Building the perfect rugby player: Openside flanker
Moving on from our focus on the prototype blindside flanker, our series looking at building the perfect rugby player has arrived at the openside flanker, the seemingly more glamorous of the two flank positions.
Whilst the blindside tends to be burdened with more onerous defensive duties, opensides are frequently tasked with more eye-catching roles in attack, as well as being required to create the defensive turnovers that can create moments of attack in transition.
Playing two opensides in the same back row has been an en vogue trend in recent seasons, with Australia, England and even New Zealand experimenting with loose forward compositions in that mould. Below we identify the five key attributes to the position and why having multiple players who can provide them is such an enticing option for teams.
At the core of an openside’s responsibilities is the requirement that they positively influence defensive breakdowns as a jackal and attacking breakdowns as a clearer. They, above all others in the pack, are expected to dominate in this area and provide quick, clean ball going forward, and attacking opportunities through turnovers.
Over the past decade, no one has managed to surpass Australia’s David Pocock in this facet of the game, with the veteran Wallaby having been a thorn in the side of every team he has come up against. His desire to win ball at the breakdown has left his body battered on the pitch, and none can question his commitment, physical strength or refined technique.
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Opensides are often praised as link men, too, who are able to join the back line and perform comfortably as a ball-carrier and playmaker amongst those traditionally more skilful ball-handlers. It is not uncommon to see opensides marauding down the wing and being able to make accurate passes at speed and carry through one-on-one tackles allows them to be more successful in this role.
In the modern game, few would question Fiji’s Peceli Yato in this area, with the Islander one of the most destructive ball-carriers in the game after breaking the first tackle. He employs Fiji’s trademark comfort with the offloads and combines it with an ability to drive through tackles and draw defenders and make the killer pass.
Something which goes hand in hand with both the breakdown influence and the ball-handling as a link man, is the mobility that opensides are required to have. In order to make it from breakdown to breakdown and to keep pace with the backs and support their attacks, a flank needs to have the acceleration and top-end speed that is not necessarily required elsewhere in the pack.
As mobile options go, you will struggle to find a fleeter seven than Australia’s Michael Hooper. The 28-year-old already has 99 Wallaby caps to his name and not only is that an endorsement of the special level of pace he has that has made him so integral to multiple coaches’ plans, but also his durability. In an area of behemoth forwards, Hooper has flourished as a smaller openside.
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Away from the glamour of stealing turnovers and springing attacking opportunities, opensides also tend to be among the very best tacklers in any XV. Given that they make their money at the breakdown, they tend to be very good at making dominant one-on-one tackles that allow them to spring back to their feet and be in an advantageous position to then go to work at the contact area.
As far as the modern game goes, there aren’t too many equals to England’s Sam Underhill in this area. The Bath flanker tackles with a relentless physicality that often makes people overlook his considerable ability at the breakdown. By tying him in alongside another effective breakdown operator like Tom Curry, England were able to have plenty of success as their predatory pack feasted off of the dominant tackles that Underhill made at the Rugby World Cup.
Away from all the physical and technical demands at the position, openside flankers also need to display a great awareness and ability to read the flow of a game. Making a judgement call on staying out of a tackle can lead to a prime opportunity to shoot in as a jackal, whilst a strong reading of the game will allow flankers to assess when opposition numbers will be short on a particular phase and the opportunity to disrupt or turnover ball is increased.
These cerebral opensides don’t come along every day, but Wales’ Justin Tipuric ticks all the boxes and it’s because of that component in his game that his technical and physical skills are allowed to flourish. It’s not just at the breakdown, either, with Tipuric’s decision-making in attack also excellent, something which stems back to his appreciation and reading of the game.
Breakdown – David Pocock
Ball-handling – Peceli Yato
Mobility – Michael Hooper
Tackling – Sam Underhill
Game reading – Justin Tipuric
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments