Taking on NZ At The Breakdown

[Loop]

It's almost become a cliche at this stage to say that a lot of NZs strength derives from theirability at the breakdown, their ability to turn ball over and to then counterattack. After the AIs we don't seem to be too shoddy at the breakdown ourselves so ...could we realistically compete?


(PS its a shame that we didn't get to see the Irish backrow versus the NZ backrow this autumn smileys/cry.gif&nbspsmileys/wink.gif

[i_like_cake]

At the moment, Ireland don't have to worry about the back row, we are
blessed with strength in depth there, with our 6,7 and 8 possibly the
best back row unit in world rugby at the moment....definitely in the
top 3.... with New Zealand and a fully fit South African back row up
there aswell.....



On another note, terrible news for Scotland with Jason white ruled out for 9 months...

"Scotland captain Jason White faces a race to be fit
for the World Cup after being ruled out for the season with cruciate
knee ligament damage."</font>

[Kerry-Exile]

At the moment, Ireland don't have to worry about the back row, we are
blessed with strength in depth there, with our 6,7 and 8 possibly the
best back row unit in world rugby at the moment....definitely in the
top 3.... with New Zealand and a fully fit South African back row up
there aswell.....



On another note, terrible news for Scotland with Jason white ruled out for 9 months...

"Scotland captain Jason White faces a race to be fit
for the World Cup after being ruled out for the season with cruciate
knee ligament damage."</font>


Heard on the radio he'll have to have his knee rebuilt, poor bugger. Agree with the backrow, everythings coming together at the right time

[i_like_cake]

At the moment, Ireland don't have to worry about the back row, we are
blessed with strength in depth there, with our 6,7 and 8 possibly the
best back row unit in world rugby at the moment....definitely in the
top 3.... with New Zealand and a fully fit South African back row up
there aswell.....



On another note, terrible news for Scotland with Jason white ruled out for 9 months...

"Scotland captain Jason White faces a race to be fit
for the World Cup after being ruled out for the season with cruciate
knee ligament damage."</font>


Heard
on the radio he'll have to have his knee rebuilt, poor bugger. Agree
with the backrow, everythings coming together at the right time




i don't mean to highjack the thread, but on the Scottish point, I just remembered...

isn't Ally Hogg out for a few months with knee damage aswell....
Scotland not going to be as strong in the 6nations I reckon. Their Back
row was a brilliant combination...

[Pirate]

At the moment, Ireland don't have to worry about the back row, we are
blessed with strength in depth there, with our 6,7 and 8 possibly the
best back row unit in world rugby at the moment....definitely in the
top 3.... with New Zealand and a fully fit South African back row up
there aswell.....



On another note, terrible news for Scotland with Jason white ruled out for 9 months...

"Scotland captain Jason White faces a race to be fit
for the World Cup after being ruled out for the season with cruciate
knee ligament damage."</font>


Heard
on the radio he'll have to have his knee rebuilt, poor bugger. Agree
with the backrow, everythings coming together at the right time




i don't mean to highjack the thread, but on the Scottish point, I just remembered...

isn't Ally Hogg out for a few months with knee damage aswell....
Scotland not going to be as strong in the 6nations I reckon. Their Back
row was a brilliant combination...



That means Sale have lost 3 of their most senior players, Hodgeson, White and sheridan. They must be tearing their hair out

[i_like_cake]

Jaysus...... what would we do if we lost ROG, Hayes and Leamy..!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Red Hand Hero]

Think our backrow is currently up there with the best of them.


6-Best; abrasive in everything he does. Puts in the big hits, (turned australia over 2/3 times on saturday with thumping tackles alone), works around the pitch and carries well when he has too.


7-Wallace, can roam a bit more knowing that leamy and Best are working like torjans, means we see him at his best carrying the ball into the midfield and around the fringes where he is at his explosive best. Also did very well in containing the aussie 8 at the weekend with offensive tackling something he hasn't always been renowned for.


8-Leamy, the man gets better and better. His skills as an 8 improve with every minute he is on the ptich. He carries with such venom i think people really hold back tackling him, he is useful from the base and his all round game be it appearing in the backline or just trucking it up for hard yards he does it well.


Top three definitely, but thats on top strength. I don't know how well we'd adapt if say Leamy got injured and Heaslip or Ferris came in at 8. not discredditing their skills but their play would be slightly different to leamy's and could affect the balance and current cohesion enjoyed by the 3 mentioned.


AB's have such depth this doesn't affect them so much and also they all play a similar game.


McCaw, Collins, S'Oialo are their best unit. But with Masoe, Thorne, Hollah, Bates etc etc on the wings injuries here won't affect them so badly.


Saffies have a good unit too, but again after: Burger, Van Kniekerk and Juan Smith the likes of Dannie Rossouw, Spices, don't measure up.

[danthefan]

Best is a bit like Collins, but he's not quite at that level yet. Leamy might shade it on So'ialo, but I think So'ialo still has that extra aggressive edge that Leamy will develop.

And I'm not getting in another bloody row, but McCaw is the best number 7 on the planet, PERIOD.

We are getting ahead of ourselves here, the Aussie pack looked like they wanted to go home guys, I'm not surprised we did a job on them.

In terms of the breakdown if you want to deal with NZ there's afew things you need to do.


One is hit anyone not behind their own backfoot hard and low and drive them into the ruck so they can't go clearing paths and blocking on their attacking ball.


On their defensive ball you want to just dip and clatter anyone standing in front of their back foot shielding the passer and the kicker.


Alternatively,speak to the ref before the game about so called "guard dogs". Make it clear if he doesn't stop them doing it then you're going to do it and he can deal with the spectacle of each ruck having players basically standing wherever they want.


Also anyone on the wrong side of the ruck goes by their own will or your will but they go. Straight in and if necessary physically drag bodies out of the way.


Again if you want point out to the ref that if there are bodies in the way they will be rucked and dragged clear as aggressively as we see fit. If he doesn't want that then ping them straight away.


It's how they'd play the game and it's how we should. if you want to stand or lie in the wrong place then you get clattered, pure and simple. Physically take control of the rucks, set down your marker.


I also think one thing that hasn't been mentioned is the work DOC has been doing through the middle of the rucks. Several times in the last 2 games he's driven through and made an absolute shambles of opposition ball. If teams don't put the numbers in he will do that. If they do put the numbers in it reduces the numbers they can throw at you when the ball is out. One man can really make life difficult if he's got a mind to and it's another thing we need to keep doing. Also having Hayes to police the fringes makes a difference.