THE WING MUST SCORE TRIES

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 193, 15 August 1931, Page 14

THE WING MUST SCORE TRIES

Dash and Determination Required on Rugby Field. (Written by ALL BLACK, 1928, for the "Star.”) (No. 16.) TO BE ABLE to score tries is the most important qualification required of a wing three-quarter. If the team expects to win matches by successful passing rushes then a wing who cannot score tries and thus finish off the movement should be on the bank. Just how the tries should be scored is a problem to the individual. He may be light and very fast, of fair pace but very powerful, or, as are most wings, of average weight and pace, with a good swerve, side-step, or fend. Whatever his methods, he must be willing to run with dash and determination. The wing who hesitates, who will not go until he drops, is useless. The New Zealand wings of the last few years have not always been “ speed merchasts ” such as Reeves, of England, or Van Heerdan, of South Africa; but several of them, Steel and Robilliard in particular, had determination which made them almost unstopable in the last 20 yards. And that is how all wings should make for the line.

When given the ball, the wing should as a general rule make for the corner flag. If he can pass the player marking him he may be able to cross the line before the full-back is able to come across. Even if he cannot be there before the full-back line this line of attack gives him the greatest possibility of an unopposed run until he does meet him. This is why the best wings have preferred to move along the touchline to the corner flag. Movement infield brings the wing nearer to the forwards and backs of the other side, who will be breaking back to the far corner flag. Whiteside, of Auckland, who in the ’nineties of last century was the cest wing in New Zealand, always preferred to skirt the touchline. He found that by running this way he could bump, fend and cut in more easily. Should the wing beat his own particular opponent by cutting in past him he will find that he has greater chances of scoring if he immediately swings out again towards the touchline, away from the breaking back forwards. Too many wings cut infield and keep on cutting in, thereby asking for trouble, and usually getting it. Of course, if the wing is well within the opponents’ twenty-five a cut may take the wing over the line in a very handy position. But it must be remembered that this rule is not hard and fast. The opposing team in their anxiety to break back may do so too hurriedly, and thus overrun the wing, who can then go infield, cutting and side-stepping to his heart's content. Dr Hunter in his book gives as an illustration of this a try scored against Canterbury by Gilray, of Otago. Gilray was given the ball near the touchline, and he went straight infield to score between the posts, without a hand being laid upon him. If such a position does arise the wing should have enough football sense to grasp the opportunity. - “ Several Courses.” # When the wing has passed his opponent and is running to beat the fullback several courses are open to him. If he is running his fastest and has room to work in on either side he should be able to beat the full-back. The wing knows where he intends to go and what he intends to do; the full-back does not, and must therefore wait and see. Consequently the fullback’s chances of tackling the wing are reduced. Every chance is with the wing if he does not allow himself to be shepherded into touch by the full-back. To counteract that tendency to be forced into touch, the wing must run so that the full-back is always in doubt whether he is going to run to the left or right of him. So long as the wing can keep the full-back in two minds the chances are all with him.

This principle can be applied very simply. The wing, when well in the open and running his fastest, can make off towards the touch-line, and then suddenly turn in straight towards the fullback, who is coming across field. The full-back, with a player coming straight at him, naturally slows down. The. wing, without the slightest loss of pace, can swing out again and away before the full-back increases his speed again. This is easily done in open field, and can be even more dangerous if the wing has a good swerve. One of the best examples of it in international Rugby was given by K. S. Svenson when he ran past the Llanelly full-back and went over to score the winning try for New Zealand.

Should the wing not be able to pass the full-back by any of the ordinary methods, he can give a return pass to any player of his own side who has kept in touch with him. Wing forwards can often give their support to the wings. Scrimshaw, of Canterbury, has scored many a try by coming up to receive a return pass from the wing, who is about to be tackled. If the wing knows that he is about to be tackled with the ball he should always try to keep the ball in play by turning it infield, so that the supports of his own side can come up and carry on the rush without slowing down. This is particularly necessary if the wing is about to be pushed into touch. If possible the ball should not go out with him. Once it is out the rush is stopped, a line-out is formed, and the defending side have time to reorganise their defence. When the wing is well into the opponents' twenty-five he has everything to gain and nothing to lose by such tactics.

Should he have time the wing may try to centre-kick back in front of the forwards, who are coming up the field. If the kick is accurate and high, giving the forwards time to get underneath it, then the chances of scoring a try are good. But the wing should never centre-kick when there is any possibility of his scoring the try himself. The other side may gain control of the ball if the kick is not decidedly accurate.

For similar reasons the wing is not advised to try short punting over the full-back’s head, unless he has practised the kick a great deal and is sure that there is no other player who is close enough to race him to the ball. Far too many short kicks are tried when the field is not open enough. If the wing finds that the centre is running too much across the field and jamming him on the touch-line, he could trv to turn infield and take a pass on the inside. If carefully practised, this can be a very dangerous move. The play has been drawn to cne side of the field and is now directed infield almost at right angles. This move is more often practised ar.d successfully carried out in Great Britain than in New Zealand. In Rugby Union games it is usually left to the wing and centre; in League games it is often attempted by the inside backs. Some of the players in the English League teams which visited

New Zealand were masters of this reverse pass or scissors’ cut. The wing, if he wishes to make play for himself and i 3 on a very narrow blind side, can come rushing in to take a pass from the half-back, and hand it on to the first five-eighth. By this move he rnay make an opening for some other back of his own side. The attacking side would then have one more back on the open. Consequently one of them would be unopposed. When given the ball on the blind side the wing should avoid turning infield until he is clear of the opposing forwards. If he is near the goal line he must try to go over himself. Should he be blocked he must try to keep the ball in play by passing it back to some of his own forwards. By carefully using the wing on the blind side a team whose main strength is their forwards can be very dangerous, for the ball can easily be turned back. Furthermore, it is less dangerous if the passing rush breaks down on the blind side. Should it break down on the open side the defenders can often begin a very troublesome dribbling rush up the centre of the field. On Defence. A good wing, knowing all the moves, to pass another player himself, should therefore be always able to tackle an opposing player. When the other side is attacking by passing rushes the wing must concentrate upon his own particular opponent, and be sure that he never once gets away. It is a doubtful question just what the wing should do when two of the opposition come towards him. Some hold that he should tackle the man with the ball. Others believe that he should never leave his own particular opponent, whether he has the ball or not. The player with the ball, usually the opposing centre, will then have a straight run through to the full-back before he passes out to the wing. It is the duty of the defending wing to have turned back and be able to tackle that wing or else cut off the pass. The question is purely one for the individual, and mainly depends upon the wishes of the full-back. Some fullbacks prefer to have the player with the ball coming down the centre of the field rather than to have him much further away t?y the touch-line. In addition there is more chance of the defending forwards breaking back and taking the man with the ball if he runs down the centre of the field. But as mentioned before, it is doubtful if the wing can turn and be back in time. If the opposition is fast he can’t. When the full-back goes up to field the ball, to stop a rush, or to tackle anyone, the wing on the nearest side of the field should move in behind him, making another line of defence in case the full-back makes a mistake. Similarly, the wing on the blind side of the scrum must always be ready to go behind the half-back if that player fails to field a ball or is not able to stop a dribbling rush. In all these ways a wing who is eager for work can help his side and do something more than- just score tries. When the other side kick-off or have a free kick the wing should stand on the touch-line, leaving no chance for the ball to be kicked over his head. Should the kick be too hard the wing will know that it is going out on the full; if it is short he can run infield and take it.