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'The last few weeks all the top teams' 9s are having big games... it works straight into my hands'
England hopeful Dan Robson has given an indication of the latest trends going on at the ruck with a view to speeding up the play of the attacking side, something which Eddie Jones claimed has resulted in the average speed of rucks drop by a second. It was June 2 when Jones alluded to what he felt was happening in tournaments elsewhere in 2021 and he suggested England needed to cotton on quickly as he felt the indications were that a quicker style of game would ultimately dominate at World Cup 2023.
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“The average speed of rucks in some competitions has gone down a second, from three seconds to two approximately. They are approximations which means there is a much greater chance to attack off fast ball,” said Jones. “We need more consistent ruck speed and that has been happening in competitions to varying degrees.
“It’s a lot different from one competition to the other but we are anticipating at the World Cup in 2023 the ruck speed is going to be pretty quick which then allows you to attack with front-foot ball and brings in more instinctive skills rather than pattern rugby.”
That’s an increased tempo which Robson feels he can thrive with in the England colours. While he said plans regarding quick ruck ball wasn’t a huge focus at this past week’s English training camp, he explained to RugbyPass that the action around the breakdown was at a quicker pace in the closing weeks of the Gallagher Premiership regular season.
“You felt it a bit more in games the way things were getting reffed, so I feel like the nine is having more of an influence on games, especially in attack,” he said. “When you see the last few weeks all the top teams’ nines are having big games and that goes a long way in where the result goes. I definitely think you are going to see it more which is great for someone like me. It works straight into my hands.”
Ben Youngs has been speaking 30 days after a Sunday newspaper first revealed that the England centurion scrum-half was unavailable for 2021 Lions tour selection https://t.co/2CS6wGu7f6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 1, 2021
Asked to elaborate on the subtle changes in the refereeing that has enabled this quickening to happen, Robson added: “Well, breakdown-wise for instance, if you are the tackler you have got to get out east or west, there is no kind of rolling into the nine to slow it down, no rolling into support players. You have got to get out of there or else it is a penalty. And then with the tackle height coming down as well, there are more offloads so less static rucks and a lot more ball-in-play time.
“Yeah, it’s exciting. It’s never nice as a nine when you are waiting for the ball and you are a bit static. I’m pretty lucky at Wasps that we have got a very attack-orientated game. Definitely, we can kind of bring that to the international stage. As Eddie said, if the game is going that way then we have got to get on that pretty quickly and adapt as well as we can.”
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Robson turned 29 last March and a curiosity about his twelve-cap Test career since a 2019 debut is that all those appearances have been as a sub. There hasn’t been a single start in the England No9 jersey but with Ben Youngs given this summer off, Wasps half-back Robson is hoping he can now jump up the pecking order and into the starting team for the July games versus the USA and Canada.
“Any involvement is huge with the international side. You ask anyone here, it’s a massive privilege. I feel very fortunate I’m in this group at the minute and I’m sure every single one of them will say they want to start a game against the USA or Canada. Everyone is vying towards the same thing and for me, it’s always just to keep pushing, try to improve, and if I get that opportunity I will hopefully take it and enjoy it.”
The Exeter back-rower's four-game ban has had an England sting in the tail as he was set for summer series involvement #EXEvSAL
https://t.co/AapRdVRVve— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 18, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments