Articles
Latest Posts
How the Crusaders lineout defence stood up to be counted in ChristchurchLineout defence is one of the most important single aspects of defence as a whole. Analyst Nick Bishop explains how the Crusaders defused the vaunted Lions Lineout and primary attacking weapon in last weekend’s Super rugby final.
The importance of ‘reloading’ and understanding spaceHow do you find the spaces which Townsend claims are always there, at times when the defence is still likely to be cohesive and well-organized? Analyst Nick Bishop illustrates how important accurate ‘reloading’ from a stopping point can exploit ‘re-positionings’ mismatches and create space on the field.
To be, or not to be...Top 14 championsWriter Graham Jenkins gets an insight into the new ‘culture’ behind Castres surprise Top 14 championship win with Castres coach Joe El Abd.
How to make good choices after the breakWhat happens in the time and space after a break has been made is just as important, if not more so, than the initial breach. In his latest article, analyst Nick Bishop looks at the effect of right and wrong options after line breaks during the recent Crusaders vs Highlanders super rugby match.
Comfortable in chaos – train like a champion teamAs the dust settles on another epic northern hemisphere season, writer Graham Jenkins looks at Stuart Lancaster’s influence at Irish province Leinster as they set the bar in Europe last term with a brilliant blend of power, pace and skill that carried them to not only the Champions Cup title but also the PRO14 crown.
Attacking the 13 channel – the All Black way!In 2nd of the current pair of articles, Analyst Nick Bishop highlights how the All Blacks adjusted their attack to breakdown a well ordered French defence out wide.
Por qué los Jaguares están usando una línea biarticular en el Súper RugbyEn la ronda 11 del Super Rugby 2018, los Jaguares alcanzaron su primera victoria histórica en suelo neozelandés, y lo hicieron gracias a un tremendo esfuerzo en su scrum contra los Blues. Bajo el mando del nuevo entrenador Mario Ledesma (otro de la gran brigada del juego que basa el scrum con el talonador), se ven señales claras de que el equipo está recuperando el mojo de su fortaleza tradicional – el scrummaging. El analista Nick Bishop analiza las razones por las que esta técnica ha sido tan efectiva contra los Blues y contra otros grandes equipos.
Defending the 13 channel – the modern wayIn the recent 1st test of the series, the contest between New Zealand’s wide attack and the French defence of the same area promised to be one for connoisseur, and so it proved. In the current pair of articles, Analyst Nick Bishop first examines how France’s defence in the 13 channel succeeded initially. In next week’s second articl the reasons why the All Blacks’ attack wrested control.
How back-line communication helps ‘spot’ attacking opportunitiesIn the modern professional era, it is no longer enough to rely on one or two players – typically the numbers 9 and 10 – to see and make all of the attacking play. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at how teams are building their backline ‘game intelligence’
Ever seen a kid rush into a sports shop to buy a cone?Working alongside head coach John Fletcher and Peter Walton, as part of England’s U18 coaching team Russell Earnshaw is on a mission to equip English rugby’s brightest talents with an unrivalled skill set and give them both the freedom to express themselves and the confidence to execute in any given scenario. Graham Jenkins spoke with him to better understand Russell’s mission and how they are going about achieving it.
Why the Jaguares are drawing a biarticular line in Super RugbyIn round 11 of Super Rugby 2018, the Jaguares achieved their first landmark win on New Zealand soil, and they did on the back of a huge scrum effort against the Blues. Under new coach Mario Ledesma (another of the big-scrumming hooker brigade) there are distinct signs that they are retrieving their mojo in their traditional strength – scrummaging. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at why it was so effective against the Blues and other Super teams.
Is the ‘jackal’ a protected species? – Southern Hemisphere (part two)Round 9 of Super Rugby has just been completed, approximately halfway through the regular season. Ideal stage for analyst Nick Bishop to judge whether a consensus point of balance has been reached in the refereeing of the new breakdown laws in the Southern Hemisphere.
