It's crap being a Stormers supporter, and a short story on rucking and running lines
Every year we hear how good the Stormers look on paper. Every year we get excited about some prodigious new talent. And every year we end up being disappointed.
This in contrast to the Western Province golden age, winning the Currie Cup year-in and year-out. A time when Doc Craven was heard to say that when Maties rugby is strong, South African rugby is strong. Such was the influence of the region.
Things have changed. The Stormers may boast capped Springboks, but these players largely trade on reputation rather than contribution to the provincial or Super 14 level.
And this year, it seems that the prodigies are determined to disappoint as well.
The game against the Brumbies marked a return to this reality after the surprise win against the Hurricanes.
And it is an awful reality.
While I celebrated last weekend's win against the Hurricanes and congratulated the Stormers for showing guts and determination, I felt uneasy. The win relied on the old South African formula of gees (spirit) rather than a clinical, skilled approach.
And to be sure, you'll win more games through spirit without clinical play than you'll win with clinical play without spirit. But let's face it - you need both.
How to be clinical and play with spirit
If you want to see an example of the game played at that level, you don't have to go back to watch the Crusaders last season. Watch Ireland versus England at Croke Park. Possibly the most motivated team ever given the history of Croke Park, Ireland managed to channel the emotion and were ruthlessly clinical in beating the English team.
To see the unbelievable spirit, watch the anthems below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItPlLnnol4c
The Irish defensive organisation was absolutely superb. As was their communication. As was their organisation at ruck time.
The key is the ruck
It may seem like I'm seating a drum regarding ruck time organisation. But it is my view that ascendancy at rucks is 70% of the modern game. It is the basis of maintaining or gaining possession. Quick ruck ball disrupts the tight modern defences and sets up attacking opportunities.
The highlights package of the Irish / English game below shows some awesome ruck ball for the Irish. Watch the rucks at the following video times: 1:28, 3:10, 3:35 and 5:20 especially, 6:01 is perhaps the best illustration of all!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-b9srVaBoo
What the clip doesn't show is the Irish defensive ruck organisation. On defence, the Irish commit players to the breakdown and have a player standing close in on either side. Both players vocally nominate their positions and stand with one hand up indicating their defensive role. This is primarily to stop the pick-and-go from the back of the opposition ruck.
Defensive rucking is where the art is. Debate rages regarding the optimum numbers to commit to the ruck. Too many and you open up holes in the backline. Too few and you allow the opposition quick ball and opportunities for pick-and-goes.
This is of course where the fetcher comes into his own. His role in supporting the ball carrier on attack is really one shared by all team mates, but especially the rest of the loose trio.
But in defence, the fetcher sets the requirement for the remaining numbers required in the breakdown. If he does his job well, he slows the opposition ball down and eases the required number of ruck-time defenders.
In offensive defence, the fetcher supported by cleaners looks to turnover opposition ball. The key is picking opposition rucks where the player is isolated. The quicker and fitter your fetcher, the more cleaning support he has, the more turnover opportunities.
Of course the rest of the team play a crucial role. Any tackler can return to his feet and rip the ball - De Wet Barry is/was one of the best in the world at this. Supporting cleaners can be backs or forwards.
Physically, the tight forwards make the best cleaners.
To maximise effectiveness of ruck-time support play, the English world cup winning team pioneered the split-field organisation. The field was divided into left and right, and the tight forwards were evenly split and given accountability for a side of the field. This reduced the need to be at every ruck and run between every ruck - an impossible task.
If you're going to have a pattern of supporting players, you also need to ensure you don't run away from support. Running lines, communication and combinations all help to stop isolation on attack.
So what do we know?
So why the ruck story in a commentary on the Stormers?
South African sides are pretty awful at getting quick ruck ball. The Sharks are probably the best. The Stormers are the worst.
We can do it - witness the Bok win over New Zealand at Newlands (was it 2005?). For once the Boks forwards worked as a unit and were ferocious at the breakdown.
Poor breakdown performance is one of the major reasons why the Boks struggle to create try-scoring opportunities. And despite some of the most exciting attacking backs in the Super 14, the Stormers mirror the problem.
It is also why I was cautious about getting too carried away with last week's Stormers victory over the Hurricanes. Intercepts were again a feature in the Stormers' scorecard. Of course there were other good features. And it was fantastic to win.
But the old deficiencies were brutally exposed against the Brumbies.
Jean de Villiers needs to get the message that he is a liability in the current team. Gio Aplon's positioning has been pathetic. He shows little of the promise displayed last season. Breyton Paulse looks disinterested and has an abominable work rate. We used to see him on the wrap-around from the blind side, cutting in at flyhalf. JP Joubert is the worst scrumhalf to play in the Super 14 thus far. His step on pass and generally slow service kills any chances of backline attacking success.
In the forwards, Bekker is awesome in the scrums and lineouts, but appears to believe he is even better than Matfield in the backline - hence his default positioning on the wing. He is perhaps the worst cleaner in the Super 14 - if he contributes it is by leaning on the ruck. Watson appears to have flyhalf ambitions and is no longer a feature on the ground in his primary fetching role. Schalk Brits needs to improve his lineout work. Jake White was right about that.
You may think I'm being harsh or exaggerating. So in order to prove the point, a new feature on A SA Rugby View - a video outtakes package. The following video shows the impact of the Stormers shocking cleaning and running lines on their game. Time and time again, players either run away from support or support is slow to arrive and commit. Contrast this with the Brumbies. Their ruck-time commitment is fantastic and note how they typically commit two players to contest opposition ball in tandem.
Part one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHVCgE6MGwE
Part two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1OohpB-gJs
There is another big issue evident in these takes. It is one thing to lie deep - it is another to take the ball flat-footed and deep. Stormers ball is so static that the strategy appears to be pass to players lying deep with the opposition rushing up - and hope. The point of lying deep is to take the ball at pace when you hit the advantage line - the ball doesn't go 20m backwards!
Redeeming features
There were some redeeming features. Corne Uys' shadowing of Rathbone was outstanding. When Rathbone popped up on the left or on a cut in, Uys had shadowed him behind the line and brought him down. He missed a try-saving tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper but this was due to a mix up with the defensively inept De Villiers.
The Stormers also outscrummed the Brumbies. The grunt provided by the Bekker/Britz lock combination is visible.
Peter Grant is a must in the backline with superior distribution and defensive capabilities. De Wet Barry is looking good.
If anything, this game proved the point: this is a team with all the potential and none of the performance. Coaching and captaincy appear to be sadly lacking. In 11th log position, there is limited downside to changing the coach and rebuilding the team with changes in personnel and positions.
I'd like to see a more active role for Mallet as Director (ala Woodward's during his England days) with supporting roles of coaching staff like Solomons. This would be very close to the previously winning Springbok combination. He might not be involved in skills coaching etc, merely strategy, performance management and leadership.
For the team, I'd like to see focus on the future with backup from experience:
15. Aplon
14. Seconds, Paulse
13. Russell
12. Grant, Barry
11. Uys, De Villiers
10. Olivier
9. Conradie
8. Burger, Melk
7. Van Niekerk, Gerrie Britz
6. Watson
5. Bekker
4. Skeate, Boome
3. Andrews, Harris
2. Schalk Brits
1. Moller
Of course Barry has been playing well. Of course De Villiers can be a game breaker when he plays with commitment. It's a squad and there should be rotation and experimentation. The first choices send a message about the type of rugby I'd like to see the team play and that reputation is no guarantee of selection.
PS: With JP Joubert as the number 2, it's difficult to believe WP let De Kock and Carse go.
This in contrast to the Western Province golden age, winning the Currie Cup year-in and year-out. A time when Doc Craven was heard to say that when Maties rugby is strong, South African rugby is strong. Such was the influence of the region.
Things have changed. The Stormers may boast capped Springboks, but these players largely trade on reputation rather than contribution to the provincial or Super 14 level.
And this year, it seems that the prodigies are determined to disappoint as well.
The game against the Brumbies marked a return to this reality after the surprise win against the Hurricanes.
And it is an awful reality.
While I celebrated last weekend's win against the Hurricanes and congratulated the Stormers for showing guts and determination, I felt uneasy. The win relied on the old South African formula of gees (spirit) rather than a clinical, skilled approach.
And to be sure, you'll win more games through spirit without clinical play than you'll win with clinical play without spirit. But let's face it - you need both.
How to be clinical and play with spirit
If you want to see an example of the game played at that level, you don't have to go back to watch the Crusaders last season. Watch Ireland versus England at Croke Park. Possibly the most motivated team ever given the history of Croke Park, Ireland managed to channel the emotion and were ruthlessly clinical in beating the English team.
To see the unbelievable spirit, watch the anthems below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItPlLnnol4c
The Irish defensive organisation was absolutely superb. As was their communication. As was their organisation at ruck time.
The key is the ruck
It may seem like I'm seating a drum regarding ruck time organisation. But it is my view that ascendancy at rucks is 70% of the modern game. It is the basis of maintaining or gaining possession. Quick ruck ball disrupts the tight modern defences and sets up attacking opportunities.
The highlights package of the Irish / English game below shows some awesome ruck ball for the Irish. Watch the rucks at the following video times: 1:28, 3:10, 3:35 and 5:20 especially, 6:01 is perhaps the best illustration of all!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-b9srVaBoo
What the clip doesn't show is the Irish defensive ruck organisation. On defence, the Irish commit players to the breakdown and have a player standing close in on either side. Both players vocally nominate their positions and stand with one hand up indicating their defensive role. This is primarily to stop the pick-and-go from the back of the opposition ruck.
Defensive rucking is where the art is. Debate rages regarding the optimum numbers to commit to the ruck. Too many and you open up holes in the backline. Too few and you allow the opposition quick ball and opportunities for pick-and-goes.
This is of course where the fetcher comes into his own. His role in supporting the ball carrier on attack is really one shared by all team mates, but especially the rest of the loose trio.
But in defence, the fetcher sets the requirement for the remaining numbers required in the breakdown. If he does his job well, he slows the opposition ball down and eases the required number of ruck-time defenders.
In offensive defence, the fetcher supported by cleaners looks to turnover opposition ball. The key is picking opposition rucks where the player is isolated. The quicker and fitter your fetcher, the more cleaning support he has, the more turnover opportunities.
Of course the rest of the team play a crucial role. Any tackler can return to his feet and rip the ball - De Wet Barry is/was one of the best in the world at this. Supporting cleaners can be backs or forwards.
Physically, the tight forwards make the best cleaners.
To maximise effectiveness of ruck-time support play, the English world cup winning team pioneered the split-field organisation. The field was divided into left and right, and the tight forwards were evenly split and given accountability for a side of the field. This reduced the need to be at every ruck and run between every ruck - an impossible task.
If you're going to have a pattern of supporting players, you also need to ensure you don't run away from support. Running lines, communication and combinations all help to stop isolation on attack.
So what do we know?
- High speed offensive rucking creates the space for more effective attack
- Offensive rucking requires quick support to the ball carrier by cleaners and the scrummie
- Highly organised defensive rucking is critical to slow opposition ball and reduce pick-and-go opportunities
- The fetcher sets the required numbers of players required for the defensive ruck
- Tight forwards are crucial for cleaning at ruck time - on defence on offence
- Running lines and patterns decrease the chance of isolation and ease the need to cover massive areas for ruck support players
So why the ruck story in a commentary on the Stormers?
South African sides are pretty awful at getting quick ruck ball. The Sharks are probably the best. The Stormers are the worst.
We can do it - witness the Bok win over New Zealand at Newlands (was it 2005?). For once the Boks forwards worked as a unit and were ferocious at the breakdown.
Poor breakdown performance is one of the major reasons why the Boks struggle to create try-scoring opportunities. And despite some of the most exciting attacking backs in the Super 14, the Stormers mirror the problem.
It is also why I was cautious about getting too carried away with last week's Stormers victory over the Hurricanes. Intercepts were again a feature in the Stormers' scorecard. Of course there were other good features. And it was fantastic to win.
But the old deficiencies were brutally exposed against the Brumbies.
Jean de Villiers needs to get the message that he is a liability in the current team. Gio Aplon's positioning has been pathetic. He shows little of the promise displayed last season. Breyton Paulse looks disinterested and has an abominable work rate. We used to see him on the wrap-around from the blind side, cutting in at flyhalf. JP Joubert is the worst scrumhalf to play in the Super 14 thus far. His step on pass and generally slow service kills any chances of backline attacking success.
In the forwards, Bekker is awesome in the scrums and lineouts, but appears to believe he is even better than Matfield in the backline - hence his default positioning on the wing. He is perhaps the worst cleaner in the Super 14 - if he contributes it is by leaning on the ruck. Watson appears to have flyhalf ambitions and is no longer a feature on the ground in his primary fetching role. Schalk Brits needs to improve his lineout work. Jake White was right about that.
You may think I'm being harsh or exaggerating. So in order to prove the point, a new feature on A SA Rugby View - a video outtakes package. The following video shows the impact of the Stormers shocking cleaning and running lines on their game. Time and time again, players either run away from support or support is slow to arrive and commit. Contrast this with the Brumbies. Their ruck-time commitment is fantastic and note how they typically commit two players to contest opposition ball in tandem.
Part one:
- Clip1: watch the pathetic ball protection given by the supporting players, leading to the contesting player spoiling and forcing the error
- Clip 2: after doing brilliantly to win the ball at the kick-off, and getting fairly quick 2nd and 3rd phase ball, watch how the ball is then flung from standing player to standing player lying deep. Grant then takes the ball up making yards. Back to Brits who cuts away from support. Watch the Brumbies commit numbers and spoil, leading to Conradie scrambling the ball back. See forwards standing in the line watching. Forward to the 10th phase and the Stormers are penalised for holding on. They have gained zero meters. There are players that cannot be seen in any of the 10 breakdowns. Compare the tight forwards role to that of the Irish at Croke Park. And then compare the quality of attacking ball.
- Clip3: Unbelievable. Watson in the line and makes meters. No support runners, and the Brumbies again commit players - backs! - who rip and force the penalty. The commentators make the point - again the Stormers have been penalised as the attacking team due to the player being forced to hold on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHVCgE6MGwE
Part two:
- Clip1: The Brumbies win the ball from the kick-off and in 3 phases make 20 to 30 meters. Compare the numbers of players they commit to the rucks on attack, the speed of their ball and the holes around the ruck on the Stormers defence. Due to some shocking options and handling they are forced to kick for position.
- Clip2: Again the Brumbies on attack and with high speed second phase ball. Again, the Stormers barely commit one contesting player and ultimately Watson is penalised as the only Stormers player contesting.
- Clip3: From another skew Brits throw-in, the Stormers' cleaning is shocking. Another penalty against the Stormers on attack.
- Clip4: How it should be done by the Brumbies. Multi-phase possession, numbers to the ball carrier, good cleaning. Try.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1OohpB-gJs
There is another big issue evident in these takes. It is one thing to lie deep - it is another to take the ball flat-footed and deep. Stormers ball is so static that the strategy appears to be pass to players lying deep with the opposition rushing up - and hope. The point of lying deep is to take the ball at pace when you hit the advantage line - the ball doesn't go 20m backwards!
Redeeming features
There were some redeeming features. Corne Uys' shadowing of Rathbone was outstanding. When Rathbone popped up on the left or on a cut in, Uys had shadowed him behind the line and brought him down. He missed a try-saving tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper but this was due to a mix up with the defensively inept De Villiers.
The Stormers also outscrummed the Brumbies. The grunt provided by the Bekker/Britz lock combination is visible.
Peter Grant is a must in the backline with superior distribution and defensive capabilities. De Wet Barry is looking good.
If anything, this game proved the point: this is a team with all the potential and none of the performance. Coaching and captaincy appear to be sadly lacking. In 11th log position, there is limited downside to changing the coach and rebuilding the team with changes in personnel and positions.
I'd like to see a more active role for Mallet as Director (ala Woodward's during his England days) with supporting roles of coaching staff like Solomons. This would be very close to the previously winning Springbok combination. He might not be involved in skills coaching etc, merely strategy, performance management and leadership.
For the team, I'd like to see focus on the future with backup from experience:
15. Aplon
14. Seconds, Paulse
13. Russell
12. Grant, Barry
11. Uys, De Villiers
10. Olivier
9. Conradie
8. Burger, Melk
7. Van Niekerk, Gerrie Britz
6. Watson
5. Bekker
4. Skeate, Boome
3. Andrews, Harris
2. Schalk Brits
1. Moller
Of course Barry has been playing well. Of course De Villiers can be a game breaker when he plays with commitment. It's a squad and there should be rotation and experimentation. The first choices send a message about the type of rugby I'd like to see the team play and that reputation is no guarantee of selection.
PS: With JP Joubert as the number 2, it's difficult to believe WP let De Kock and Carse go.
posted at 12:32 AM
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