Kicking the ball down the centre of the field this week will be a pointless exercise that will likely see Hogg dancing down our throats time after time. I do hope someone persuades Jacob et al that this week that would be a very bad idea.
Couldn't have put it better! Just thinking that over lunch looking at the teams.
What are the other options? Repeatedly run into a set defence within your own half? Kick it to the edges where it'll go straight to the player? Better off bouncing a few times down the middle, giving your defensive line a bit of time to get up and organised.
Think kicking the ball intelligently, i.e. trying to catch Exeter's back 3 out of position, is what the original comment was implying. Instead of aimless kicking.
Just so. A long ball down in to their 22, in Hogg's hands will see it back in our 22 faster than you can count your fingers. Last week we failed miserably in the chase and to present a defensive line marching forwards with no gaps, with the receiver running rings around the ill disciplined chasers all arriving far too fast and unable to react to a side step, and all arriving at separate times. The chasers should arrive as a pack of hounds, all together and with that finality that comes with a slow closing in over the last 5-10m. Not to 'hit' the receiver, but trap them and force them to hold on to the ball (resulting in a penalty). Come in too fast and you end up running past them, or falling over them, neither of which will earn you anything.