The Lions tour is in full swing, and against the Force, we saw an impressive display. It started in the first minute, with Sheehan offloading the ball before grasping a second touch to open the scoring. However, the attack wasn’t their most impressive aspect on Saturday; instead, it was their exertions without the ball which secured victory. It took until the Brumbies’ match versus Moana Pasifika in round 10 of Super Rugby for a defence to keep their opponents to seven or fewer points. The drills and leadership from Simon Easterby have made a big impact on the Lions’ defence, and while there were rough edges, what can we expect to become their calling cards moving forward?
Tackle Choice: One Low One Ball
A defensive system is comprised of many factors, one of which is the team’s approach to the tackle and contact area. For Easterby’s Lions, the approach is defined by a low chop, with a second man targeting the ball. On occasion, this led to an over commitment, but in general the defence was organised and in control.
Beirne (Yellow) is the primary tackler, reacting to the Force’s carrier stepping inside. The back rower goes low and gets the man to the floor. Pierre Schoeman (Blue) targets the ball in the tackle, he controls the fall and then can bounce across. Josh van der Flier (Red) tracks from the inside and is then able to attack the ball. He manages to disrupt the ball but doesn’t force a turnover.
During the next phase, Pollock acted as the chopper, going low to make a quick tackle. Cummings (Red) was then able to try and attack the ball. Cummings did not make much of an impact, although the following two phases went laterally. However, these phases paint a clear picture of the Lions’ default approach, the use of a low chop and a second man attacking the ball.
To get these results, there was plenty of detail behind their system. One of their big aims, as a tackler, was to land chest on top. This gave the tackler a chance to get back into the game and disrupt. Notice in the clips above, particularly the second contact, how Cummings makes contact with the chest first. For Cummings, this provides a useful way to launch and disrupt the breakdown.
Pollock has disrupted the previous breakdown, reaching over the top of prone Western Force ruck cleaners and proving a general nuisance. This disruption buys enough time for Cummings to recover, allowing him to make an effective chop. Furlong then assisted in the tackle before he landed on top of the Force ball carrier. The negative nature of the tackle meant his second action wasn’t very effective, but again, it showed the motivation. Instead, we turn to Dan Sheehan, who made his double effort tell.
Sheehan made a dominant tackle, powering through the contact to catch the Force behind a gainline. Importantly, the Irishman landed on top and stayed there. He took half a second to set himself and allowed the first Western Force support player to go over the top. This allowed Sheehan to win the height battle. This counter ruck slowed the ball down and disrupted the Western Force’s timing. This leads to the turnover.
These double actions are forming an important foundation of the Lions’ defensive system, allowing them to aggressively disrupt and slow down the opponent’s ball. Expect Easterby to continue developing this weapon.
Finding Pressure Points
The breakdown was not the only area that the Lions have looked to build pressure on their opponents. Another method was prominent in both the Argentine and Western Force games. This is another pressure principle, built mainly on hard work. But Easterby hopes it can prove pivotal against the Wallabies.
Tadgh Beirne and Ben Earl make the efforts here, stopping Argentina from playing away from the lineout. This pressure game enables them to turn the tables, but it helps that it’s an add-on to their lineout strategy. At the beginning of this clip, we can see the Lions have no intent to lift. Therefore, to stop the Argentines having it too easy, they flood through and pressure the scrum half.
The TV angle doesn’t help here, but we can see the intent, especially from players at the tail of the lineout. They don’t quite force a change of the plan from the force, but the pass is poor, giving the defensive line to steal a couple of yards on the defence.
How future opponents decide to counteract this intent will be interesting to see. Hoskins does a good job here, blocking any pressure through the lineout. By blocking the lineout pressures, this exposes Dan Sheehan, who has been asked to focus on the 1st receiver.
This hyper focus on the 1st receiver leaves a hole on the inside, and with Furlong delayed in his departure and no pressure through the lineout, the Force can adapt. Nic White, rather than throwing the pass, scoots before delivering a shoulder ball to Dylan Pietsch. This line break will serve as a warning to Simon Easterby’s aggressive lineout pressure. Don’t expect these blips, though, to lead to a change of approach from the Lions. The extra time before the first test will allow the connections to be built, and the Lions shall hope to trap the Australian attack.
Lions On the Hunt
It’s noticeable that the Lions are not a blitz till broke team, instead Easterby’s defence encourages individuals to make decisions and be aggressive when they get the chance. This is a middle ground approach, and can help get the defence in ascendancy without the risk of blitz from the line.
Sheehan shoots here, and while he didn’t make a tackle, the pressure encouraged a front-door pass. As a result, the remaining Lions’ defence enveloped the attack. This is a small win that gave the tourists a chance to keep imposing.
This example from Garry Ringrose, earlier in the game, showed the system’s benefits. The Force front line passed early, giving Ringrose a chance to punish the off-target pass. While this is called back for a penalty, it showed the threat of the Lions. Against a Schmidt attack likely to be heavy on layers and interplay, this aggression could be an advantage.
In rugby, everything is a trade-off, and we can expect Australia to do their homework. In the example above, we can see the Force tried using their blindside winger to attack a seam that Ringrose leaves open. It’s a tough pass, but we may see the Wallabies attempt something similar?
On To The Reds
The Force was unlikely to be the Lions’ biggest test, though the challenges of jet lag and cohesion with nine new caps are notable. Given these caveats, games can act as a window into their tactical approach, even if reading the form and ability of this cohort is more difficult. As a result, Easterby will be happy with how the defence has begun to take shape, although there are some gaps in knowledge and connection which will need fixing. But the bricks are slowly falling into place.
The Analysis Guy 