|
| quote: | Originally posted by OLi_A
ranking doesn't mean anything
two different hemispheres playing two different games
bloody northern hemisphere refereeing is hopeless, too much whistleblowing
if england played australia in a more free flowing match theyd have no hope
the aussies only lost because the video ref missed the knock on
id rank england as fourth best nation under australia, new zealand and dare i say it france
GO THE WALLABIES!! |
Australia would benefit from free-flowing rugby more than england? Lol mate, I think you have your wires crossed - allow me to explain:
England's attacking platform is based around that old "Total Rugby" idea with backs and forwards interchangable at all loose situations. Almost all of their attacking ball is quick ruck ball, and they often interchange positions within the backline so as to change the poitn of attack from narrow to wide quicker.
They throw more miss passes than anyone else in the game. Their success over the last few years has been based on a platform of creating quick ball over 2 or three phases and then moving the ball to the wing as quickly as possible. They prefer control of possesion to territory (last match against Australia, England had somewhere in the region of 75% of the ball), and consider running a more effective way to gain control of a game than kicking.
Australia, on the other hand, suffer from an alarming short-sightedness in their play. They place so muich stock in Gregan, Larkham, and whichever of the bash boys wants to play at 12 that they regularly forget to give the ball to anyone outside of that line (except to Andrew Walker for a big Aussie-rules punt).
Their platform is based almost solely around short breakdown ball to big runners like Toutai Kefu and Owen Finegan. Their forwards lack the collective ability of teams like England and France to recycle ball, and rely heavily on George Smith (a tactic which was shown to be very ineffective against England and France, who merely targeted him rather than the ball, and therefore maintained control of the loose ball).
New Zealand, France and England are the only teams with the ambition to take advantage of free-flowing conditions. Australia are limited to a "one-out and then Kick it" philosophy which bears little resemblance to the provincial tactics in the Super 12. If Australia hope to beat an on-form England next year, they would be well-advised to catch up with the rest of the international heavyweights and develop a greater diversity in their strategy, because they have become wholly predictable.
___________________
Don't fight it, feel it.
|
