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 …
Category Archives: Defence
Learning From The Lions: Argentina
The Lions tour is one of the biggest events in the rugby calendar, and we were treated to an enthralling encounter in Dublin against the Pumas. Argentina became the first team to beat the Lions in an opening game since 1971, but the game held promise for the Lions. We can already see the building …
Ferocity versus Flow: Understanding Munster and Benetton’s Defence
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 …
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Townsend and Tandy Magic: How Scotland could shock Pool B
Scotland had a disappointing 2019 Rugby World Cup as they exited in the pool stages having been defeated by hosts Japan and Ireland. However reaching the quarter finals this time around will be incredibly challenging with South Africa and Ireland (again) for company. The Scots will need a little luck but they do have strong …
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Strangle and Strike: Argentina A Dark Horse in France?
The World Cup in France is fast approaching and this week we turn our focus to Los Pumas. The Argentines secured a victory over Australia before going down by just one point to South Africa in the Rugby Championship. Michael Cheika’s side are sat on the easier side of the draw and will look to …
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Flight of the Free Jacks: Dominance through Defence and Attack
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 …
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Springbok Back Three: Key For Rugby Championship Success
The Rugby Championship returns this weekend and with a World Cup around the corner it forms a crucial stage of preparations. The current World Champion Springboks are playing host to the Wallabies as they begin their international year. Let’s look at how they have played and what we can expect come Saturday. Playmaking Full Back …
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Deconstructing Dominance: Analysing the Crusaders’ 7th Title Triumph
The Crusaders are the standard setter in Southern Hemisphere rugby having underlined this status with a 7th Super Rugby title in a row. Today we dive into the building blocks behind their triumph. First we look at how they use forwards in their attack before focussing on their ability to change the point of attack. …
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Wayne’s Wales: Defence
Under Wayne Pivac, Wales had a rocky start defensively, conceding over 90 points across for the first time since 2015 in the 2020 Six Nations. The defence wasn’t any better when Wales played in the autumn, when they conceded the 3rd most points of any team. There were still some problems with the defence under …
Collective Intelligence: How Wales built a multi-phase defence
Defence has become an increasingly important facet of the game. So while my last piece looked at scoring from lineout and the flair of attack. It is time to look back, to a wonderful example of grunt, guile and grit as Wales took on Ireland in 2015. The defence shows the importance of adaptability, ruck …
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