Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Analysis: How the Exeter Chiefs are revolutionising the wing position

By Ben Smith
X-Wings - Olly Woodburn and Jack Nowell are transforming the norm for wing play in the Premiership.

It is often said that Jonah Lomu changed the game in more ways than one. He became the game’s first global superstar in 1995 but also become the first of his kind on the wing, a gigantic 120kg powerhouse that clocked 100 metres in under 11 seconds.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was the vision of the All Black selectors at the time that foresaw the potential the No.8 could have on the edge. In a bold move, the All Blacks moved the back-rower into the wing position where he had never played before professionally.

It was a mismatch dream as Lomu destroyed opposition wingers physically, who were outmatched by 30 odd kilograms. Lomu became an Icon and power wingers became the new norm, paving the way for the likes of Tuquri, Savea and Nadolo.

In the English Premiership, Exeter Chiefs’ wingers are undergoing their own evolution, albeit with slightly less profile but no less fascination. Jack Nowell and Olly Woodburn play like no other wingers in World Rugby.

X-Wings

Exeter’s wings are being used in ways wingers never have in the modern game – at least not to this extent. Arguably no team has deliberately expanded the role of the wing like Exeter, moving away from a traditional finisher in favour of a roaming gadget man. It has become a multi-position role at the Chiefs – the wingers spend more time off the edge than on it in phase play.

Other wingers may roam, but they are rarely afforded primary playmaking duties. Exeter’s pair are deliberately positioned in attacking play to provide ball playing, requiring far more cerebral decision-making than usual, as well as a superior passing game typically absent with wingers.

They perform like a hybrid first five-eighth/fullback/centre – utilising the skills they have from playing these other positions. They bounce between first receiver and wider roles looking to inject in three-on-two or four-on-three situations. At times, they even link up with each other.

ADVERTISEMENT

This in itself is remarkable – many wingers end up as wingers due to one-dimensional skillsets. The reverse is true at Exeter, the more versatility you have as a winger the better. The Chiefs system will find ways to maximise it.

With the dissemination of forwards and backs in modern 1-3-3-1 and 2-4-2 structures, wingers at times do find themselves inside forwards with the big men outside on the edge. The Chiefs have taken this to another level, with almost all the players from 10 to 15 interchangeable in phase play.

Screen passing is integral to Exeter’s structure, outside of a basic pod, almost every phase wide through the hands utilises screens to get the ball to the versatile backs. We then see noticeable patterns of play that form when reviewing Exeter’s play.

The Reload-Switch

Exeter’s halfbacks Will Chudley and Nic White are constantly scanning the short side defence line looking for an opportunity to run this pet play – a switch screen pass after a quick reload.

ADVERTISEMENT

After spreading wide into the 5m channel, play is brought back towards the middle with a simple forward runner off 9. The players involved in the previous ruck attempt to ‘reload’ as quickly on the short side as possible to be available for a switch play.

Olly Woodburn (11) in his unusual position directly behind the ruck.

Woodburn (11) will travel from his sideline to station directly behind the latest ruck. This gives the Exeter winger two options.

If the halfback decides to continue the same way to the open side, Woodburn will run a support line giving his 10 an inside option outlined below.

The inside run option Woodburn will take if play goes to the open side.

If the halfback sees an opportunity to play numbers on the short side, Woodburn then becomes the first receiver, receiving the ball behind the decoy runner on a screen pass and attacks the line with a three-on-two opportunity.

The reload-switch that puts Woodburn in a playmaking role.

This set up is very typical of Exeter play and a perfect example of the quasi-back role that is expected of their wingers. Woodburn is deliberately injected into the play as a ballplayer in the second variation which is generally foreign territory for a winger.

Video Spacer
The reserve angle of Woodburn’s setup, also showing right winger Jack Nowell as a midfield option.

Here we see the same setup from the reverse angle. Woodburn is stationed behind the ruck ready for either option. The forwards on the left short side, however, have not reloaded in time in this instance.

We also see Exeter’s right winger, Jack Nowell (14), positioned as a backdoor option in the middle of the field much like a mid-fielder or fullback.

One more example of Exeter’s common setup.

As we see with the above examples with Jack Nowell (14), the winger works his way to the midfield to be a part of the next open side attacking phase. He can be used as a playmaker, either running the screen or be the recipient of the screen pass out the back.

Jack Nowell (14) playing a screen pass as the decision-maker.
Jack Nowell (14) looking to receive the ball out the back with a four-on-one overlap opportunity.

Nowell injects into the line like a fullback looking to free up his outside men. The fleet-footed winger often uses his elusive running game in this situation, taking advantage of sliding defenders trying to cover the overlap.

Jack Nowell assesses his options, looking to exploit the overlap on the left-hand side.

Both Nowell and Woodburn find themselves frequently tasked with exploiting numbers on the edges behind screen plays, playing the role that a centre or fullback typically would.

Video Spacer

If Exeter stretches too wide towards the touchline, they settle play and repeat the process, teasing the short-side whilst planning another wide raid.

Set-Piece and Defence

The wingers find themselves playing more traditionally in defence, stationing the edges, dropping back to cover kicks and fielding bombs in the air. Woodburn, in particular, is excellent at defusing aerial raids.

During set-piece plays, they may perform various roles but do find themselves with the familiar task of finishing. Woodburn scored two acrobatic tries in the corner against Montpellier on the weekend, going one-on-one with his opposite on the edge after spending most of the match roaming around.

The multi-purpose winger

Exeter’s special duo enables the team to diversify the playmaking duties, spread the key backs across the park in many different variations and work for mismatches.

Yet for all the versatility, the wingers must still possess the necessary skills to play wing traditionally – kick coverage awareness in defence, ability to defuse high balls and athleticism to finish one-on-one chances.

The multi-purpose winger requires a player with a rare skill set and the specific system to match, which Exeter currently have. Nowell has spent time growing up as a fullback and outside centre, while Woodburn also has experience at outside centre. Instead of shelving these skills learned in other positions, Exeter has encouraged the use of them, evolving the wing position in the modern game.

Whether this trend will grow or not remains to be seen, but if Exeter continues their successful run, there will surely be others looking to replicate and find value with the versatile winger.

 

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

36 Go to comments
A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

36 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough' Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough'
Search