Comments on: Analysis: The value of layered midfield runners http://www.therugbyblog.com/analysis-the-value-of-layered-midfield-runners/ Thu, 25 Jul 2019 12:54:43 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.10 By: Leon http://www.therugbyblog.com/analysis-the-value-of-layered-midfield-runners/#comment-382743 Thu, 22 Oct 2015 11:08:33 +0000 http://www.therugbyblog.com/?p=40064#comment-382743 At it’s basic level yes rugby is a simple game what sets the great from the good from the downright average is quality execution and this is where the AB’s are streets ahead of their rivals.

As well as the 3 methods of beating a defense outlined above (Kickpass, tie in defenders, attack the fringes) you need to add
* moments of individual brilliance where pace, footwork, an offload, a disguised pass or a well sold dummy allows a player the space to beat his opposite number one on one
* mismatches where a big player bounces off a small player or a quick player rounds a big slow one




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]]> By: Jez http://www.therugbyblog.com/analysis-the-value-of-layered-midfield-runners/#comment-382742 Thu, 22 Oct 2015 10:34:39 +0000 http://www.therugbyblog.com/?p=40064#comment-382742 The secret to Rugby (not that it is much of a secret) lies in the question what is the best form of defence? The answer being, obviously to attack. As an excellent former coach of mine used to say, catch ball, keep it alive, score try, kick conversion, get 7 points and repeat.
However, to just attack and keep the ball alive isn’t the whole story. Wales are very good at keeping the ball alive and going through phases, but most teams can defend this quite easily as Wales invariably run up one channel, run out of ideas and then kick. (Sometimes it comes off brilliantly, as per Dan Biggar vs South Africa, but invariably most teams can easily defend.)
The real secret is to attack in a way that will either pull defenders in, achieved by overloading at first and second phase breakdowns (which England have been good at, All Blacks are excellent at) or by putting doubt in the place of outside attackers creating space where a concentration of attackers can exploit around the breakdown (as shown in the Namibia example above).
The final payoff from this is when teams can do either option putting in place confusion that often causes chaos, particularly amongst teams that blitz, from first phase, the prime example being Alex Cuthburts complete horlicksing in defence for the winning South African try.




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