Analysis: Finn Russell's trick kick to eliminate Saracens becoming rugby's latest attacking trend
A stunning long-range try in the dying minutes of the Champions Cup semi-final to Juan Imhoff saved Racing 92’s European hopes, securing a late 19-15 win over Saracens in Paris.
The key play was sparked by a Finn Russell chip kick that found the open arms of in-form centre Virimi Vakatawa.
Despite being deep in their own half and playing a high number of desperate phases, going over the top proved to be a daring risk worth taking.
Finn Russell has always been an avid user of short attacking kicks to unlock a defence, but the method in which Racing opened up Saracens to win the game is fast becoming the latest trend in professional rugby in 2020.
The era of dominant defences is upon us, with punishing front lines forcing ball-in-hand, high phase attacking rugby to wilt and raise the white flag with an eventual territorial kick.
Leinster found this out last week for the second time in 12 months with their detailed phase play snuffed out and hammered backwards repeatedly by this Saracens outfit.
An accurate short-range attacking kicking game can counter a dominant defensive line. Racing is the latest team to find this new ‘blind spot’ to create kick breaks.
The kick pass to the winger became a fast way to get the ball to the open man in recent seasons but this kick was always faced with a one-on-one assignment after the catch or an aerial contest with a fullback closing down with the ball in the air.
The latest zone being targeted is closer infield in a difficult position for the defence to cover, using the centre as the kick chase option.
The Hurricanes successfully used this short kick option outside the midfield pod for Peter Umaga-Jensen (13) during Super Rugby Aotearoa.
‘Last man’ defences dictate that the defending fullback on the open side, Will Jordan (15) above, must take the last man out wide.
Therefore he is not ideally placed to cover this kick as he needs to cover the space towards the touchline.
The kick is in the ‘sweet spot’, too far for the halfback sweeper (9) to reach, and not far enough for the fullback in the backfield to come back to.
Making matters more difficult is the outside centre can time the run from deep without being sighted, often running unchecked through a part of the defensive line covered by forwards.
The pod outside Jackson Garden Bachop (10) is the primary defensive target for the line, drawing most of the interest, allowing Ngani Laumape to gather pace for the kick chase.
It only becomes apparent late to the defence that a hard-running midfielder just outside of the pod is a threat to be covered.
And worse, the best-placed defender to cover the kick are those in the front line, who need to turn and chase.
If those players are forwards, it is a clear mismatch against a midfielder already reaching top speed.
Even for an outside back, it is a challenge. It is the kind of task asked of NFL cornerbacks, requiring the fast change of direction to decelerate, turn and chase.
Even Elliot Daly (15), one of the fastest men in rugby, couldn’t cover Virimi Vakatawa with the Racing centre getting just enough separation to get clear.
Racing are deep in the phase count and show a typical open side set-up after a pod carry, with Finn Russell (10) in the driver’s seat with options around him: An inside forward runner, his two-man pod with Simon Zebo (15) out the back, and Teddy Thomas (14) hugging the touchline for the cross-field kick.
The innocuous Virimi Vakatawa (13) is the target for the exact same chip kick the Hurricanes devised.
Saracens only have one man in the backfield, flyhalf Alex Goode, which plays in Racing’s favour once the ball is regathered.
Sean Maitland (14) is up in the line and Elliot Daly (15) is playing centre.
Vakatawa’s original disinterest on the play quickly becomes a threat to the defence, his timing on the run is perfect and even though Daly makes the read he cannot get a block in or turn fast enough.
The kick from Russell is perfectly placed where only Vakatawa can get it on the full, leading to a fast break opportunity for Racing.
The work of Russell and Imhoff to follow up the kick is crucial. The Hurricanes often were able to get Umaga-Jensen in the backfield with regathered possession, but with no support to continue to break.
Such is the class of Vakatawa, he is able to commit the sweeper Wigglesworth and the fullback Alex Goode. Imhoff has a clear run to the line on the second pass from Russell and the pace to outgun the chase of Daly and Maitland.
The value of a triple threat flyhalf who can kick, run and pass, in Finn Russell is clear – this is the type of skill needed to flip the script on dominant front line defences in this age of crushing your opponent with line speed and dominant tackles.
Designed short kicks that are regathered are effectively line breaks and, put simply, line breaks create try-scoring opportunities.
Instead of trying to batter through a defence, going over the top of it may be easier with a skilled kicker like Russell. It may not come off every time, but having the option available gives the attack variety and unpredictability.
As modern patterns have developed into fine-tuned machines, structured down to the last detail, it is forgotten that unpredictability is a Cryptonite for defences.
Great defences feed off predictability which most patterns inherently possess, and Racing’s calculated gamble is a reminder of the worth of a multi-skilled player like Finn Russell brings.
He may pull something out of the bag to send your team to a European final.
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
41 Go to comments