Munster and Benetton are the two most effective defensive sides in the URC this season, with both conceding under 125 points in the URC this season. This miserly tally is built on consistency, with neither side conceding over 30 points in a single United Rugby Championship game this season. While these facts alone make them …
Continue reading “Ferocity versus Flow: Understanding Munster and Benetton’s Defence”
The USA may be missing from the Rugby World Cup in France later this year. However their domestic scene is thriving with yet another new winner of Major League Rugby in the shape of the New England Free Jacks. Driven by a great first phase attack, and reinforced by a physical defence the Free Jacks …
Continue reading “Flight of the Free Jacks: Dominance through Defence and Attack”
In the second round of the United Rugby Championship, viewers were treated to a clash between the Lions and the Scarlets. A fascinating clash, as the Lions looked to keep their winning record, while the Scarlets looked to bounce back. The fixture also saw Dwayne Peel return to Llanelli. He has begun to imprint his …
The Gallagher Premiership returned last Friday, and while the ink had barely dried on the final, we were served up with some great rugby. The first two tries of the Premiership season whet the appetite, and showed what could be in store this season. Both had remarkable similarities, starting from a lineout and being finished …
Continue reading “The Lineout Launch: An analysis of the Premiership’s two opening scores”
The Toronto Arrows have been a revelation in Major League Rugby since joining the league last year (MLR’s second). In their inaugural year, the Arrows reached the semi-final stage. The winter weather in the Toronto area meant that for the beginning of the 2020 season the Arrows played all their games away from home – …
While lockdown continues the rugby void still needs to be filled. So I have looked back instead at a game in the English Premiership, in order to see what learnings can be taken for when rugby takes. In the following piece, I examine how Exeter converted two opportunities through fly half Joe Simmonds to expose …
Continue reading “Combining Structure and Flair: Joe Simmonds brace v Harlequins”
NOLA and New England share an impressive match in MLR Round 5. Both sides scored some great tries, however NOLA managed to take back the lead with a particularly special effort. While it had more luck than the spectacular offloading of New England’s earlier score, this was a brilliant try working through the phases before …
Continue reading “NOLA’s forwards exploit New England with wonderful finesse”
Yet again the MLR didn’t fail to disappoint with a great game between NOLA Gold and San Diego Legion on which the rugby family could feast. Yet again the first try of the game provided a wonderful look at the structure used to create a score, with NOLA going through a high number of phases …
Continue reading “NOLA fall just short but structure creates first try”
As the MLR descended on Vegas we were all entertained with a light bending, colourful display of rugby, as the Toronto Arrows took on the Houston Sabercats. In a thrilling game, the Arrows showed clear signs of development and why they’ve been such a success. In three passages of play, they showed an ability to …
While the majority of English gazed forlornly at the worsening situation in Paris, fans at Sandy Park were treated to a high scoring if one sided game. In the semi-final Harlequins defeated Exeter 49 points to 22. Interestingly the victors were helped by an as yet uncapped number 8 in Alex Dombrandt who grabbed 2 …
Continue reading “Dombrandt scores twice as Harlequins dispatch Chiefs in Premiership Cup”
The Analysis Guy