Analysis: How Ireland's switch plays hoodwinked Scotland
You can go over them, around them or through them. Or try all three.
This was the approach taken by Ireland against Scotland as they tried to do everything possible to get a four-try bonus point win over Scotland, putting enormous pressure on England to do the same later that evening.
Their intent was clear when they turned down their first kickable penalty to kick for the corner – Ireland was going all in.
“We also do try to keep a lot of variety in our game. You got to be able to keep that balance because a team like Scotland is very hard to break down. You can’t just have one means, you got to be quite broad with how you attack,” head coach Joe Schmidt explained post-match.
For all of Scotland’s flair in unstructured situations, their set-piece attack became fairly one dimensional – feed Stuart Hogg early ball. Hogg is a world-class player, but you can’t expect him to pull a rabbit out of a hat every time.
In contrast, Ireland’s attacking game was multi-faceted and used multiple players as key figures. They varied their attack using the kicking game of Sexton and Murray, the forward pack, a range of different playmakers, wraps and screen passes and a host of innovative misdirection plays as a changeup.
Multi-phase Switch plays
Ireland utilised a range of misdirection concepts in the game plan against the Scottish, designed to exploit and even coerce the opposition into over committing one side of the field before striking on the other. These were used infrequently enough to keep Scotland guessing, and found success on Stockdale’s second try.
Two-phase and sometimes three-phase plays were used off set-piece from the edges. A crash-play to the middle sets up the ploy.
As Ringrose goes into contact, we can see Scotland’s short side has two spatial zones developing on either side of the remaining scrum.
Conor Murray switches play rapidly on a pet play with blindside winger Earls (14) on the burst attacking the vacant ‘B’ defender channel. Earls makes a half-break across the gain line but the Scottish defence is able to close in just in time to avoid getting knifed on the switch play.
They use a similar concept on Stockdale’s second try, this time deceiving Scotland with personnel and quick reloading for a three-phase strike.
Off the scrum, Ireland uses an 8-9 to the open side. Murray hits Ringrose again to set up a midfield ruck and the defence starts to gravitate that way.
The first Ireland players to the ruck are Dan Leavy (7) and Bundee Aki (12) who clean. These players will be crucial later on in the play. Conor Murray (9) is marshaling troops around the corner for one more phase before the reload switch.
After the next carry, all three players involved in the previous ruck – Ringrose (13), Aki (12) and Levy (7), reload as quickly as possible. Conor Murray’s eyes are already scanning the short side to assess the option of switch play. He sees multiple defenders trying to get around the corner.
The lure of Sexton (10), the regular first receiver, setting up to the right lulls Scotland into thinking Ireland will continue that way. Ringrose is rarely a first receiver in Ireland’s structure, with Sexton and Aki the usual options. This plays a part in the deception of this play.
Murray decides the reload switch is on and fires back left to centre Ringrose. Up to five Scottish defenders are caught in close space around the ruck leaving them vulnerable on the edges.
Levy offers a decoy line and Ringrose receives the ball behind him. Ringrose and Aki perform the ‘Sexton wrap around’ giving Ireland an opportunity on the edge.
Ringrose gives early ball to Jack Stockdale, who has a one-on-one against a sliding defender. He steps back with ease and goes over for a crucial try right on halftime.
Set-piece misdirection plays
They also used similar concepts directly off the scrum, enticing Scotland one way and switching back the other. This play, in particular, was executed to perfection resulting in a Ringrose linebreak.
Ireland load the short side with four players, one directly behind the scrum. Scotland is forced to bring an extra defender across leaving acres of space on the open side.
Murray breaks left drawing Scotland’s defence that way. Aki underneath turns back towards the right while Ringrose remains stationary.
Murray drops the ball under to Aki, while Scotland has taken the bait and overcommitted to the short side. The loose forwards have broken off that way, Peter Horne (12) is halfway over, leaving Huw Jones (13) to cover an enormous open side.
Aki passes back to Ringrose and he rips off a huge gain for Ireland.
These misdirection plays add unpredictability to Ireland’s play, changing the points of attack and keeps the defence on their toes. As infrequent as they are, they tend to work when run and diversify Ireland’s attack.
They can pick you apart in many different ways and that is the sign of a great team. As Schmidt alluded too, you have to be broad in the ways you attack – something that England has probably failed to develop.
With the Six Nations in the bag, Ireland now has the freedom to throw the kitchen sink at England at Twickenham in pursuit of the Grand Slam.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pacific Lions, cry me a river
124 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
124 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
124 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
124 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
124 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
124 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
124 Go to commentsHo hum.
124 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
124 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
124 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
124 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
124 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
124 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
124 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
124 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
124 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
13 Go to comments