Breakdown dominance lays platform for Auckland
Auckland is winning the crucial breakdown tussle and that has gone a long way towards a 9-1 record in the Mitre 10 Cup.
While the bare stats show the province has won 94 percent of its own ruck ball and has made 88 percent of its tackles – that is comparable to a number of other Premiership sides – you have to watch the tape closely to see how Auckland’s commitment to clean and fast ball at the collisions areas gives them that crucial extra space either out wide or close to the ruck.
Just two years ago New Zealand Rugby experimented with the breakdown laws for the Mitre 10 Cup. What transpired was a shemozzle, as players ended up kicking the ball through the ruck as they were not permitted to contest in time-honoured fashion. Akira Ioane wore the No 7 jersey through much of that season as there was no need for a fetcher. Thankfully common sense prevailed.
Now Auckland has found an effective loose forwards mix, even allowing for Blake Gibson’s absence. Ioane is strong as an ox in the mauls and wins turnovers, Dalton Papalii is a tackling machine who rarely misses but has added the softer touches to his name that have propelled him into the All Blacks. Evan Olmstead has filled the Steven Luatua-type role at lock and No 6, winning lineout ball, shifting bodies and galloping around the track offering full value both with and without the ball. He is thriving on forwards coach Filo Tiatia’s coaching and breakdown philosophy.
“The stuff that Filo is preaching is nothing new. There’s nothing new under the sun in rugby, but his emphasis and the way we practise is really good. I enjoy the breakdown and love trying to get a steal every now and then,” says the Canadian, who has surely played his way into a Super Rugby contract. He certainly has made more of an impact than the last Canadian to play for Auckland, flanker Adam Kleeberger in 2009.
Work rate and work ethic are key planks of the breakdown, as much as technique and physicality.
“We work a lot on the adjustor. That’s a big area that Ted (Sir Graham Henry) talked about as well, that helper in the tackle and making a positive impact afterwards, whether it’s to go for the ball or take the space. The first guy makes the initial tackle and the second guy makes sure it’s a dominant one,” Olmstead says.
“A lot of it is technique, but also the mindset to want to put your head in dark places. It might hurt a little bit, but if you hit someone hard enough, they are going to move anyway.”
That and, of course, playing to the limit of what the referee will allow you to get away with.
Tiatia has done sterling work with this Auckland pack in 2018 but, in fairness, much of the forwards effort in the annus horribilis of 2017 was not far off the pace. Certainly the Auckland scrum is now a force to be reckoned with, and invariably the side wins the breakdown battle.
But one cannot study the breakdown in isolation.
“The breakdown leads into attack, so it’s not just up to one coach. We’re all defensive and attack coaches,” says Tiatia, who can see the bigger picture along with Henry, who oversees the Auckland defence.
“The simplest thing is to look after the ball, go forward and get to the ball carrier quickly. If you do that, there’s no fight. If you get there slowly, it’ll be a scrap. Hopefully we don’t need to clear bodies because we’re going forward. The guys have down well to date and turned ball over.”
There was a lot of pre-season emphasis on the breakdown and it has paid off. It is no longer just the preserve of the forwards. Halfback Jonathan Ruru has proven adept at shifting bodies at the ruck, while midfielders TJ Faiane and Tumua Manu are also strong in the collisions.
“Akira has worked hard around some of the things the All Blacks want him to do. I thought he was unlucky not to make the All Blacks,” says Tiatia.
Communication is vital, just as one player calls the lineouts and the back moves. Tiatia says everything is linked to voice. His Super Rugby players can swiftly sum up what is happening in the rucks and mauls, while those coming up from club level have learned fast.
So to the Wellington Lions, who are the last obstacle for Auckland to host its first NPC final since 2007. Even without Vaea Fifita, the Lions present a physical challenge that was seen in the opening stanza of their October 4 clash. Tiatia expects nothing less than a ding-dong scrap.
His charges will be ready for the breakdown battle on Saturday evening. Win that, and it goes a long way towards winning the war.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Aha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
85 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to comments