Latest news with #tactics
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
All Blacks boss reacts to controversial Springboks tactics in win over Italy
New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson has called South Africa 's approach 'unique' and 'innovative' after the Springboks used unusual tactics in their recent win over Italy. South Africa started the match in an unusual manner when Andre Esterhuizen deliberately collected Manie Libbok's chip straight from kick-off. He was in an offside position and took the ball before it had travelled 10 metres, resulting in a scrum being awarded to Italy. And Rassie Erasmus 's side weren't done there, with the Springboks twice setting up a maul in open play by lifting a player as teams would usually do at a line-out. This particular tactic worked well, with the Boks scoring both times it was used as they dominated Italy with a 45-0 win despite an early red card for Jasper Wiese. Both tactics have divided opinion in the rugby world, with some wondering whether they fall within the laws of the game, though All Blacks coach Robertson was full of praise for the different approach. 'It's pretty unique, isn't it? We're talking about it, it's great for our game,' said the former All Blacks flanker. 'That's the point of difference from every other sport. People have got an opinion on it, World Rugby will look at it, and say play on, or do we change? But it's pretty innovative.' Asked whether the actions could be deemed illegal, he added: 'We have laws, not rules. They're pretty clear, yes or no, and that's one of those ones that is up for interpretation, so we'll see what the interpretation comes out like.' Robertson even explained that Perpignan did something similar to the kick-off routine during his time there as a player. '[We] kicked it out on the full, with the forward pack just standing behind the kicker. 'I was just ready to have a scrum. It shows why you're there – you're there to scrum, and that's a big part of our game. 'It's not new, but it shows the intentions, doesn't it? That's the great thing about rugby, you can be innovative, you can use your strengths, and surprise people,' he added. New Zealand are gearing up for the third match in their series against France – which they currently lead 2-0 after a 43-17 win last weekend – while South Africa will face Georgia on 19 July in their last match before the 2025 Rugby Championship begins in August.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Five areas where the Australia v Lions Test series will be won and lost
Selection It may sound obvious but both sides need their key chess pieces to be in the correct places. Neither team are due to declare their hands officially until Thursday but the Lions will be well aware of Joe Schmidt's ability to produce a tactical surprise or two. The big name to look out from an Australian perspective will be Rob Valetini, such an important cog in the Wallaby pack but injured for the recent Fiji game. If Valetini is ruled out it will be a blow to home morale; the Wallabies are going to need their main men on the field. The Lions have had their own injury problems but their back-row and centre selections will be instructive. They will be tempted to start with their most physical flanker, Tom Curry, and send out Ben Earl and/or Henry Pollock to up the tempo later. But Jac Morgan, the only Welshman left in the squad and a specialist jackler, would offer the Lions balance in more ways than one. And while it seems almost too obvious to start with Sione Tuipulotu at 12 inside Huw Jones, the case for Bundee Aki remains strong. Among other things it would enable Andy Farrell to go direct initially and then change things up for the second Test in Melbourne. Owen Farrell on the bench? The ex-England captain seems destined to have an impact on this series at some point. Tackle area discipline If the Lions have learned one lesson on this tour it is the vital importance of the breakdown. The Wallabies have a quality ball-sniffing openside in Fraser McReight and will be keen to go hard at the rucks to disrupt the Lions' momentum and ensure precious quick ball for their own backs. Furthermore, the referees named for this series, New Zealand's Ben O'Keeffe, Italy's Andrea Piardi and Georgia's Nika Amashukeli might not necessarily have been the Lions' first-choice triumvirate. O'Keeffe refereed the second Test against South Africa four years ago when the Lions were well beaten 27-9 while the other two are new to the unique intensity of a Lions Test series. Andy Farrell's team have been already been working hard on reducing their penalty counts but, as the former All Black coach Ian Foster observed at the weekend, not giving the opposition an 'easy out' will be crucial for both teams. 'In a Lions series there's lots of pressure and it comes down to your discipline,' warned Foster, involved with the Australia & New Zealand Invitational XV beaten 48-0 in Adelaide. 'We were combative but when we got squeezed we lost our discipline. The Lions will hurt you if that happens.' Aerial contest Is it bird or is it a plane? The chances are it will be Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, the high-flying Wallaby who can soar to heights others can only dream of reaching. As the former Australia great Tim Horan admiringly said this month: 'He tackles like a leaguie, leaps like a basketballer and marks like an AFL player.' It does not take a genius, then, to imagine Schmidt identifying the aerial battle as a potential area of opportunity. How best can he manoeuvre Suaalii into positions where, as against England last November, he can rise above the herd and either reclaim crucial restarts or high bombs which would give his side field position and momentum. Regardless of the number on the 21-year-old's back, he is going to be a pivotal figure in the series. The Wallabies also have an underrated lineout while the Lions have not reacted brilliantly so far on tour when forced to turn and retrieve balls put in behind them. Tommy Freeman is good in the air and Hugo Keenan is positionally excellent but you can still see the Wallabies being keen to go to the skies. Individual brilliance There will never be a more dramatic start to a Lions series in Australia than there was at the Gabba in 2001. The Lions, then as now, were not wholly sure what the first Test would yield while the Wallabies had little first-hand experience of the touring side's outstanding rugby league convert Jason Robinson. Inside the first three minutes of the game the hosts were swiftly enlightened when the little genius skinned Chris Latham down the touchline for a classic score. When Brian O'Driscoll delivered an even better solo effort in the second half it paved the way to a 29-13 win that exceeded all expectations. Anyone who watched the 2013 series will also remember George North's finger-wagging long-range try in the first Test and the same player carrying Israel Folau down the field on his shoulders like a sack of Aussie potatoes. In short, for all the collective endeavour and tactical intelligence required to win a Lions series, there is sometimes no legislating for sheer class. Or a moment of inspiration – Matt Dawson's overhead dummy to no one in particular in South Africa in 1997, for example – that proves the difference in otherwise tight encounters. Will it be the aforementioned Suaalii who supplies it for the Wallabies this time? Or may this be Finn Russell's series? Goal-kicking It is easy to forget that the last Lions series in Australia ultimately hinged on Kurtley Beale losing his footing as he went to kick the last-gasp penalty that could easily have stolen victory for the Wallabies in the first Test in 2013. The Lions sneaked home 23-21 as a consequence and Leigh Halfpenny's remarkable marksmanship was a big factor in the series outcome. With Elliot Daly having been forced to return home prematurely, the Lions also now lack another useful part of their artillery in the drawn series against New Zealand in 2017. It places a significant onus on Russell, whose place kicking so far on tour has been splendid. And, similarly, on the Wallaby duo of Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson in the absence of the injured Noah Lolesio. Lynagh is still in the foothills of his career while Donaldson has had his ups and downs since missing a difficult angled late conversion on his Test debut which ensured Australia lost to Italy in Florence in 2022. Luck also plays its part. Twelve years ago the Wallabies' goal-kicker Christian Leali'ifano was knocked out inside the first minute of the first Test and the repercussions were considerable. England's 2-0 series success in Argentina without their leading Lions players was a notable outcome, as was Wales's long-awaited win over Japan, their first victory since the 2023 World Cup. Perhaps most thought-provoking, though, was South Africa's 45-0 win over Italy which contained a couple of interesting innovations. The first was to cynically engineer an immediate scrum from the opening kick-off, a ploy that did not impress Italy's management. 'They can beat us without needing to do these kind of tactics,' said the head coach, Gonzalo Quesada. The Springboks also sought to set up a maul in open play by lifting a player as if he were taking a lineout before then returning him to earth and driving forward in unison, thus making it illegal for Italy simply to pull down the ball carrier. Finding new ways to adhere to the letter, as opposed to the spirit, of rugby's laws remains a favourite pastime of the Bok head coach, Rassie Erasmus. The first Test between Australia and the British & Irish Lions has been a long time coming. The Lions only come to Australia once every 12 years and the expectation surrounding this series is significant. Perhaps most importantly, though, it will take place with spectators present, unlike the Covid-hit games in South Africa four years ago. A Lions tour without fans is one of sport's more deflating experiences; here's hoping Saturday's game in Brisbane proves a memorable occasion for supporters of both sides. Jonny Sexton celebrates with Daniel Craig after the third Test between the Lions and Australia in 2013. A 41-16 thrashing was the result of a consummate team performance that emphatically delivered their first series victory in 16 years. Slow starts, the breakdown and pressure of selection are weighing heavy on the Lions, writes Ugo Monye. James O'Connor is the experienced general the Wallabies need to face the Lions, reckons Angus Fontaine. And after 644 winless days, Wales were victorious over Japan to end their 18-match losing streak. To subscribe to the Breakdown, just visit this page and follow the instructions. And sign up for The Recap, the best of our sports writing from the past seven days.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Tactical growth on show as Women's Euros enters knockout stage
When Norway's plan for its opening Women's Euro clash with Switzerland was thrown into disarray by a first-half goal for the host, it marked the first of many occasions that coaches at the tournament have had to adjust their tactics on the fly. At halftime in that game, Norway coach Gemma Grainger managed to get her side to calm down and change tack. It went on to win 2-1 and then topped Group A with three wins in three games to set up a quarterfinal clash with Italy in Geneva on Wednesday. "For me, the best coaches make those decisions in game. It's easy to sit after a game, look at the video footage, look at the review and say, 'You know, we should have done this, we should have done that' — for me, the best coaches do that in game," Grainger said.
Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Times
Short-ball ploy and close catchers: how England wrapped up India's tail
B en Stokes has led England to some tight victories bowling last — in Multan in 2022 by 26 runs, against Australia at the Oval in 2023 by 49 runs and in Hyderabad last year by 28 runs — but tactically this win at Lord's was the toughest. The pitch was slow and the ball was old, and every wicket had to be dug out. It took an age. Had England scored even another 30 runs in their second innings, a second new ball would have come into play, and they might have had a surer route to the win. As it was, that new ball remained tantalisingly out of reach. Even so, by the lunch break, England must have thought the job was almost done. But with India still needing 81, Ravindra Jadeja, the last recognised batsman, opted to play carefully and control the strike, and nudge his side towards their target. His partners — first Jasprit Bumrah, then Mohammed Siraj — focused on surviving what few balls they faced.
CNA
2 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Tactical growth on show as Women's Euros enters knockout stage
When Norway's plan for their opening Women's Euro clash with Switzerland was thrown into disarray by a first-half goal for the hosts, it marked the first of many occasions that coaches at the tournament have had to adjust their tactics on the fly. At halftime in that game, Norway coach Gemma Grainger managed to get her side to calm down and change tack. They went on to win 2-1 and then topped Group A with three wins in three games to set up a quarter-final clash with Italy in Geneva on Wednesday. "For me, the best coaches make those decisions in game. It's easy to sit after a game, look at the video footage, look at the review and say, 'You know, we should have done this, we should have done that' - for me, the best coaches do that in game," Grainger told Reuters. Up against another master tactician in Switzerland coach Pia Sundhage, the battle of wits ebbed and flowed through the game with Grainger and the Norwegians targeting the space behind the Swiss defence and the hosts trying to hit them on the break. "In football, I think you have to take the space that you're given, and that was where the space was. For them, they played a direct game - I think that that was their game plan, to try and stretch us and also to build a little bit of pressure," Grainger explained. "When you're dealing with long ball after long ball, you have to have high concentration, high focus. We knew that our forward players were quicker than their back-line players, so we had to get the ball in behind, but with good quality as well." Communication is key when making adjustments, and though coaches trust players to solve the problems they encounter on the pitch, they are expected to do so within the tactical principles laid out in the game-plan. "We just follow her instructions," Norway midfield linchpin Vilde Boe Risa told Reuters when asked how much scope she and her teammates have to improvise. "What we should change in the way we press, the way we play out, that's not up to us, we only have to do our best while we're out there, and deliver the game plan." ADVANCED TACTICS The 30-year-old, who plays her club football at Atletico Madrid, said that the tactics in the women's game have become much more advanced since she made her national team debut in 2016, and that teams were forever changing and adapting in order to create even a small advantage. "People understand how we play, and they close us down quite a lot, so we end up playing quite a lot of long balls, which is not really the part of our game or how we want to play, but we just need to adapt to it," she said. Grainger pointed to a couple of tactical trends that she would be paying close attention to as the eight teams left in the competition head into the quarter-finals. "If games turn into too many transitional moments as the tournament goes on, that's certainly going to affect (their stamina)," she said.
