Variety is the spice of a balanced game

By Opinion8ted
February 21 2006

After watching the game for the 4th time (and it does keep getting better and better) a few thoughts are beginning to clarify in my euphoric state of mind.

Someone recently commented on the board about the team only playing one way or the other – e.g. too much wide passing and too adventurous, or too much pick and drive and too conservative. I agreed. We did not have balance or variety. However, the most impressive thing about the Sarries game was that we had both - in spades.

 

1. Variety at fly half – Carlos’ game was even better with repeated viewing. Apart from his own party trick repertoire, what we saw was a master class in Fly Half control and strategy – one that must have been impossible to defend or read. One minute flinging long miss passes (always into space for players to run on to at pace); the next the inside flip or switch (even blind over the shoulder while looking the other way); a few deft cross-field kicks (some for space, and some for the chasing winger to take on the full); 1 or 2 high up and unders, a few short grubbers; a little chip over the top (facing the wrong way as well - just to make a nonsense of any type of defensive organisation); the odd half break of his own; the short pop pass; the long tactical kick out of defence one minute, the acceleration to turn defence into attack the next. Carlos gave us every attacking and counter attacking gambit in the book and then wrote a few new chapters of his own.

 

2. Variety up front – This was not just a forward performance of great ball winning to give it to the backs to score. The pack kept the defence honest and tied in the Sarries forwards around the fringes with enough good pick and drives and the occasional rolling maul. But on Saturday we also saw something new. The pick and drives went 2 or 3 times but when the defence was committed the ball was spun. When ball was slow they took it on again, when it was quick it went wide. The impact runners were coming on to the ball at pace and Sharky had options all around him. The lineout saw the ball going to a variety of different jumpers, off the top from 4 and 6 or positive and driven at 2. We used the peel and Tam at 9 to drive around the tail and also used the short side just enough to stop Sarries drifting too early. The scrum wheeled (perhaps not to plan for the Sarries first score) but also hit the second push, or drove straight and gave quick ball with equal appetite. The occasional drive off the back or the threat from Sharky tied in the Sarries back row and gave their whole pack so much to think about that when the backs went wide, they enjoyed the wide open spaces of Piggy’s prairies.

 

3. Balance everywhere – There were signs of balance all over the park. Balance between width and driving the hard yards. Balance between taking the sound tactical options and the confidence to try the flamboyant. But there was also a balance in key areas and positions right through the team.

The back 3 are now a tri-fold threat, popping up in unexpected places – covering for one another, feeding one another, coming into the line at pace – even competing with one another in the kick chases.

The centres look to be finding a real understanding - with each other and alongside Carlos – doing the unseen bits well, making the dummy runs to take defenders away, offering a threat themselves with the ball in hand, making the opposition centres concentrate solely on one job and holding them up to create space for others.

Carlos and Sharky are now the perfect double act. Sharky’s pass was making space for Carlos and his running threat slowed the back row just enough to give the King even more space and time. Sharky’s tactical command around the base of ruck and maul was never so obvious; and his ability to feed the impact runners, use the blind and link with his back row was done just enough to add spice to the great variety Carlos was serving up.

As many are now saying, Tupai has taken the back row to a new level  - enforcer, ball carrier, ferret, slowing opposition ball, clearing out to speed up attacking ball – and giving the rest of the back row the freedom to express their talents; Harding (or Lewitt in the last few games) taking up great supporting lines and linking to speed the ball from the tackle before it becomes bogged down in ruck and maul; Daniel B covering and tackling, coming on to the ball at pace, getting over the gain line and off loading. They all have their roles but they all cover for one another - so they each have the confidence to follow their instincts and exploit the opportunities in front of them.

 

With the balance continuing in the front and second row; we have so many jumpers to give us so many lineout options; with hard running ball carriers and intelligent ball handlers - props and hookers looking like seasoned scrum halves and second rows offloading like All Black open sides.

 

Rugby when it is this good sounds very simple. Its how its supposed to be played but so few sides can actually do it – certainly not saints for some years now. So if saints can keep playing with this variety and balance they will be impossible to play against and every rugby fan will want to watch it - every off load, every reverse pass and every scintillating try of it.

 

8 tries – 6 by wingers and 2 by back rows – a pack that were aggressive and competitive in all areas - perfect rugby!