of attack.

I never implied to not knowing what an oblique line was? I did pass 7th Grade maths. Yes, I have played 10, 12 through colts and university, and since have been playing 13 so I'm accustomed to these lines. Thank you though for the concerns on forum isolation; I'm sure you would be more than willing to take me under your wing if needed, right?

The point I was simply trying to make is that realistically there is little difference between the try Cooper scored and that which Giteau typically runs, except for in this instance Cooper broke through. Just as there is little difference between the lines Giteau runs now to the lines he ran in his prime, effectiveness aside, they are still in the manner.

Why does it only become oblique to you if the defensive line is broken? If they run the same line 10 times each and Cooper breaks through 9 times to Giteau’s 1, does that make Cooper a genius and Giteau a crab?

 

[WB3]

The defining difference to me was that the All Blacks didn't seem to move off the line, giving Cooper room to move sideways and into the whole. Giteau, on the other hand, often crabs even when the line is coming up at him and thus doesn't get anyway.
An anecdote that illustrates my point - Jarryd hayne at about 1;50 in this video - he crabs but the break is made possible by a flat-footed defender/defense that held off him and gave him time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wunBQivB0KM&feature=related

 

[Ash]

Uhm, the obvious difference is that Cooper's was effective - he scored a try. Other times during the game Cooper was more direct, and the same in the past - he generally fires a pass, or runs a straighter line but tries to "jink" his way through the defence.

Giteau has been crabbing ineffectually for a while now. See Kafer's analysis during this year's S14.

BTW, Giteau's crabbing isn't 100% consistent: on occasion he plays more directly, mixes it up more and has a great game.

 

[RugbyReg]

the thing with Coops is that his passing his superb. And he runs with the ball in two hands and is prone to off load at any time. Thus defenders hold off and he can run a bit. Gits is a little same-o same-o.

 

[Scarfman]

Anyway, back to what farva said - the whole Giteau fiasco could work, or at least work better, if we had the 13 and wing running strong lines straight or slightly infield. At the moment they're following him outwards.

 

[naza]

This is news ? I've been saying this for half a decade and battling the objections of the Spin It Wide brigade on here. Without Larkham & Mortlock, its quite clear that the emperor has no clothes.

Giteau needs to go. He is a cancer, an oxygen thief and a bigger wanker than Kevin Rudd. I'm from the Bob Dwyer school - Centres need to run straight and hard. It worked for Timmy Horan. I have no time for Giteau and his soft and selfish approach to the game. I notice you didn't touch on his love for the cross field kick where he rotely gifts opponents possession.