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There is an element of bluff and irritation in most of the things that come out of the mouth eddie jonesBut the experienced rugby schemer is a fascinating thinker, often ahead of the game. It was in November 2021, as he and England embarked on an ambitious attacking transformation, that Jones laid out a vision for a future in which the numbers on the back of his players’ shirts would matter little.
“Unfortunately, we have to put definite numbers behind them,” Jones said. after the win over australia“If we were to go to a basketball system I would prefer rugby, where players can pick a number at the beginning of the year and that’s their number. Even if you put them in their traditional numbers, it’s very rare that 12 passes out of 13 that passes to wingers.
“The combinations are all different and the game has become a lot more fluid and changeable. As you saw against Australia, there was a strong set-piece competition and then a lot more transitional play. The numbers are quite old.”
Jones never succeeded in putting his grand plan into action, resulting in the Six Nations followed by an entirely understandable collapse 12 months later. But he was ahead of the curve in predicting a phase of rugby in which positional play was less important, giving way to more protean selections with interchangeability seen as key. If it is not necessary for players to have the ability to carry out more than one briefing – adaptability and versatility have been coveted by coaches since ancient times – but, perhaps, what is evolving is the armament of so-called “hybrid” players who can interchange between the forward pack and the backline.
Rugby, in general, has become a game of change; The best sides are those that can move quickly from structured situations – set-pieces, kicking contests – to a more fluid existence. While all teams have a tactical set-up, usually based on a forward pod structure across the pitch, there is not always time to settle into shape – coaches want their squads to be able to move forward and step in where necessary. This really only occurs in first-phase strike moves, or “launch plays”, where traditional numbers relate to positional alignment during players’ swings and rotations.
Separately, the increasing importance of the bench has forced coaches to adapt to tactical trends. South Africa has been at the forefront in this and other areas The bench “Bomb Squad” has made a mark In his own right, has been used very effectively in two World Cup-winning campaigns. Since the introduction of the eight-player bench in 2012, most sides generally favored a five forward to three back split, but studies by springboks Found that his third back replacement often played limited minutes. Instead, it was more valuable to add a sixth, or even seventh, forward in situations of high attrition and injury rates.
It’s a strategy that is not without risks, clearly requiring versatility within the backline and flanker Quagga Smith, a former sevens star, is a key man with the athleticism to cover the outside back division if necessary. Others have followed the trend – France have included back rowers Sekou Makalu and Oscar Jegaou on the wing and centers respectively in their two biggest recent wins against South Africa in 2022. and Ireland in this year’s Six Nations.
It is now rare to find a side that does not cross-train their back rowers in the centers or on the wing, as they follow South Africa in favoring six/two benches, and are prepared for situations where they require emergency backline cover. England has used ben earl In center over the last 18 months, and he could even start in the number 12 shirt this Novemberwith guy paper and Henry Pollock Also running into the backline in some scenarios in training.
“I can see a world where it almost becomes a back row/outer back hybrid thing,” Earl explains. “I hate the word hybrid – it’s a golf club – but in terms of cognitive load, what you do on 12 or 13 and what you do in the back row, if you do that well you’ll do well in any situation. The only technicality is really to defend the scrums.
“It’s a good string to my bow and the team’s bow – you’re starting to see some guys who can do that. I wish I had done more of that when I was younger. Catching, passing, tackling – these are skills we should all have already. When you’re playing centre, some things become more important than at seven, but wherever you are, you dial some up and some down.”
Fiji and La Rochelle Levani Botia has been extraordinary for a long time For his ability to play at a high level, aided by his and many other Islanders’ experience, in the centres, where he began his career, and at openside. Masiwesi Dakuwaka is a fellow Fijian who has alternated between wing and flanker in the top 14. Proving this is nothing new at all, former No. 8s Pierre Spies (South Africa) and Radik Samo (Australia) both performed on the wing during their playing careers, with their natural pace aiding the transition.
Obviously, not every back rower is going to be capable or comfortable playing out wide, especially defensively, but players like Earl, Botia, Smith and Jegou are athletic enough to do that. Even though not often seen in the centres, Earl’s ability to cover the position has encouraged Borthwick to go with a six/two bench split more often than not this year, and the England head coach is understood to be keen to explore the seven/one, as pioneered by Canada Women in 2022 and used by South Africa and France since then. One only has to look at their 2023 World Cup semi-final win to see how the Springboks’ ability to bring in a new, highly rated forward set gave them the edge.
Which makes his evolution since that tournament interesting. South Africa have changed their approach in many ways, expanding their attacking horizons – and perhaps safeguarding any moves to reduce some of the threats, as has begun to happen with efforts to curb the influence of the scrum. While there are still clearly some traditional strengths, head coach Erasmus and attack coach Tony Brown have attempted to get as many playmakers on the pitch as possible and flourish outside the structure.
His bench strategy also seems to be evolving. Wearing the number 20 shirt for the game against Japan at Wembley, and is confirmed to cover the back row Andre EsterhuizenA The super-sized center is now also seen as a loose forward option for the SpringboksHis natural stature is, of course, suitable for the role, but the tactical possibilities he presents clearly appeal to Erasmus – if his Springboks are to play fast and loose, Esterhuizen’s presence at 23 could allow him to be used in his natural position in the center or as part of a so-called “bomb squad”, depending on the situation.
“You can have two ways of looking at it,” says Erasmus. “You can have a forward covering the back position, like Quagga Smith covering the wing, and you can have a back covering the forward position, like Andre covering the flanker.
“You could call him a hybrid player – but he’s a backline player who can also play at forward now. I have to say Felix Jones handles his load very well in terms of how much he does with the forwards and how much with the backs.” As top international coaches look for that extra edge, expect to see more experimentation and hybridization.