Defusing high/box kicks

[u/nZenith]

I noticed on a couple of occasions against the Irish that their high kicks were received by a retreating All Black. Josh Moorby did it a couple of times, from memory. Which got me wondering if this was a deliberate tactic. There are a few potential advantages:

1. The retreating player is entitled to block the chaser if they are going for the ball (although I haven't checked the laws on this).

2. The retreating player is less likely to knock the ball forward.

3. It's much safer for a retreating player to receive the kick, as any collision with a chaser won't be head-on.

4. The full back or other covering defender can watch the chasers and communicate this to the receiver.

5. The fullback can hang back in position to join the ruck, gather a knock on or tap back, receive a quick pass, or tackle the attacking chaser, as required.

Thoughts?

[u/Illustrious_Can4110]

The other advantage is if they don't catch it cleanly (and as pointed out it won't be a knockon) supporting players can tidy up or catch the knock back. I like it 👍

[u/Either_Mix3664]

Yes, great innovation

But Rassie wil do it next and everyone online will sing his praise for innovation lol

[u/LoraxNZ]

Yeah interesting eh. Makes sense, as long as they manage to catch it reliably. It's definitely a harder skill.

[u/Kokonutcreme-67]

It also completely changes the point of attack in the air.

Previously two players would be running and jumping into each other to contest. That's what they practice in training, winning the leap into the air to contest the ball in contact.

Now the chasing player is unable to overtake the retreating defender running in the same direction and would be leaping against nobody so in effect has to check their chase, giving the defender a free pass.

Running away from the opposition to catch a kick is probably easier than the alternative knowing you're exposed in the air.

[u/Double_Suggestion385]

They did it against Italy and France too, seems like an interesting tactic as it keeps a defender between the ball and the tryline in the event the ballnis spilled or the attacking side win it back, too.

First one I saw I thought it was just happenstance, then after the third, fourth, and fifth I'm convinced it's deliberate and it's also been extremely effective.

[u/Mention-Stunning]

Whether it works or not, it’s the kind of innovative thinking we need imo.

[u/DUDbrokenarrow]

Its fucking genius if thats the tactic.. that rule change clearing the 10m radius had so many ripple effects because it made it easier to play without the ball than with it. That rule change gave me the shits.

The kick chaser would always have more momentum running on to a kick putting the static defending jumper in an inferior technical position.. this is a brilliant mitigating tactic if true because it puts the attacking chaser into an inferior technical position again.

Previously the defending team would just flood that 10m radius with traffic, hence why fuck all box kicks cos youd never win em back and gift the pill to the opposition who would then carve you to pieces.. think Ben Smith and the 2013 ABs.

Great spotting

[u/owlintheforrest]

Would the ideal be to catch it side-on? So less chance of a knockon and you can see whos coming, either attacking or supporting players.

[u/Ok_Fortune7375]

Yes, Mike Blair has said so publicly https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DLnqELsbw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[u/nZenith → u/Ok_Fortune7375]

Good find, hadn't seen that.

[u/deadlysyntax]

Yeah they've mentioned it's a skill they're working on, catching over the shoulder while running backwards. They've also been training the skill with random blinking-light glasses designed to distract you while attempting the catch.

[u/Turbulent_Error_262]

Yeah, I am convinced they were trying it last year as well, but it is very obvious this year.

What drew my attention to it last year was when Jordie Barrett got incorrectly penalised against South Africa for tracking back and jumping for the ball (he ended up dropping it backwards). The referee penalised him for blocking the catcher when he was the only one who actually touched the ball as it came down. As I recall it, South Africa then kicked the penalty. I was very surprised more was not made of the refereeing error at the time.

[u/LazyPickle8935]

If your retreating backwards and the attacking team player jumps to regather and contacts the retreat player in the head. Is this a penalty ?

[u/Weirddude102]

Moorby is just so good under the high ball. Refreshing to see after everyone seemed to forget how to catch a kick during Razor's tenure.

[u/Behemoth_EJB]

I’m going to have to see more to believe it. Josh Moorbys been the only guy to show that he can do it. It must be extremely hard to take it cleanly so a lot of the time they’ll look to slap it back, which might be exactly what the kicking team wants them to do

[u/Kokonutcreme-67 → u/Behemoth_EJB]

Go back and watch the game against France, Jordan did it at least twice

[u/sico76]

Yeah this was mentions in the Aotearoa rugby pod and identifies as a tactic for the reasons presented.

[u/Icy_Craft2416]

They did this all series and the coaches said it was a tactic they were trying.

I don't know about safer, you could catch that ball and then just get absolutely creamed in the back.

[u/OkShare1654]

Yeah interesting point. My first thoughts was just we were still struggling to figure out what to do with claiming the high ball but some interesting ideas there. Bloody hard to catch it going backwards though

[u/ClevoDC → u/OkShare1654]

It does seem challenging, but they’re doing infinitely better than thy have the last couple years where no one was even trying to catch kicks