New challenges, old solutions

The first round of the Super 14 provided proof of the dictum that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Much of the attention on the opening series of matches focused on the instruction to referees to be strict on the actions of the tackler in an effort to clean up the breakdown and speed up the ball.

Opinion on what many termed a “new” law but which in fact was merely a re-affirmation of the “old” law was diverse – from approval to somewhat mystifying criticism calling for even more “hands-in” and therefore even more pile-ups and even more trapped ball.

As it turned out the opening weekend of the Super 14 seemed to indicate that the appliers of the law, some better than others, may have got this one right.

And interestingly it may engender a return to one of the oldest fundamentals – namely that greater numbers to the breakdown are essential in the quest to keep or win the ball that goes to ground.

As far back as 1970, when the Springboks beat the All Blacks 3-1 in a brutal series, a constant theme was that Piet Greyling, Jan Ellis, Albie Bates, Lofty Nel and Frik du Preez consistently gave the Boks an edge by “getting more numbers to the breakdown.”

There are wise coaches who will tell you that it has always been thus and that it will always be thus.

Recently however it has become possible to defend the breakdown with fewer numbers, invariably because of the limpet-like presence on the ball of the aptly-named “jackler,” with the result that the spaces have become cluttered.

However the simple modification of forcing the tackler to let go the tackled man before having a go at the ball, thus allowing the tackled man time to place it, has restored the emphasis on getting more bodies into the area and could even encourage more rucking.

With the tackled man placing the ball back, thus creating a deeper off-sides zone, it struck me that the way to get at the ball is not to try to pick it up but for the arriving players to link up and in low formation drive over it.

There were countless instances of this working successfully this last weekend, whether by design or accidentally, but coaches will have noticed it and will be calling for their players to blast over the ball rather than playing to it.

In fact they may be well advised to get out tapes of old All Black sides because it was called rucking and the Kiwis did it best.

So a promising start to the new year of southern hemisphere rugby but not one without quibbles. There was still too much inconsistency from match to match, due in part to the introduction of some inexperienced officials, while off-sides at the breakdown is still not policed strictly enough.

Imagine if the simple act of making the tackler play to the law can make such a difference how much space there would be if the “hindmost foot” law and joining behind the ball were stringently applied?