How a defence straight out of the NRL has Los Pumas set for All Blacks Test
Rugby continues to evolve, and some coaches like to be at the forefront of that movement, pushing innovation.
When Michael Cheika hired David Kidwell to manage Argentina’s defence, it wasn’t the first time a rugby league coach had switched codes to union. It wasn’t even the first time Kidwell had switched codes, having been an assistant in Japan’s defence coaching set-up for the 2019 world cup.
However, the continual development of rugby’s tactics and structures means timing can be just as crucial when assembling your coaching team as the personel involved. That is where Cheika has hit the money ball with Kidwell.
The rush defense has become a dominant force in the modern game, a well-executed defensive line at pace can nullify the best of attacking talent (just ask Ian Foster).
Cheika is up with the times, he has a strong vision for his Pumas team heading into the 2023 World Cup and the influence of rugby league’s defence is a big part of it.
Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons put it plainly this week on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod:
“Rugby League defences are the rush; they chance their arm,” Parsons said. “We see those wingers jam so much.
“At times, you’re like, ‘Why don’t you just drift and use the sideline?’, but that’s their way of bringing it.”
Coming from a code where the breakdown is nonexistent, there is also an attitude of discipline being injected when it comes to involvement at the ruck.
“I feel like he’s given them really clear pictures," Parsons said. "Like, if you see this picture, get in there, have a crack, have a hunt, that’s a clear and obvious opportunity, that’s the tackle technique we want and that’s what we want you doing. If you don’t see that picture, fold around the corner, set space and go again."
Parsons went on to emphasise the consistency of the decision making and how that impacted their defensive line:
"When they entered (the breakdown), they got a result, when they left it, they obviously had 15 men on their feet."
Having no unnecessary bodies in the ruck reduces the risk of being outnumbered when the ball goes wide, a tactic opponents have exploited against previous Argentinian teams to great effect.
There are more nuances to league's defence that will translate well to union, according to Parsons' co-panellist, former Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall:
“You look around the (NRL) league, at their tackle technique and what their tackle choices are, you’ve got people that can go for the low chop, but you look at the ability to have the guy who’s going high to be able to dominate that tackle.
“I think being able to have that in your arsenal is going to be really beneficial, especially with Argentina, they’re big men. So if you can get that technique right in the second assist tackler and you can be able to slow down the ball, I can imagine for David Kidwell, those will be some of the things he’ll be working on.”
Physicality has never been an issue for the Pumas but the same cannot be said for the current All Blacks side. Perhaps the most bruising forward on New Zealand's super rugby rosters this past season was Argentinian star Pablo Matera, who's rampaging runs caused havoc for the Crusaders en route to another title for the club.
With proper execution, the Pumas can deploy a hard-hitting yet economical defence that looks to tick all the right boxes in the modern game.
With their next game coming against an All Blacks outfit looking to find their feet against such tactics (and looking like Bambi in doing so), the Pumas form may just be hitting its stride at the right moment.
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Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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