THE ABILITY TO steal possession in defence is a key attribute for many a successful rugby team.
Firstly and most obviously, regaining control of the ball relieves defensive pressure and considerably decreases the possibility of conceding a try, drop goal or penalty. Secondly, a turnover presents the stealing team with a disjointed opposition defence; there is likely to be space to run into, pass out to, or find with the boot.
Turning over possession in contact is highly desirable, with the choke tackle something that is employed by Irish teams particularly well in that regard. Stripping the ball clean out of an attacker’s hands is also useful, but with individual strength levels becoming more uniform, it is a rare technique.
Forcing errors with pressurising defence can ensure a turnover of possession too, but the most renowned method is the steal at the breakdown, with a defensive player getting his hands on the ball before the ruck has been formed and either cleanly retrieving it for his/her own team or, more commonly, winning a penalty as he/she forces the ball carrier to cling onto the ball.
Darren Cave [13] of Ulster and Ireland provides us with a fine example of such an action in the video below.
The outside centre bides his time, allows Jared Payne and the excellent Dan Tuohy to complete the tackle, before pouncing over the ball into that ‘jackal’ position. This type of turnover has become the classic and the ‘norm’ for defences.
What we have been seeing less of in recent times is the counter-rucking turnover, carried out after a ruck has been formed over the tackle and with the threat of any jackling defenders already reduced. This type of turnover relies on the defensive team committing lots of men to the ruck, something that many coaches appear to be unwilling to do.
Aggressive defensive line speed is an increasingly common trait in rugby today, something that almost all teams believe is a positive. While rushing up off the defensive line doesn’t necessarily require huge numbers if the defenders are accurate in picking out ball carriers, there is certainly safety in having more players in that defensive line.
As a result, we see many teams ‘standing off’ defensive rucks, maybe only committing a single defender apart from the actual tackler. That man will be tasked with attempting to get his hands on the ball in an effort to slow attacking possession, steal the ball or simply to cause a little disruption at the ruck. Some sides will go a step further and commit no one apart from the original tackler.
What it all means is that we are seeing less counter-rucking in numbers. Yes, there are many, many instances of an individual defender smashing himself into rucks in an effort to drive over the top, but it’s quite rare to win those one-on-ones or, more likely, one-on-twos at the ruck area. The sight of defending players piling into the ruck is simply not a common one today.
That made the example below, during the Ireland Wolfhounds clash with the England Saxons all the more notable.
First off, it’s a strong tackle from Fergus McFadden, stopping Elliot Daly dead in his tracks. Felix Jones enters the fray in an early attempt to get into that jackal position, but Luke Wallace rolls him away from the ball with a ‘tin-opener’ or ‘can-opener’ rucking technique. McFadden has bounded back to his feet and engages the somewhat disinterested Anthony Watson.
Tommy O’Donnell and Rob Herring are next on the scene, and instantly recognise that England are short of numbers; the turnover is on. The pair of forwards add their power to the mix and blast Watson and Saxons hooker Jamie George off the ball. Jones and Darren Cave also join the ruck to ensure the clean turnover for Ireland.
Technically, all the Irish players go off their feet on the other side of the ruck but it would be harsh for the referee Ian Davies to penalise them in this instance, considering that it was Watson who goes to deck first, rolling that Irish momentum onto the ground with him.
This was a clear example of the defensive team recognising the opportunity for a turnover, presented by the lack of support players England had in that wide channel. Targeting a counter-rucking turnover at every single ruck would obviously be foolish, leaving the side short on numbers elsewhere if unsuccessful.
However, chances like the one above will present themselves on occasion and if defenders are switched on to the possibility, as the Wolfhounds were, there are turnovers to be had. The attention to detail of Joe Schmidt, as well as the technical coaching skills of Anthony Foley, were all over this specific example and it would be good to see the senior Irish team do more of it in the Six Nations.
Does your team look to make turnovers in this manner, or is defence all about having bodies in the line? Can we coach this specific type of turnover or is it simply a mindset thing? All thoughts and opinions are welcome…
As a Leeds fan i can honestly say that Bamford is a disgrace to himself, his family and the club…
Marcelo Bielsa on the other hand is a credit to the game and a rare example of dignity and credibility in a sport that does itself no favours most of the time.
@Baz Dunne: sportsmanship what a man bielsi is
@Baz Dunne: play the whistle. No idea what the problem with the Leeds goal here. There’s a ref on the pitch.
@Baz Dunne: Bamford first one out the gate with a few great men to fight put when called to do their real jobs on the pitch for the Second season in a row they bottled it.
Bielsa is a class as the Club ownership shot him in the back in the January transfer window a goal scorer and James from Swansea were essential. Owners weren’t interested in getting promoted
I hope that Bamford lad never gets that call for ROI.
Bamford should be ashamed of himself. Hopefully the 3 game ban will be recinded. Be cruel to miss both play off semis due to play acting like that.
@Flaming Mo: deserves to miss the remainder of the season for play acting
@Flaming Mo: 3 game ban should go the other way and applied for pretending to be hit!!!
@BMJF: put it this way, if Leeds players had violently overeacted the way the villa did when klich scored, almost inciting a riot, they’d all 100% be getting banned for the rest of the season. Villa earned at least one red card from that incident, shame it went to probably the least deserving player. However Grealish play acting throughout the match got leeds players booked for nothing also and all bookings this near the playoffs are very costly
@Facundo: hmmm, Leeds does not seem to have best climate for growing grapes does it.
@Pat Ryan: nothing to do with grapes lad. Just slightly tired of the mindless, anti-leeds bias perpetuated by some media and fans at times like these, when frankly, Villa gave as good as they got today with the gamesmanship and under hand tactics. Fun game and atmosphere though and I’d look forward to another one if we meet in the playoffs again
@Flaming Mo: I hope the ban is trebled or quadrupled so he’ll be useless in the transfer market to any team as he will have to sit out a lot of games He should go to Hollywood and audition
@Facundo: it was a great game, had everything, except Margot Robbie streaking. Grealish is class but you’d love to slap him. But the Leeds implosion is beyond belief. Ye still have the best team in the playoffs in every area except up front
We now have 4 more Premiership players in the Ireland squad.
Genuinely one of the worst refereeing performances I’ve ever seen from stuart atwell, Villa players were diving pathetically the whole game, grealish in particular.
Leeds will win the play offs if they can put the ball in the net or at least hit the target with their attempts as they play some lovely build up football.
Villa are strong and physical but don’t offer much else.
Their ten game winning run is a testament that the championship is a lot poorer than recent years.
@John Macken: I so hope you’re right man.
@John Macken: don’t offer much else.
They won 10 games in a row, what else can a team offer….what game where you watching.
@John Macken: Villa players diving pathetically…That was a bad imaginary elbow Bamford got
@Stephen: They don’t tho, their build up play all comes through grealish and once he’s out of the game they have nothing.
Who did they win their ten games against tho? All the sides that are below them.
They played their potential play off final opponents today (who were missing players) and didn’t really lay a glove on them…
Agreed Bamford dive was pathetic, but grealish/McGinn were just as bad before the mayhem.
@John Macken: Diving pathetically what are you on about?? The only dirty cheats today was the team in white your manager was the only one to show class today.
@John Macken: Derby Boro Bristol city all in the top 8 scored 9 goals and conceded 1 was part off that 10 wins in a row. I wish your manager would underestimate villa as much as you did.
@Drew Walsh: brilliant
@John Macken: the can’t beat 10 teams above them if their 5th can they.
Again what game where you watching, Villa created the best chances, until Leeds decided to act the mick.
Leeds are on a poor run. I’d be surprised if they make the playoff finals to be honest.
And of course Villa play better with Grealish, he’s a key player. Do you think Barca play better with or without Messi, poor comment mate.
@John Macken: Leeds will win if they can put the ball in the net? Thanks for stating the obvious
@Baz Dunne: me 2 ,, but cant see us beating west brom at the moment villa had an off day ,referees and officials should man the “fck” up and blow the whistle, something like that never happen in gaelic football
@Drew Walsh: delusional. Villa players, especially Grealish were snakily play acting throughout the game in an effort to get Leeds players booked and suspended out of the playoffs. The goal incident was classic – boy who cried wolf too many times. Impossible at that point for Leeds players to know if Kodija was genuine, or simply play acting to shut down a goal scoring opportunity… Like every other villa player.
Is it not at refs discretion that ball is put out of play? Otherwise you play on. Has that changed?
@Derek O Connor: hasnt changed i dont know confusingly stupid looked like something that would happen only in the schoolyard,
Leeds should not have put the ball out of play. No should rule exists in football – even the “sportsmanship rule” only applies to head injuries. Its not Leeds problem if the Villa players downed tools immediately after Kodja went down. I certainly wouldnt instructed my players to allow the opposition to score if i was Bielsa.
@Colm O’Sullivan: it was a deliberate tactic from Villa throughout too. Playacting theatrically and collectively shouting at the referee whenever they lost the ball and were open to a decent counter attack
@Facundo: Too many teams taking advantage of this rule and using it cynically. Villa weren’t today, Kodja had a genuine injury but Leeds weren’t to know that, and it wasn’t a head injury.
Bamford for Ireland. We need someone who can go to ground easily and win us the odd peno.
Bamford totally disappointing but he had a brother today in Hack Grealish.
Grealish went to ground more often than John Delaney.
Gary Neville was complaining the other night when a city player was down , about putting the ball out of play , saying he’d play on . Is it up to the ref or at the behest of the team in possession.
John Terry moral ambassador for villa
All will be relegated this time next year
Need to rid the PL of the S hit teams in it! It’s a joke! Norwich – poor mans Fulham! Sheffield Utd – poor mans Burnley! Got rid of 2Shpoo teams to be replaced with another 2! This “we only have to be better than 3 other (bottom) teams is a disgrace to PL!