Back to the game and not the RWC.
One of our biggest failures was in the tackle breakdown contest.
I was puzzling over the Sarries tackle method to see if it was rule breaking, and decided it was not. It was a lesson in how coaching done at its best can unpick the oppositions attack.
I haven't watched replay footage, but this is what it looked like to me. Three defenders make the tackle. The middle one tries to stay upright and stops momentum. The left and right defender shepherd the player into that 'stopper'. As soon as the attacker is paused, one player hits at shoulder level to knock the player over sideways and slides down the body to tether the feet, as the attacker falls the tackler from that side falls so that the tackled players legs are under the tacklers body at waist level with the now released making a nuisance of themselves to arriving players, but not touching the ball. The other defender has fallen over the tackled players head and shoulders, also burying him. The ball has been left clearly available to the attackers, but none can get to it because the tacklers at shoulder and feet are making it hard to get in. The tackler that first blunted the attackers run now gets over the ball. He can't be turfed out from the side as the other two tacklers are lying/crouched in the way.
It was simply the clinical way they did it over and over again And the woeful way that a Wasps player went into contact where the three tacklers were waiting with their trap. With no support latched on. That would have been the only way to counter such a defense. Got the ball? Can't pass, or not going to pass? Do NOT try to bash through on your own. Not only will you lose the ball, you will give away a penalty and points. Can that be coached? Evidently yes, as Sarries did it all match.
They appeared to do it over and over again. It stops an offload. It slows down support. It leaves the ball available to the attackers teammates. It stops the clearout of the jackal. The jackal is the original tackler (first one to make contact with the attacker), and it gives him time to regain his feet if needed. When Booj tried to break through their line (he never succeeded), as soon as he tried this, the two line players either side snapped into this tackle mode and robbed him of the ball.
Every player on the pitch needs to understand this. Trying to run through an almost certain tackle is pointless, and will either lose your side the ball, or give away a penalty. Sevens players understand this. It is called patience. Sarries had that all game.
Does this tactic create an offence? No need to roll away as the ball is 'available', so my guess is no. Can we adapt? Next game will see, but my guess is not. We seem stuck into this idea we can run our way into the lead.
See how England have adapted to take advantage of the drawback to the Sarries defensive tackling tactic? Kick over them into space and chase. Jocob tried this a couple of times and got it badly wrong. Training, time and good coaching. These are skills that can be learned.
Topic: Match thread (Read 5291 times)
Always a Wasp