Two big topics of discussion on G&GR have been the form of Will Genia and the inability of the Wallabies forwards to get over the gain line.
As you’ll see from the analysis below, even when Will is having just an average day at the office, he still does some sublime things. It’s also clear that our forwards are often not offering good runners in motion.
Having said that though, whether a ball receiver is static or already on the move, the ball must be delivered in front of them for some simple but important reasons:
- If running, it means that the receiver doesn’t have to lose momentum to catch the ball. If stationary it gives the receiver impetuous to go forward
- Maintaining or generating this momentum cuts down the space the receiver needs to make to get to the defensive line. This gives defenders less time to adjust, increasing the probability of getting over or through the advantage line
- Having the ball in front of the receiver gives them many more options – to take an overs or unders line, to pass, or God forbid, to kick
All of these advantages come from a pass being one metre in front of a receiver, rather than directly at or behind their chest. Such small small errors can make big differences and as such it’s a level of accuracy that needs to improve in Will’s and the Wallabies’ game.
