Proper rucking and more ‘bomb squads’: Rugby World Cup tactical trends to watch for

Reinventing the wheel is extremely rare in rugby union. More often, tactical ploys simply constitute the reappearance of those that had gone out of fashion. Either way, these trends tend to be prominent when they do cycle around. 

Here are five to watch out for at the World Cup.

Attack plays to exploit an extra man

It is not just empty rhetoric from coaches stressing the importance of adapting to chaos. The frequency of cards in Test matches is increasing and the World Cup matches will be shaped by these incidents. In 2015, there was not a single red card across 83 matches featuring a ‘tier one’ team (defined as sides from the Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and Japan). Already in 2023, there have been 10 red cards and 41 yellows in 43 matches. Last year, there were 88 yellows and 12 reds across 68 matches.

And there has been a marked increase over the current World Cup cycle:

Driven by stringent policing of head contact, this adds up to more time with teams understaffed, which heightens the value of coherent contingencies. Now, we readily associate this emergency planning with the side to receive a card. Do they sacrifice a back if a forward is sent off, for example? How do they cover the back-field if a wing or a full-back has been given their marching orders? Albeit in the case of injuries rather than discipline lapses, Ireland gave a masterclass of adaptability against Scotland during the Six Nations, with Cian Healy scrummaging at hooker and Josh van der Flier throwing into line-outs.

But, in nip-and-tuck encounters, an opposition side going down to 14 is a gilt-edged opportunity that should be pounced upon. And, given cards are so common, teams should have highly-tuned tactical ploys depending on the position in which their rivals are lacking. France hinted at his during their recent warm-up win over Australia.

In the 53rd minute, Suliasi Vunivalu was yellow-carded by Luke Pearce:

The hosts stayed calm, resisted any urge to kick to the corner and took the points:

That set up a restart, which was a perfect platform from which to probe the Wallabies’ vacant right wing. Although Ramos spilled a pass at first-receiver, and was fortunate not to concede a knock-on …

… Antoine Dupont made sure to find the space directly a phase later. The scrum-half would normally clear long from these situations, with territorial dominance such a big part of France’s game plan, but scans the Wallabies back-field …

… aims a left-footed cross-field kick towards Gabin Villière.

Villière’s punt up-field, encouraged by Gaël Fickou is an attempt to cause havoc in a depleted back-field defence:

France scored a try a while later, which gave them another restart to receive. This time, they did manage to move the ball wide, towards Vunivalu’s flank, through the hands:

This also highlights another trend, that of using restarts to launch expansive attacks. Italy are sure to catch the eye in this regard over the coming weeks. More pertinently, it demonstrates how France changed tack and tailored their approach to an area of Wallabies weakness.

In a similar way, although not moving away from a familiar template, South Africa mauled the living daylights out of the All Blacks after the dismissal of Scott Barrett, even though Ian Foster replaced Luke Jacobson with Tupou Vaa’i to ensure that New Zealand had two specialist locks.

Card contingencies are often viewed as damage-limitation exercises. Just as crucial is the team that still has 15 players inflicting as much damage as possible.

More ‘bomb squad’ benches

History is written by the victors and a six-two split of forwards on the bench was a pivotal feature of South Africa’s triumph at the 2019 World Cup. Key to that ploy, which offered Rassie Erasmus scope to reinvigorate his pack with the self-styled ‘Bomb Squad’, was Francois Steyn’s versatility.

Steyn, who retired in July, covered fly-half, inside centre and full-back from the number 23 jersey. That resourcefulness reduced the inherent risk of a six-two strategy, which can unravel with backline injuries.

Ahead of their resounding win over New Zealand on Aug 25, the Springboks suffered a setback when Willie le Roux withdrew from that same 23 shirt. Rather than reinstate another back, Jacques Nienaber brought in Kwagga Smith to assemble a seven-one split. Early in the second period, he brought on all seven forwards at once.

Much later, Nienaber replaced Makazole Mapimpi with Cobus Reinach. The latter, one of four scrum-halves in the 33-man squad, would appear to be an emergency wing option.

Afterwards, Nienaber spoke of how adaptable, athletic forwards can underpin a six-two or seven-one split. With a reminder from Siya Kolisi, his skipper, the South Africa coach name-checked Sekou Macalou, France’s hybrid flanker-wing.

Kwagga Smith is a veteran of sevens and therefore has attributes to lean on – namely speed, comfort in open spaces – should he be asked to moonlight in the backline. Eddie Jones, who once earmarked Ben Earl as a possible hybrid player, has a designated ‘utility’ category in his Australia squad. Jones believes Josh Kemeny could flit between back row and back three.

Another trend to have increased the likelihood of six-two benches is the increased prominence of teams fielding a 10-15 combination of two capable fly-halves. This cycle has seen New Zealand persist with Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett, with Blair Kinghorn and Finn Russell now established for Scotland. Gregor Townsend notably used a six-two for the warm-up game in France. George Horne and Ollie Smith were the two replacement backs.

Thomas Ramos has emerged for France, while Damian Willemse would seem to be the ideal successor to Francois Steyn as the Springboks’ utility man. As for England, their attack looks more lively with Marcus Smith at full-back. In turn, that gives them scope to load up on forwards, especially given Joe Marchant and Elliot Daly cover outside centre and wing.  

Weather has been a historic factor in bench selection, with wet conditions more likely to tempt sides into six-two splits. And timing is everything. As one experienced coach told Telegraph Sport: “You have to make early changes, otherwise there is no point.”

The return of ‘proper rucking’

There might not be a revival of old-school breakdown play, which saw tacklers shredded by studs if they had the temerity to lie on the wrong side of the ball. That said, jackallers will need to be careful at this World Cup. This penalty from England’s defeat by Ireland underlines as much. Ben Earl is the man to watch as Garry Ringrose prepares to feed an arcing James Lowe behind Hugo Keenan:

Ireland break down the near side through Mack Hansen, who is shackled by a scrambling Jamie George. Earl pounces, but England are penalised because George has not rolled away. Keenan buys the penalty shrewdly here, tripping over the England hooker upon arriving:

Paul Williams, the referee, explains “you [Earl] are fine, you [George] have affected the clean-out”:

Officials are also likely to be strict on jackallers resting their hands beyond the ball before scraping back on to it. This is a welcome development, and the best have begun to adapt. There seems to be an increase in defensive teams asking the tackler to bounce up and hit rucks while the rest of the side reorganises.

Here, from the same game in Dublin, is another example. Caelan Doris is the man to watch as George Ford feeds Theo Dan:

A break ensues, with Keenan eventually tackling Dan. Watch Doris. He dives over the tackle area before storming back into it, shifting Jack Willis and forcing a fumble out of Joe Marler. Doris is maybe fortunate not to concede a penalty for flapping at the ball, though the first part of his breakdown work is excellent. Tacklers will not often have the scope to jackal as well, but they can drive over the ball rather than dive in towards it:

With ruck-speed all important, disruption is vital and attacking teams are also pushing the envelope. Occasionally, when carriers are held up in tackles, you will see support players tackle the tackler – or even a team-mate – to bring the melee to ground. Often, this looks right on the border of a penalty for side-entry. As ever, breakdown battles will be bursting with skulduggery.

Wide and narrow phase-play punch

The attacking trends that have governed this four-year cycle are sure to be prominent during the World Cup. We can expect fake mauls, inside centres running first-phase loop plays from first receiver and roaming wings, with midfielders and back-rowers holding width as those back three players come in-field.

There will be swinging, multi-layered phase-shape, as exemplified by this try for Italy against Japan recently. Watch how Paolo Garbisi fades behind Michele Lamaro to receive a pull-back pass from Iganico Brex before breaking clear:

Ireland have developed their patterns and Scotland are another side that will covet width, but the close-quarter stuff will be fascinating. Under the tutelage of Joe Schmidt, New Zealand have sophisticated their narrow attack and something might be brewing with Australia as well.

While they were soundly beaten by the All Blacks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Wallabies showed flashes of a template that could come good later on. Australia are blessed with dynamic, hefty athletes and should endeavour to play to these strengths.

Watch wing Mark Nawaqanitawase here. He lurks around the ruck, looking for a weak spot. Aaron Smith, the New Zealand scrum-half, often pops up in the front line of defence. This allows the All Blacks to retain width, even if Smith is never likely to send a carrier backwards:

On the next phase, Tate McDermott, the Wallabies scrum-half, picks up the ball and spins to find Nawaqanitawase. McDermott almost treads water, taking pace out of the game in the knowledge that Nawaqanitawase can inject speed by going through Smith:

Two phases later, with McDermott wrapped up, Angus Bell feeds Taniela Tupou:

Rob Valetini then powers off the shoulder of his scrum-half, overpowering Brodie Retallick to reach the verge of the 22. By then, Tupou is back on his feet and can make further ground:

This direct approach is reminiscent of how France initiate impetus before flowing through defences in a flurry of offloads. Fiji will look to do the same. While it might look reasonably primitive, pick-and-go carries and roaming wings such as Nawaqanitawase and Marika Koroibete can add dimensions and pose plenty of problems.

The winners of this World Cup will possess a versatile attack, with punchy phase-play a basic requirement.

Kicking quirks

This snapshot, from South Africa’s victory over Wales, demonstrates the value of the humble box-kick and why it will not be completely obsolete for at least a while.

In the first play after Rio Dyer, the Wales left wing, has been sin-binned, Jaden Hendrikse goes to the air and gets the ball back via Canan Moodie. All of a sudden, the game is broken up and the Springboks can run riot:

In this case, Moodie is able to bypass Wales players on the chase and jump for the ball. Often, though, ‘escort runners’ block off these players pursuing a kick

Recently, more teams have been kicking from fly-half rather than from scrum-half in a bid to set up these aerial contests. New Zealand put on a masterclass in this respect as they beat the Springboks in Auckland.

This ploy has the effect of taking ‘escort runners’ out of the equation and isolating a back-field defender on the openside wing. It also nullifies the aerial prowess of a full-back like Freddie Steward, as Wales did in Cardiff at the start of August following a fake box-kick set-up:

Quicker kicking from scrum-half looks to be a relatively fresh trend. Aaron Smith hoisted a snap box-kick against South Africa in Auckland in July and then did the same when New Zealand met the Springboks again at Twickenham:

Australia scored two tries against France with a similar strategy, first with Nawaqanitawase chasing and then after setting up a one-on-one between Vunivalu and Melvyn Jaminet:

With the element of surprise, rather than on the back of a methodical caterpillar ruck that signals a team’s intentions, there is probably more chance to set up a one-on-one contest in the air. Speed, of thought and deed, will be critical at this World Cup.