Place Of Fast Flank-Forwards In Australian Rugby

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 14

Place Of Fast Flank-Forwards In Australian Rugby

noted player expounds duties and - some of their tactics

r a t.t, over the Union of South Africa A during our recent tour keen Rugby men evinced close interest in the play of the Australian flank-forwards, who, I have been told, have left such an impression behind them that forwards {l of the quick-breaking type are likely to receive closer consideration from selectors than they have done in the past (writes R. B. Loudon, in The Outspan”). - . ~ In writing about the play of the breakaways who are a very definite feature of Australian Rugby I should explain that there are two different types. The defensive type of winger has, I believe, been utilised extensively in South African Rugby and loose-, forwards in South Africa are largely players of this type. When State and national selectors in Australia _ are pinking their forwards they invariably choose two specialists for the breakaway positions. One is purely a defensive player, who excels in tackling particularly on the blind side of the scrums, the blind side of *the field in the kick-offs, and who takes the posi- • tion of second last in the line-outs. The other flank-forward is for the field side of the scrum at all times and last in the line-out. He must be a very much faster type of forward than his Yellow flanker and yet retain all the same tackling ability. ..... , . There is a distinct understanding between these two flank-forwards about their respective duties. The blind-side man goes round his side of the scrum for the half-back, taking care that both ; feet are always behind the ball as it is heeled. The forward on the field or open side of the scrum generally goes for the five-eighth, or flyhalf as he is always called in South Africa, except, of course, when it is obvious that the scrum-half is attacking on the other side of the scrum. If he cannot catch the fly-half—and it is surprising how often a fast breaker can get to the stand-off man before he can get the ball away if the pass is. not swift and taken cleanly while moving—he follows the ball across the field, forcing the centres to pass, . until he either crowds the wing himself or forces the opposing centres to do so, in which case the task of the defence is by no means difficult. This, to my mind, is quite different from the 'method usually adopted by the Springbok loose-forwards, for our idea is that the loose-forward is the first line of de- ' fence in front of his backs, whereas the South African loose forwards move behind their backs as a second line of defence. Pushing In Scrums. An idea seems to prevail that the Australian loose-forwards do not do any pushing at all in the scrums. This is entirely wrong. We push just as hard as any other player m the pack at the critical moment, only, unlike the other forwards who have to give their weight to hold the scrum, we conserve our energy more, and give every ounce of our weight , only at the given moment when signalled by the hooker. In loose rucks the flank-forward should always endeavour to be on the fringe of the open side, ever ready to get out

quickly to harass the opposing halves should the opposing forwards heel the ball When kick-offs are taken we always endeavour to be in the centre of the field to be ready either in defence or attack. We particularly endeavour to be in position in attack for the scissors movement by opr centres or for cross-kicks by our wingers. In the event of the ball being heeled back from scrums by the forwards the flank-forwards have a paramount duty to perform in protecting the half-backs. Providing the flank-forward keeps his shoulders and antas on the pack he is regarded in Australia as being part of the scrum. He may swing his body and extend his legs out to give his scrum-half protection in swinging out the ball. Though this is not permitted in the Union of South Africa I think it is fairer than the prevailing practice in South Africa when the flank-for-wards deliberately stand up and impede the opposing flank-forward who is following the ball round the scrum. Both methods may be as obstructionist tactics, but I rather fancy that the latter is more deliberate shielding. , .. . .. In loose rucks the duties of the flanker are similar to those at the scrums, and in line-outs I have always found that to stand behind my vis-a-vis gives me an advantage to hamper his movements when moving towards my own backs. By hamper I do not mean deliberately to get in his way, but it is much easier to anticipate his movements and to move to the ball in. front of him, and thus check him in that precious second when the scrum-half is about to initiate an attack. During an attack by the backs it is the duty of the flank-forwards, in Particular, to cover their backs in their passing movements, either in case of a dropped pass or to get up into the line, and by providing an extra attacker, give the outside player the overlap. It is in movements of this sort that the player with natural anticipation can be so useful to his side. He has the knack of arriving in the proper position without anv worked-out rhyme or r ,? ason .' Eor .?’’ and the man who is always there for the last pass is an acquisition to any side, for he is the man to score tries that otherwise would go a-begging. Experience In Back-Play. Incidentally most of the best flankforwards in Australia are .men who graduated from back positions. Personally I was full-back at/ school, ana Alec Ross, captain of the Wallabies, succeeded me in the position in the team when I began to Pj a y, cen J re ',J?j some years in senior Rugby I played at centre and took to flank-forward play only about 1927. That season I scored more tries than any other player in Australia, and there was a rare outcry in the Press when I was omitted from the Waratahs team which toured Great Britain. The selectors were perfectly correct in omitting me, as I played much toe loose, and it impressed on me that the flank-forward had scrummaging duties' to perform. As the result of playing among backs in his early football career the flankforward knows back positional play and

can handle and play in the back posttions as well as a back should the occasion arise. He needs to be exceptionally fast and well over 13st in weight, since his passes are often received near the line, and determination and weight are required to carry him over the line, often brushing off the tackle of the full-back or another back who has managed to get round to tackle. „ The Reverse Pass. One of the .most useful movements a loose-forward can combine m is when his scrum-half works the reverse pass with him. The scrum-half receives the ball and works either between the opposing loose-forward and the scrum, when the former swings well out or around both the scrum and the loose forward. He draws both the scrumhalf and loose-forward and quickly snaps in a reverse pass to his own loose-forward, who then has only the full-back to pass. This move has been exceptionally successful, but requires a lot of practice and understanding as it is very easy for the loose-forward to be in front of the ball and hard for him to be back enough for the reverse pass and also have enough speed to beat the opposition. This move is not entirely’ new to South Africa, for I am told it was employed by D. Craven and J. A. J. Macdonald to score tries during the Springboks tour in Britain. To sum up the essentials of the loose-forward,’l would say he must be definitely a sound defensive player, have the knowledge of how to protect his halves, and also the .speed, anticipation and handling ability to support his backs. . . In my humble opinion more encouragement of the loose-forward in South Africa would improve the game there as a spectacle and also speed up the play. The more speed and intelligence there are m any sporting field make that sport more attractive both for those who play and for those who watch.