Theres plenty of change and formations. Forwards have far from 2 pods of 4 and race around the corner. Most common are 2 4 2 which connaught had great success in 2015. 1 3 3 1 is quite popular and a 1 2 2 2 1 variant. Depending on the forwards formation the backs can split to keep 3 either side and a strike runner woth forwards as decoys or link play as first receiver. Forwards require more skills these days regardless of number on the back. Similarly all backs need to be able to play the breakdown.
Traditional positions are only for set piece. Again that is changing too
I played at 13, on and off admittedly, for nearly 25 years. I can safely say I know the position inside out, and apart from a handful of dubious belts on my opposite numbers, I never got too involved in defending for the team. I defended myself and any young lad in my vacinity with gay abandon, but never went looking for work.
Put the ball into my hand, young man, and Iâll take it from there.
Corner forward play has evolved over the last few years and Iâm not sorry to be retired (no big eulogistic Instagram of coke) but youâre spot on about decision making and technique. You can coach a fella up and down the road but if he canât win his own ball and split the posts heâs in the wrong game.
6 nations are coming dont worry alan quinlan doesnât have a clue how patterns work either. I posted 2 videos above to show how these systems work. You cant bash through teams anymore you have to create space and draw defenders into the breakdown or remove them from the play with multiple running options
To gain territory. Munsters issue is with Murray that he has had great success with box kicking before, all other teams know this threat. He takes so long setting up the kick getting a long ruck defenses have 5 or 6 seconds to drop players back. You often see 13 and a forward running back to support back 3 when Murray is lining up the kick. They never change and flash the ball as there is clearly space outside to keep defenses honest.
I watched Connacht Vs the Welch yesterday (the last 30 mins of). They seemed to be just bashing through each other, or trying to.
The ref looked like a lad who spent an hour In front of the mirror before going in front of the cameras.
