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Analysis: The Premiership-style attack system the Blues are finally mastering
The Tasman Mako played with a high tempo with varied ball movement under Leon MacDonald, but the Blues have been more cautious, building on the foundation up front first.
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They have had one of the best scrums in Super Rugby for awhile, and no shortage of powerful ball carriers like Akira Ioane and Patrick Tuipulotu.
The phase play suffered at times as the pack built for power didn’t have a high level of stamina or mobility, at least not at the level required to master all the detail in MacDonald’s pattern.
The shape the Blues have been mastering since MacDonald’s arrival is the same one used by the Mako and commonly found in Europe. The pattern plays a 3-2 pod configuration in the centre of the field and is used to play with faster width with generally fewer phases in the middle of the field.
Their ability to execute the midfield pattern was inconsistent last year, often turning sloppy under fatigue.
Tired forwards were often unable to run the support or decoy lines required, even front running the ball carrier at times, which hampered the distributors, making it easy for the defence to eat space and disrupt an already clunky system.
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It has been a work in progress, which has slowly come to fruition and is now being aided by having a world-class game driver in Beauden Barrett alongside an ever-improving Otere Black, with greater levels of conditioning among the forwards.
The Nock-Black-Barrett distributing link has been critical in making quick decisions to facilitate the ball movement at a higher tempo than before.
And now the detail is finally being applied as it is intended, which is leading to results in breaking down the defence.
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A key part of the system is one effectively and best used by the Exeter Chiefs a few seasons ago, where the wingers are ‘unhinged’ and looked for work in-field.
Exeter mastered this short side switch play which the Blues are now using.
After the first pod of three carries, we see the winger drift infield to station as the first receiver of the blind side.
After the first carry, the halfback can either continue the same way to the open side where the two-man forward pod configuration is or switch play back to the short side using the winger Caleb Clarke (11) behind a screen.
Early in the first half against the Highlanders, the Blues get the perfect opportunity to run the switch of play.
Some deft handling by Josh Goodhue puts Alex Hodgman into a half gap with a tip pass, leading to a big gain line run and front-foot ball.
Caleb Clarke (11) has pushed infield to become the first receiver while Akira Ioane (6) is next to him ready to run the switch.
Akira Ioane runs a flat option decoy off halfback Sam Nock (9) to hold the defensive line. The screen pass out the back will get the ball in the hands of Caleb Clarke for a carry.
This is the exact same switch pass play the Exeter Chiefs used with Jack Nowell, Santiago Cordero and Ollie Woodburn that resulted in upping their usage rate above a normal level for a winger.
The Blues are doing the same to help get more touches for their most elusive players – Mark Telea, Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke.
Akira Ioane (6) runs a well-timed holding line at a retreating Highlanders player which forces lock Pari Pari Parkinson (4) to cover for.
Parkinson also cannot push off the line as the flat option by Ioane holds him on his heels.
Parkinson is drawn into contact with Ioane, giving Caleb Clarke a one-on-one with Marino Mikaele Tu’u (8).
This is a difficult assignment for Tu’u as he is forced to make a spot tackle on Clarke without any inside or outside help just five metres from the line. He is also forced to play in-to-out as the Blues still have an overlap outside him.
In the event Clarke passes, he needs to keep pushing out to cover the numbers disadvantage, so is susceptible to the left foot step, which is what Clarke has in his arsenal.
Clarke demonstrates a perfect example of the mantra ‘move him with your hands, beat him with your feet’.
He moves Tu’u further off his spot with a nice dummy and shifts inside him cutting back off the left foot.
Once Clarke is through Tu’u, it would’ve taken a superb bit of cover defence to stop him but the Highlanders can’t and the Blues score the first try, using the short side switch to do so.
This play doesn’t just need to be for the wingers, the Blues can utilise any of their outside backs in this role.
Switching play back to the right hand side below, Rieko Ioane (13) fills the role instead of wing Mark Telea (14), allowing him to get another touch on the ball.
The Blues stable of power loose forwards and elusive speed backs makes this short side reload extremely difficult to handle.
You will often see any combination of Akira Ioane, Hoskins Sotutu, Rieko Ioane, Beauden Barrett and either of Mark Telea and Caleb Clarke on this short side, making the switch an attractive option for the Blues.
All of the aforementioned players often take multiple defenders to bring down and are all gifted offloaders. It is a recipe for chaos down the narrow channel, and the Blues have been channeling play back down the short side frequently in Super Rugby Aotearoa.
This screen-switch to the winger is just one play that is possible in this scenario, with other variations sure to be developed.
We have already seen the detached winger leave the short side and provide an inside option off the 10 on the open side first receiver if called for, playing both sides of the ruck.
Instead of lining up next to Akira Ioane (6), Mark Telea (14) has moved to Otere Black’s inside hip to be a part of the next phase on the open side.
It is no surprise that Rieko Ioane (10.8 per game) and Mark Telea (9.1 per game) were second and third in runs by wingers before the original season was suspended. Only George Bridge averaged more, who also played some games at fullback.
Rieko Ioane had the highest number of average possessions per game (20.8) of any winger.
Now that Ioane has moved to centre in Super Rugby Aotearoa, it is Clarke getting those extra touches, thanks to a system that is finally clicking.
Against the Highlanders, Clarke, Ioane and Telea were three of the top five ball carriers in runs for the Blues.
Combined with a sharpened counter-attacking system that also feeds those dangerous backs, the Blues are clicking on all cylinders.
Related reading
Analysis: The small things Beauden Barrett has brought to the Blues that are bringing big results
The transition game paid more dividends against the Highlanders after an overcooked kick from fullback Scott Gregory sparked a Blues kick return.
The shift from Barrett after fielding the kick gave Caleb Clarke the opportunity to go one-on-one against Ash Dixon, breaking through and finding Rieko Ioane in support.
The biggest test still awaits this rising Blues side, after the bye they will travel to Christchurch where the Crusaders haven’t lost since 2016.
But if any team is going to break that undefeated streak this year, it is this version of the Blues who are finally putting things together.
Comments on RugbyPass
Beaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
2 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
1 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
2 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
9 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
9 Go to commentsExeter were thumped by 38 points. And they only had to hop on a train.
39 Go to commentsI am De Groot.
1 Go to commentsHad hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
11 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
39 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
86 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
86 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
14 Go to comments