'I can't believe there is any Premiership coach in the country practising diving into rucks and clear-outs with your arms tucked'
Rob Baxter has warned that more red cards can be expected in the Premiership for collisions with the head due to how difficult it is to coach players good habits about getting their tackle bind in early. The English top-flight has been blighted in recent weeks by a deluge of red cards for players whose tackles have resulted in contact to the head.
Exeter themselves were affected last weekend when Jack Yeandle, one of their most experienced operators, was caught out for an incident at Sale and his red card resulted in a three-game ban. Baxter has even suggested the current clampdown will literally mean players having to walk towards breakdowns as the risks of getting something wrong are now too high and it will take time to adjust given the dynamic nature of the ever-changing picture for a tackler.
Reflecting on the incident that led to Yeandle’s Premiership sending off in Manchester and resulted in him joining the growing list of recent red cards, Baxter said: “Everyone is only human. If you watch the footage – and I have watched it numerous times from every angle – you do see Jack start to look to try and scoop under the player.
“I know exactly what Jack is thinking of doing there. He has got his left arm down and he is bringing it up and he is looking to put it underneath the body to create a scoop, a lifting motion. He is 100 per cent aiming to have some bind. But because everything moves and changes in front of him he ends up with his arm going onto the body as his shoulder makes contact. The way you have got to protect yourself from that scenario is your whole approach has to be not that all your movements are clear.
“I’m not going to be the only coach to say this but your whole approach to a breakdown needs to be with a clear and obvious move. That you are not moving to bind late because any movement with your hand behind you that is going to bind late, if it gets blocked or if the picture changes and you change how you approach and the shoulder contact is before the grasp then you are in trouble.
The latest red card punishment is handed down in the Premiership #PremRugby
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“You have almost got to have an approach where the grasp is happening before any kind of contact and that is going to take a little bit of doing because it’s relatively unnatural action. You wouldn’t run into a moving object with your hands out in front of you because things are going to change. You want to be able to move but there is going to have to be some kind of adaptation that players make over a period of time and a huge amount of that is going to be that muscle memory, movement memory whereby you need to do repeat training.
“We’re doing it but every coach will tell you the same. I can’t believe there is any Premiership coach in the country practising diving into rucks and clear-outs with your arms tucked. I can’t believe anyone is doing that. That and the very fact that things are still happening shows there is still a whole new set of muscle memory that guys are going to have to learn if they are going to avoid those incidences with not getting a bind as they approach.
“The head contact in a ruck situation, I know you can talk about having more control but it is a very dynamic situation with a lot of moving parts. It would be quite naive of us to say there is never going to be any head contact because a defending player can be at such a variety of heights from almost lying on the ground to being completely stood up and then moving through that range all the time it is happening.
“To say it can never happen means that as the clearing player you literally have to walk to the breakdown, have a look and by that time it is finished. I do think it is going to be more about good habit-forming, getting binds in very early… we’re just going to work on that repeat action of getting binds in as quickly and as obviously as possible.
“It is the binding process and not using your bind late and then potentially missing a bind that is going to help protect you from the clear red cards that are based around you are always illegal because you didn’t get a bind. So there are various things we can work towards.”
Baxter agreed it is a new trend in rugby for Premiership players to be getting zero intent red cards in a climate where the sport is looking to clear up its image. “We have moved into something that is relatively new in rugby. If you think of the history of rugby it’s quite a new process now that you can be sent off with zero intent for foul play.
“A massive part of rugby was about was there an intent to commit foul play there. There used to be that kind of sanction there that moved you towards the red card level, that’s not the case now. There are quite a few circumstances now where you can be red-carded and people know there is zero intent there.
“I have seen plenty of red cards in the last two years where you know there is no intent there for foul play but for whatever reason, it has happened. Some of that can be players taken out in the air when players have lost track of where they are and have been watching the ball right down to some of the clear-outs or tackles where people have moved very late or slipped or fallen or there have been multiple people involved in collisions.
“All of us who watch rugby are aware of them but now rugby has moved on from that. You can easily end up with players missing through almost mistakes over anything else and that is where we need to keep working, getting technically better with what everyone does and then an ability to manage the scenarios when they happen.”
The defending Premiership champions have been involved in dramatic finishes the past two weeks that ended with debate over the final refereeing decision in each loss#PremRugby
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 5, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Is Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
15 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
15 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
2 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
15 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
15 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
15 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
15 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
14 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
2 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to commentsGood write up, Brett. Rebels are an interesting one for sure. 88 points scored in the last two games, but against two teams that are unlikely to be in the top 4 at seasons end. However the other side of the coin, against the Hurricanes, the team to beat atm, they conceded 54 points, and add in another 53 points to the then high flying Reds, and things don’t look so good. The acid tests will be against the Blues and the Chiefs. I do hope they do contest the finals this year, if only to confound those working on their demise. Les Kiss has made a big difference to the Qld. Reds, and they could so easily have now been sitting unbeaten at the top of the table. But they have now lost some games in a most disappointing fashion, and now step up against the Highlanders this weekend seriously depleted, four absolute key players down, two to suspension, two injured. Of the other Australian sides, the Brumbies look unlikely to fold to anyone any time soon, while the Waratahs and Force both disappoint. But still and all, winning games against the NZ sides is very welcome, and one would hope for more to come. Who will come out on top ? A North Island side for sure should contest the final, but I would hope an Australian side might just get there this year. Brumbies most likely, Qld. Reds could be formidable with a full team back on the field.
12 Go to commentsThe stat that illustrates some progress compared to recent years is that Aussie sides have won 5 of 12 games against Kiwi sides. The Tahs have lost 2 tight games against Kiwi sides, while the Reds and Tahs have contrasting experiences in games against Kiwi sides decided by that farcical thing called golden point.
12 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes pack has stepped up in a huge way this year. Their improvement at scrum time has been a big contributor to their success. Aumua looks like he is playing with a lot of confidence and put in a really good display at both set piece and in general play on Saturday. Him and Numia are putting in a good case for higher honours, A dominate combination with Lomax will help their case. And their loose forward depth is class. Iose has benefited from regular game time and Lakai has shown his versatility and promise. Thanks Nick. Hope all is well.
14 Go to commentsSamoa have enough former internationals who want to flick a switch for a country most have probably hardly set foot in. If you’re that passionate about Samoa, go live and play rugby there to qualify instead of just waltzing into the side and kicking a player actually from Samoa out of the squad. All these ex internationals hasn’t really made them that much more competitive because most look like they're going through the motions.
2 Go to commentsKini Naholo at 14 brings to memory Waisake.
1 Go to commentsGrace, much like Luke Jacobson, has never looked like the same player since his run of injuries. He also looked much better as a 6 than an 8. He still looks like he doesn't completely understand the position.
2 Go to comments