Defensive Alignment

[Nigel Med]

Lima has been on the end of some justifiable criticism for his defending recently so watching Fridays match back I was curious to know where he was when Redpath scored. He put in that lame clearance kick that gave Bath possession around 30m out then seemed to disappear. If you watch the build-up, Umaga drops back to the full back position. I wondered if we were adopting a sort of "twin sweeper" formation to give us a little more strength should our front line defence get breached but Jacob is clearly in front of the posts rather than guarding half of the pitch, when Redpath makes his sweeping run over to the right, Jacob has to come across at such an angle it was always going to be easy to step him. Lima is over on our right, he appears in some of the views of the try but it looks like he was much too far over giving Jacob too much space to guard.

Is that a defensive formation we've used before that I've not noticed? Or is it just a recent reaction to some of Limas lame last-ditch tackling? Jacob is certainly very reliably defensively (lets ignore his rush out of the line for Baths first try that contributed to the massive overlap), his tackling in particular is excellent.

[hookender]

I wondered why Umaga seemed to be out of position at time,which I thought was down to him ,but your description is very well put.

At the time just put it down to crazy way the whole game was going.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

There is a good video on Twitter explaining why that was the wrong kick to do then, and that the call seemed to come from Umaga. I can't find it right now, but, essentially, it shows the decision making process around the plays immediately before that, and how the teams were in the right place to kick/chase and defend a counter attack, but that, for that kick, our players were hopelessly in the wrong place. In essence, the ball should have been kicked to touch, as we had no chance if it stayed in field. Just before he kicks it, watch Umaga tell him to kick it, and then look who is available for the kick chase (wrong players and only one really in place) and how we have almost no defence out wide.

[Raggs]

There is a good video on Twitter explaining why that was the wrong kick to do then, and that the call seemed to come from Umaga. I can't find it right now, but, essentially, it shows the decision making process around the plays immediately before that, and how the teams were in the right place to kick/chase and defend a counter attack, but that, for that kick, our players were hopelessly in the wrong place. In essence, the ball should have been kicked to touch, as we had no chance if it stayed in field. Just before he kicks it, watch Umaga tell him to kick it, and then look who is available for the kick chase (wrong players and only one really in place) and how we have almost no defence out wide.

The GDD video? It shows Umaga telling the forwards to get around to support the runner. They aren't quick enough, and JDJ and Sops end up supporting the breakdown. Robson then kicks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OxJtkZAWcA

Robson should never have made that kick, having seen 2 key chasers enter the ruck. It should have gone at least another phase or two before kicking. That was on Robson for me.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Found it on Youtube, from Geraint Davies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OxJtkZAWcA

Well worth watching. Very informative. He also looks at the Cruse try (as with us all, we think that is the better one).

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Ah, you beat me to it.

[DGP Wasp]

If you want to study our defensive alignment (or Bath's for that matter) then I'm really not sure last Friday's game is the best place to start!
Neither defence coach has slept since!!

[hookender]

I was thinking more of Redpaths try . Video of possible try of week doesn’t really start early enough to give detail of players positioning

[Nigel Med]

I was also looking at Redpaths try, you're right that the highlights don't show enough of the build-up but actually those other examples also show that Jacob is dropping back alongside Lima. I'm tempted to look back at previous games to see if it's a new thing or we've always done it and I've only just noticed it as Lima's defence is somewhat under the microscope at the moment

[hookender]

I was also looking at Redpaths try, you're right that the highlights don't show enough of the build-up but actually those other examples also show that Jacob is dropping back alongside Lima. I'm tempted to look back at previous games to see if it's a new thing or we've always done it and I've only just noticed it as Lima's defence is somewhat under the microscope at the moment

Might come down to who else is in team on that day

[Heathen]

The defnsive alignment certainly improved when Jimmy came on. He was certainly dircting things.

[hopwood]

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of it...Umaga has an appetite to tackle and Lima doesn't.
Willie Le Roux went through a phase of falling off tackles and not committing.
Cipriani was soft in tackles for the most parts.

In the really big games...these guys did commit to full-on tackles, especially in international games.
However, at club level there is some sort of psychological dis-connect and unwillingness to commit.
It's a type of fragility.

I really wish Lima could work effectively with someone to get through that, because then he would be a much better fullback and his confidence would be more consistent.
He likes his kicking...because he has the illusion of control. He feels in control of his routine, his environment and his method. He only imagines himself succeeding when lining them up.
And he nails them.

I just wish he could apply the same mindset and methodology to his tackling.
He needs to build confidence that he can handle random, spontaneous situations where he doesn't feel he has full control...to add to his confidence around place-kicking where he does feel in control.
he needs to see himself nailing every tackle...in the same way he sees himself nailing every kick.

It's 90% in the head. It's all about how powerful and in control we feel in situations.
As is all sport.
As is life.

[asteriskszegol]

In defence of Lima's tackling: I can only speak from personal experience, having once played a lot at 15, but also at least as much in many other positions, including in the forwards, and I would say that the last-ditch, static, head-on tackle of someone who is in a lot of space and running forwards at you is considerably more difficult to pull off than just about anything else (except the tap tackle from behind of someone who is shifting away from you at pace, maybe) tackling-wise. Timing is really hard - whether to step forwards to close down space, or offer a side to try and limit the options. Interestingly, there was a perfect example of a successful one early in the Exeter game, before Lima's misses, when Dan Robson absolutely nailed a lone runner: success seems to come from eye contact more than anything else. I know that LBND was very critical of Sopoanga's technique in later commentary, but I do wonder exactly how many times in his whole career he had to pull off one of these. Tackling around the fringes, as he would have known it, is a lot more exacting physically, you have to do so much of it, but I think a lot simpler technically, because the space is so much more limited. Having said which, a certain Mr Lewsey was holding the fort for much of the time when Lol was playing (even if not always at 15), and he didn't miss a whole lot of such tackles! Maybe a master-class from Josh might be in order? Lima's technique in other situations (like when chasing his own kick in the final, for instance, and bringing about the penalty that led to the infamous kick to the corner and failed lineout) is not half bad! 

[PestNproud]

Maybe a master-class from Josh might be in order? Lima's technique in other situations (like when chasing his own kick in the final, for instance, and bringing about the penalty that led to the infamous kick to the corner and failed lineout) is not half bad!

+1

[Peej]

The defnsive alignment certainly improved when Jimmy came on. He was certainly dircting things.

That was the best Jimmy has played this season. Vocal, aggressive, and willing to get stuck in. Really good to see