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The Lineout Drive - Beauty or BeastIs the lineout drive a ‘blight’ on the game or one of the most fruitful areas for set-piece attack in modern praxis.
Nick Bishop provides some analysis from recent 6 nations matches.
How to get into shape on attack and use your ‘spares’ – the modern way!The speed of modern ruck ball has now increased to a point where formations have had to become more flexible to maintain momentum and fan the flames on attack. Nick Bishop details why this has come about and its effect on game.
How to run the “I” formation and mask your intentions on attackNick Bishop details how Italy has extended the ‘I’ attack formation to great effect in their recent international matches.
How to turn a profit from off-the-ball work on kick returnsIt takes a lot of hard work to create a platform to unlock a good opposing kicking game, and the chase which backs it up, on counter-attack.
Using Scotland’s 6 Nations performance against England at the weekend, Nick Bishop outlines what is involved and the potential returns from the off the ball hard work.
Why rugby has yet to find consistency in contact heightNick Bishop investigates why consistently refereeing a tackle height is proving challenging for match officials.
How to split the middle with your kicking gameIn open play as well as from formal restarts, the kick straight up the middle is becoming an increasingly viable option for the side in possession. Nick Bishop explains why this trend has recently started and how it is being executed in this week’s analysis.
How to move the point of contact close to the goal-lineIf you play it safe, it can often lead to the sporting syndrome of ‘tightening up’ psychologically. Typically, sportsmen turn to increased focus on the detail of their performance, a technical hypervigilance – and that only makes things worse.
Nick Bishop looks at the expectations of scoring a try close to the goal-line.
How to use ‘lightning quick ball’ at the Lineout DriveThe principles of LQB and KBA don’t have to be confined to the skills of offloading and quick ruck ball production in open play.
Nick Bishop, Leinster and soon to be Racing 92 analyst, starts the year using footage from the clubs’ recent match, how Lightening Quick Ball can be used at lineout time.
How to organize the roles of your forwards on attackNick Bishop examines the value to a team of coaching with ‘clarity of purpose’ highlighting the All Blacks 2nd half of 2022 campaign with new coaches Joe Schmidt and Jase Ryan clarifying effect.
How to ‘spy’ on the number 9 at ruck and set-pieceOne of the focuses of the professional game on defence is to ‘spy’ on the opposing half-back and minimise their influence on the game. Using examples from the recent Autumn internationals, Nick Bishop details how the ‘spy’ operates.
How to work around a dominant maul defender on attackThe ability to establish a dominant maul defender is key for the defence, and as Nick Bishops details it is equally vital for the attacking side to formulate alternate strategies to overcome that dominance once it has been proven.
How the Professor’s good teachings influenced the All Blacks at TwickenhamDeliberately or not, there was a transmission of essential I.P from the Black Ferns RWC coach Wayne Smith ‘the Professor’ to the All Blacks at Twickenham As Nick Bishop illustrates in this week’s analysisa
How Red Card defence spoiled the Red Rose party at Eden ParkWorld Cups are won and lost on small but significant tactical nuances as England’s Red Roses experienced in the Women’s RWC final.
Why it’s hard to overestimate the value of a hard YACKERNick Bishop explains What is a rugby YACKA and the important role they play in a team’s attack.
Targeting the key attacker in backline defenceThe importance of excellent backline defence was on show in the titanic contest between England and France at the Women’s World Cup. Nick Bishop breaks down France’s defensive strategies to successfully shut down England’s outstanding centre, Emily Scarratt.
How to build the lineout drive on your own termsUsing England’s successful Red Roses lineout Nick Bishop details 2 key features to building an effective lineout drive.
The absolute clarity about the ‘where’ and ‘how’ of the attackWayne Smith’s highly successful, and exciting, ‘where’ and ‘how’ attack clarity was very much in evidence during the Black Ferns recent group match against Wales, as Nick Bishop details in this week’s analysis.
How ‘Turnaround Tyrel’ learned his tall tight-head trade at scrum-timeNick Bishop highlights the value of the transference of knowledge between coach and a senior player to a less experienced player. Nick uses the recent example of All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax with forwards coach Jase Ryan and veteran prop Owen Franks.
Defending a Midfield ScrumDefence alignment is a ‘common’ mistake in community rugby. Made even more difficult for the defensive team from a midfield scrum as highlighted in this week’s analysis.
How to use the ‘15 metre plus’ lineout throw to create attacking successThe Springboks recently discovered some interesting nuances of the lineout law. Nick Bishop details how they rapidly widened into fully-fledge defensive ‘loopholes’ in their recent Argentina Rugby Championship test match.
What is the theory behind restarts up the middle?Why did Australia and South Africa buck the trend and restart up the middle rather than to the corners in their recent Rugby Championship game? Nick Bishop details why and the problems it creates for the receiving teams.
How to get the most out of your turnover defence at the ruckNick Bishop looks at the creative solution All Black coaches have created to overcome captain Sam Cane’s reduced his effectiveness in the tackle area, as a pilferer of opposition ball, due to his neck injury.
How to use the tip-on pass without tipping it offThe tip-on pass off 9 can be effective when you draw the defender up on point opposite your forward receiver.
Analyst Nick Bishop examines how you can make even more effective.
The theory of marginal gains in player developmentThe theory of marginal gains has been around for the best part of two decades. However, Nick Bishop highlights, citing All Black Samisoni Taukei’aho’s recent Ellis Park test performance as an example, marginal gains can have a momentum-gathering effect during a game.
Latest trends in the kicking game from San JuanHardly a week goes by in the international game, without further proof of the value of a well-directed kicking game.
Using the recent Argentina Vs Wallabies match, Nick Bishop highlights why it is one of the keys to success at any level of the game, whatever your preferred style of play as
How far can you push the boundaries on the kick-chase?The aerial contest is a very important part of our game but when does the contest become dangerous play and an accident waiting to happen.
Nick Bishop analyses the aerial contest’s current form highlighting the recent Springbok All Blacks 1st test.
Why a tight forward needs more than one string to his (or her) bow!One of the main thrusts in the professional era has been to up skill the tight forwards so that they can become attacking threats in their own right, not just providers for the backs.
Nick Bishop highlights Ireland’s Dan Sheehan as a prime example of the modern tight forward evolution.
Why couldn't the ABs defend the short-side?Ireland had no difficulty in creating and exploiting short-sides against New Zealand throughout the entire series.
Nick Bishop illustrates how the Irish achieved this attacking dominance and gestures towards a much more deep-seated problem
How to use the kicking game against 14 menWhy use the kicking game against 14 men?
It is easy to see ‘run’ rather than ‘kick’ when your opponent loses a player to the sin-bin, but as Nick Bishop highlights from recent internationals, there are good reasons to kick.
How the first Test against Ireland challenge the rules of scrummagingNick Bishop provides insight into how the The All Blacks got away with some scrum laws infringements in their 1st Irish test which contributed in their success.
