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'I said Kyle would be a good rolling sub (in league). He can do ten minutes... but that would be him done'
George Ford has explained how conversations about rugby league and how its tactics could potentially be put to use in union have been a regular occurrence in recent weeks in Eddie Jones’ England squad following the arrival of Jason Ryles from the NRL in Australia as a full-time skills coach.
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The 13-a-side assistant coach had been a consultant for Jones since 2016 but he has now taken up a permanent role in the England set-up after signing off from NRL following Melbourne Storm’s grand final success in October.
It has led to league terminologies such as edge attack and defence becoming commonplace in recent weeks, while there has also been chat about which England forwards might be best suited to playing league.
Ford was in the Wigan Warriors and Bradford Bulls academies as a teenager before changing tack and going on to become the England rugby union out-half, and he has plenty to say following the permanent arrival of Ryles into the set-up.
“He [Ryles] actually asked me last week when the game was on, the Super League grand final, who would do well in the game? I said Kyle (Sinckler) would be a good rolling sub. He can do ten minutes, start of the first half, start of the second, but that would be him done. Someone like Tom Curry, maybe Sam Underhill, they have got good enough engines to have a real proper crack at it.”
Billy V addresses his potential long winter without a match #AutumnNationsCup #ENGvFRAhttps://t.co/DtJWyEFhzt
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Switching to the implementation of ideas regarding the use of edge attack and defence by England, Ford added: “I look at people like Tom Curry or Kyle, the way they go to the line with the ball in their hand and choose an inside option, outside option or maybe out the back as well.
“In terms of the improvement and where that has gone (in union) it’s definitely gone more towards what they do in rugby league day in day out. I do think in terms of execution the gap is closing a little bit but again we have this conversation all the time with Jason, it’s different. The pictures change a lot more in rugby union so it’s not quite as set in stone as it would be in rugby league.
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“It’s different because there are more defenders, the ruck is different, the speed of the ball from the ruck and the number of pictures that change quite late is different from league. It is those questions and conversations we’re having with Jason, him trying to understand how it is a little bit different from what he is used to in rugby league.”
Asked to be more specific about edge attack, Ford continued: “You get your tight five forwards who are generally in the middle of the field and they generally carry off nine. What I mean by edge attack is once that phase is done you go the same way or go back down the short side, whatever you want to do.
“The attack then is probably off the first receiver and you probably would have a combination of outside backs and maybe one or two back-rowers against five, six defenders from the opposition and it’s how we can exploit that situation more in terms of maybe trying to pick out a defender who we are trying to get to or split a defender, get runners either side.
“Ultimately it is to keep momentum or keep ruck speed of ball quick or make a line break and score some tries. That is what I mean by edge attack. It’s more off 10 after the tight-five have done their bit off nine.
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“He [Ryles] has been doing a lot of work with the back row and half-backs on edge attack and edge defence, potentially where they do a lot of work from a rugby league point of view. They probably have a lot more edge attacks or edge defences than we have in a (union) game, but it’s how we can execute better, take some good things from what they do in rugby league to try and execute better on these edges… it’s those questions and conversations we have with Jason, him trying to understand how it is a little bit different from what he is used to in rugby league.”
Statistics have suggested ball-in-play time in Test rugby union comes in at no more than 39 minutes, far less than the 68 that reputedly exists in Super League in England – and Ford can’t see that gap closing any time soon. “I don’t think it will ever get to 68 minutes ball in play, that’s unbelievable.
“I don’t know the answer in terms of what the thing is to do. All we know is at the minute the game is probably in a situation where it’s quite defensive and you use your kicking game quite a lot. Where you have got to be really, really good is flicking the switch that when that opportunity comes from an attack point of view that you are so quick in taking it and clinical. That is what we are trying to do at the minute, bridge that gap on how good we can be in that area.”
Episode 9 – Game Changers
We discuss the tense Wales vs England match from the weekend. Jamie reveals just how ruthless Shaun Edwards is! We speak to Mike Umaga on his son Jacob Umaga, and @OceansApartFilm !
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Spotify – https://t.co/JgbHP6KDdl pic.twitter.com/LF3nsAzp3c— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 2, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Great comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
1 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
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