Lessons In South African And Australian Side And Back Row Forward Work

Chronicle (Levin), 15 September 1949, Page 7

Lessons In South African And Australian Side And Back Row Forward Work

f First it was South Africa — and now its Australia. Our international rugby rivals are certainly compelling on New Zealand a new appreciation of the role and responsibilities of the siderow and No. 8 forward positions ! The Aussies don't call them siderow f'orwards — they call them breakaways, and that is just whattheyare. "Seagull" and Vopp'ortunist" have been the catchcries .in New Zealand postwar rugby f or f orwards who have played the Colin ^xidon, David Brockholf and Hennie Muller interpretation of bxUerow and backrow ditties. Now it seems that the seagulls and opportunists are coming into their own, and that the specialist nature of their work will demand greater respect and regard from the men who direct the course of the sport/ in this country.

Jusl prior to the opening of the 1943 season the famous All Blaek of other years, Marlt Nicholls, commented that to be a good forward a player must apply the rule of the '"three P's" — Push, Push and still more Push. The attitude abroad iast year at the time of the selection of the All Blaeks for South Africa was that a forward must keep his head down and push untjl the ball was • out into the hands of the five-eighths, otherwise he wouldn't be considered. In other words, it appears there was over-concentration on weiglit and pushing power in the scrums to the detriment of specialist understanding of the various positions. It might have been thoUght that in view of the reports coming back to New Zeaiand of the All Blaeks' experiences in South Africa that the selection of policy would have been modified when choosing a teani to meet the Australians, but the first test at Wellington would indicate little attempt has been made to bring New Zealand rugby into line with current practice overseas. Both Australians and South Africans are employing a variation — a slight modification — of the old wing-forward of ten or sc years ago. There is no doubt about the measure of success attending this development of the side-row forward, and the application of his talents in peeling off the si'de of a scrum to get among the opposing five-eighths has logic to conimend it.

The siderow man is in the best position to watch the fate of the ball once it has entered the scrum and he can follow it through if it is hooked by the opposition. Once he sees that ball cleanly hooked his weight on the scrum beeomes unnecessary and to frusorate the other side's advantage of possession he has a start of several yards on his own fiveeighths in getting among the opposing backs. The disapproval with which the New, Zealand selectors have looked upon loose forwards has had its effect upon most unions, and the effects have probably been more disadvantageous than might have been expected. Side-rankers cannot help but be loose forwards, but instead of getting across to the five-eighths nere has been an ovenyhelming cendency for them to stick close go the scrum and to concentrate upon the opposing half-back, resulting in much offside play around the scrums. • The criticism has been offered .hat the siderow man who goes icross m the opposing five-eighths gsts in the way of his own fivejighth whose job it is to *tackle nis man, and that confusion is the resuit. There must, of course, be understanding between the piayers, and the siderow man will be a nuisance unless he fulfills his intentions and .tackles the opposing five-eighth. Speed is- an essential of the successfui breakaway.

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