Leading up to the semi finals of the CC rugby writers are starting to examine the up coming breakdown battles and the influence of individuals like Heinrich Brussouw on the outcome of the battle for possession.
However a lot of this emphasis on the man on man fight for the ball is misleading to the fans and does not really tell the story of the REAL battle for forward dominance on the day.
Top class forwards today are scientifically conditioned both for strength and endurance like never before in the history of rugby union.
Tight forwards are expected to fulfil their primary roles in the set pieces as well as tackle and carry the ball. This means that they should have enough “gas in the tank” to play at the top end of their ability for at least 60 minutes if they are to be substituted, or for the full 80 minutes.
The same “gas in the tank” logic applies to loose forwards. It is therefore logical to assume that their ability to achieve the above is dependant on how quickly they deplete the “gas in the tank”
This leads us to ask the question: How do we put enough pressure on the bodies of the opposition forwards so that we make them “run out of gas” before we do? This, my friends is the key to understanding forward dominance on the day.
Too much is written about the qualities of one loose forward over another, as if they are machines and not human beings who are going to reach fatigue at some point of the game. As fatigue sets in, skills leave the party.
The above is a fact that cannot be escaped from, no matter who the player happens to be.
So, how do we push the opposition into fatigue? In boxing terms, we simply destroy the body and the legs give up the fight.
Let us look at it from the example of a prop, as the same reasoning applies to all forwards: If a prop is made to spend an enormous amount of energy in trying to defend himself in the scrums then sooner or later his ability to run will be compromised. In the same way a loose forward who has to commit himself to a wrestling match every time he gets near the ball, will eventually feel the results in his legs.
In short, the more demanding the physical battle becomes on the body of a forward, the sooner he will reach the reserve mark on his “gas tank”
So when you see a tight forward running like a wing in the last 20 minutes of a game, you need to ask yourself the question: Has he been loafing when it comes to his primary job, or has his pack been so dominant, that the opposition have not put enough pressure on his body?
The role of a tight forward is to physically destroy his opposition number. As a prop forward, I know that the more I make you suffer in the scrums, the less value you will have to your team as the game wears on. This is an area of scrumming that most fans do not get. It is about the “slow poison” that my pack administers to the opposition until they “run out of gas”.
@sharky_forever –
Great thanks Sharky.
Not all forwards, just tight head props.
The rest are all dof!!!
@sharky_forever – #26 hey dissie die oop ketels link nie!!!!!
hehehehe
O ja, Hallooooooooooooo everyone
The itensity of a semifinal will be higher than normal. Now the sharks have more players that are used to this high intensity rugby, and this is what will make the difference.
We did not have all our players available when we played the cheetahs in Durban a few weeks ago, and this was the main reason why we struggled in the scrum. Now i know that some people actually think that a scrum depends on your frontrow alone, but this is actually not true.
The whole pack pushes in the scrums, and we played without Deysel and Muller that day.
Now don’t be surprised if the cheetahs are not so dominant in the scrums as everyone believe they will be.
With regards to the fetching role: Brussow is the one player in the cheetahs pack that can hurt the Sharks, but in deysel we have a counter that will be more than adequate on the day.
I hear many people saying that Deysel is overrated, and i wonder if these people actually watch rugby. The strenght that Deysel shows in ripping balls of people in the loose is only matched Bismarck and his technique is up there with the best. What he adds to the mix is bulk.
Make no mistake, this game will be tough, but in the end the only way the sharks can lose is if they don’t come to the party.
29@tight head – Hehehe… I said on the other Thread.. “In die Land van die blindes is Een-oog koning”
Hehehe
fine and you my blue brudda??? @grootblousmile –
@sharky_forever – Really? I hope that he and his brother throw hissy fits and then go on strike along with Deysel, Kanko, Ruan, JPP and Oom Stef.
But thats just me. 😆
:rotfl: :rotfl: @tight head –
The Bok forwards are certainly more skilled, and has more gas in the tank, but they had a long long long long season. And I’m sure the possibility of an EOTY tour will always be in the back of their minds. So maybe, maybe. Who knows…
:rotfl: being a SHITTER I Mean shhetah , why am i not surprised 🙄 :rotfl: @Loosehead –
@grootblousmile –
haha, thanks man. I’m tired as hell. No more gas in the tank hey.
@Snoek – With Deysel at 7 your loose trio is far more balanced.
Tighthead, who is the most competent local ref in terms of policing the scrums in your opinion and why?
@Supa Die Bloubul –
You think so? Andries’s dad was also a great athlete, and if you have 8m long legs it helps…
Bekker is a good player, but at the same time you make a point. He is not the best scrumager or loose contact player. Still very good though.
@Loosehead – Agree, he is the difference in the team that Brussow is to the Cheetahs
Work time! Chat later
28@sharky_forever –
morning sardine!!
@grootblousmile –
I tell you GBS, that sums up what is going on over there!!
Over here mense is wakker!!
@fender –
Fender that is a very interesting point that you raise.
It is a difficult question to answer because as you know, it has become a lottery.
I would probably say Kaplan, because even if he gets it wrong he is the kind of ref who the props know they cannot get away without being punished, because he will not show that he is undecided, so you have to be carefull about getting on his wrong side.
48@tight head – Hoesê?? Sorry I dozed off… hahaha
Ja, Kaplan does not prisoners…
I ask this because I really don’t know that much about rugby in the first place – gee, I don’t even own my own cue! – and even less about who is fooling who in the front row. Sadly, the majority of refs appear to be guessing as much as I do when it comes to the scrums.
Bur surely this can be remedied? Can’t the refs have a scrum workshop featuring live scrum sessions where two front rows act out some of the legal and illegal tactics for the refs to practise identifying problem areas?
@tight head – 49
Morning all
“because he will not show that he is undecided”
Judging purely from the comments of the past season, it seems we have very few refs who are un”decided” :-))
@fender –
Please send your addie to Ash #1, if you also want to attend Loosehead’s ‘R-T wine gathering’.
I will get it from him.
51@fender – Personal opinion….
A lot of the guile of the Dark Art of Front Row Play has been taken out of Rugby with the elaborated CROUCH, TOUCH, PAUSE, ENGAGE proceedures… without making scrums safer or preventing them from collapsing or needing to be re-formed.
Hand’s on the ground or “Not taking the bind” are also very dubious Laws in my opnion, but Tight Head is our GURU here… wonder what he thinks about these issues?
@Pietman – Hey Pietman…ek sien jy reel ‘n lekker party daar
@Pietman – Korreksie, Ash #18 (flippin keyboard!)
@K9-MonsterLeeu – Ja, klink moosa!
53@Pietman – My flok, gee my ‘n lys van ouens wat nie worry oor ek hulle Mail-adresse sal aanstuur aan jou nie, wat in Slaapstad omgewing woon, en ek mail al die adresse vir jou, ek het mos die adresse.
Of beter nog… hoor watter ouens stel belang… sê vir my wanneer en waar en hoe, en ek stuur die uitnodiging uit van R-T se kant af.
@grootblousmile –
Nou daasit!
Nooit daraan gedink nie, stuur man, aseblief, dankie.
59@Pietman – Die ouens en vrouens moet darem net eers vir my toestemming gee om jou die adresse te gee, so laat R-T liewer die uitnodiging uitstuur, anders is dit nou weer eers ‘n gewerf van toestemmings ensovoorts.
Besluit op die plek, datum, tyd… gee dit deur vir my en ek stuur die uitnodiging aan die Slaapstadters.
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