Amazed by dramatic change to breakdown

RUGBY ANALYST:If the ball carrier can maintain the ball, it'll be a case of happy days, writes LIAM TOLAND

AFTER ONE weekend’s rugby is it too early to ask how the new rules are affecting Irish Rugby? I decided to find out. Five years after my last competitive game, and at 38 years of age, I returned to my old club Old Crescent, 13 years since my last outing. Last Wednesday night we travelled to Kilballyowen Park, Bruff RFC to tackle their J2 XV (thirds) in the McInerney Cup. I was immediately taken by the total transformation of the breakdown. Where once a backrow lived or died on stealing the ball, now it proved almost impossible.

Bruff had a number eight every bit the Springbok’s Jackal Heinrich Brussow in shape and technique, only a tad meaner. Bruff’s Jackal, Paddy Cleary, was finding great body positions but was pinged every time. Up until last season ball-carrier technique was everything. He had to power through the tackle and on arriving to the deck had to violently adopt the perfect body position in order for his support runners to protect the ball. Now, the ball carrier can be sloppy. Clearly he’ll have to maintain the ball which many of the Magners League players struggled to do over the weekend. But if he does then it’s happy days.

The option for all levels (including thirds) is to keep the ball carrier off the deck and attack the ball. This did happen against Bruff and several times over the Magners weekend as it was the only way to stop their flow. Where poor technique can be rewarded the floor is the only refuge for lazy ball carriers as it’s almost impossible to steal it. I expect lots of double teams, with two players aggressively targeting the ball. The skill and considerable risk is to keep the ball off the deck which will take at least two defenders. Interesting skill to watch evolve, at all levels.

In last week’s article I highlighted the importance of the fullback to Irish rugby’s development. I also highlighted my player to watch, Tony Buckley. With that in mind I hope to watch them specifically each weekend and bring my two cents to their development.

Before we get into that it’s important to remind ourselves that in a sense each province is rebuilding. For instance you can’t lose players such as Malcolm O’Kelly, Girvan Dempsey, CJ van der Linde and Bernard Jackman and your head coach, defensive coach and not expect a drop in opening standards. Or a new centre combination in Munster and expect flowing rugby.

When it comes to judging quality I always ask two questions in this order; was the player’s decision the correct one and if so, was his execution correct? If the decision is not correct you are in trouble but the execution/skill will develop. Luke Fitzgerald spilled balls and kicked out on the full but he was doing the right thing. Conversely Felix Jones, who attacked the line brilliantly to score his try, was out of position for several Aironi Rugby kicks. (Jones watch videos of Dempsey.)

So to the fullback. Thus far the French Top 14 sides have a greater understanding of the unit counter-attack. The Irish policy is currently to do it by yourself. Savage lines are required not laboured lateral passing and too many single ball carriers in isolation as happened in Musgrave Park and Firhill Stadium. Aironi Rugby are big boys and far from inferior, but for the sin bin it would have been very close. They also had a great understanding of space.

When fullback Julien Laharrague received the ball from a Munster kick at least six Italians swarmed around him, running angles. On my IRFU level two couching course they drafted in an Italian who was an expert on spatial awareness and open-field play. His point, the group must counter-attack. It will be interesting as the weeks unfolds to watch the wingers and support runners as the fullback is fielding the ball. Last week they lined themselves up for a kick: this week they need to align for a counter-attack.

Niall Ronan’s second try on 62 minutes was full of brilliant decoy runners, but off a first-phase scrum. Likewise Leinster’s best break-out was from a scrum in their own 22. It seems Irish players are more comfortable exploring space from a controlled first phase where they can preview the opposition. We now need to learn how to do it consistently from deep in an unpredictable environment. The decision remains, do I counter-attack followed immediately by the execution/skill.

Buckley is a hard man to stop when he doesn’t want to be, check out his 46th-minute try. When watching him, keep a very close eye on his feet. Michael Jordan, the great basketball player, would make his offensive decisions based on his markers’ feet. When Buckley’s feet are slow, be it in the scrum or on the ball, he is a relatively easy target as happened in Musgrave Park. However, when they are fast (pumping) he is impossible to stop. At scrum time when his feet are too far back (tent pegging) he is open to be targeted. When they are under him he is very solid. Hence a solid scrum from him provides an excellent platform for his fullback.

In summary, it was a good weekend’s work, especially for Connacht and we’ll have to get used to many new faces each week. This will be brilliant for Irish rugby but may not bring immediate success for the provinces. Combinations take time to bed in and we must taper our expectations accordingly.

Last weekend at the Electric Picnic I had the pleasure of observing Minister Eamon Ryan and Richard Corrigan debate “Eating Local, Thinking Global”. Next Tuesday evening he is true to his word. Rising young rugby stars, Kieran Essex, Mike Sherry and Conor Murray, will line out beside Michelin star chef Corrigan in Limerick to prepare some recipes that are in keeping with the nutritional advice they have learned as part of their academy training. As food fuels sport, there’s lots to be learned; contact Thomond Park (061-421106) for details.

PS: Bruff won the match with a last-minute penalty; I went home with my tail between my legs and couldn’t get out of bed on Thursday morning. All for the sake of research!