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When we talk about Leinster’s attack, we so often discuss their shape in phase play or their close-quarters power game but their set-piece attack is another strength that can sometimes be overlooked.

Last weekend in Swansea, Leinster underlined their quality in structured attack as they delivered two excellent lineout tries on a night when they were struggling against a spirited Ospreys side.

Trailing 10-3 in the closing minutes of the first half and having spurned multiple chances in the Ospreys 22 already, Leinster finally struck for Dan Sheehan’s clever try.

It’s an ’11′ play [ie. one phase infield before bouncing back in the other direction] from the right-hand side, Leinster launch off an 8+1 lineout that includes scrum-half Cormac Foley [red below] and right wing Jordan Larmour [blue].

With Scott Penny acting as the +1 in the receiver position, Leinster seem intent on convincing the Ospreys that they’re going to maul – therefore committing in most of the Ospreys forwards – but the real plan is to play off the lineout.

Watch as Penny rips the ball from lineout jumper Ross Molony but then swiftly breaks from the maul set-up and passes to Foley, who works infield from the front of the lineout as Larmour retreats from the tail of the set-piece.

Foley now has Larmour just off his shoulder for a short pass option while inside centre Charlie Ngatai runs a hard line slightly wider.

In recent times, Leinster have frequently used their blind wing in a similar manner to how Larmour is used here – working into the space just in behind the lineout as Leinster look to work the ‘seam’ between the lineout and the defenders who start 10 metres back.

Foley hits Ngatai and we can see that in this instance, Leinster don’t actually want to go fully into that seam space back towards the right-hand touchline.

They’re keen to preserve space in the shortside for the second phase of this attack, so we see Ngatai arcing his line infield to run directly at Ospreys out-half Jack Walsh, a collision he’s nearly always going to win.

Leinster are instantly well over the gainline and the arriving Penny doesn’t even need to clear anyone out to ensure a rapid recycle of possession.

What happens off the ball is as important to anything on the ball in this Leinster score. 

As Ngatai carries the ball, hooker Sheehan simply holds his ground out on Leinster’s right, rather than chasing play infield . . .  

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