Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 1:14 pm  

I think that Chris Chester should look at the tries we conceded yesterday from kicks.

I am not happy with our win ratio over the last twenty odd games and while being the first to admit an improvement on last week it still is not good enough.

A lot of hard work and effort was wasted yesterday by poor reaction to kicks and collectively the coaching staff must be blind to how many tries we are conceding due to poor defending of kicks.

Yesterday they varied their kicking between:

1. Kicks over our winger or in front of them where we were easily out jumped.
Don't we practice defending these. It seems that we are not being told to get to the ball first and are content to let the opposition touch the ball first in the hope that they knock on. That is pathetic and just shows that we lack aggression.

2. When the ball is dribbled through, just get there first. There is a total lack of urgency in chasing the ball especially when it involves turning round.
Any player not doing this is resting and it is up to the coaching staff to insist on more effort.

Finally is David Fifita taking the Mickey. I can't believe the coach is happy for him to stand still when he receives the ball and then run in any direction but forward.

Chris Chester needs to look at himself in the mirror and stop being content with mediocrity. Failure to point out the passengers in the side or to identify the obvious problem of defending kicks will result in him going. I don't want that but he needs to wake up to to the glaring obvious and to speed up our play and the reactions of the entire team.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:49 pm  

We had two players playing out of position on that right side...one a 19 year old on only his second start and you’re hanging him out to dry?

Two of the kicks came on 3rd or 4th tackle which I’d put more down to good attacking play and seizing opportunities against inferior opposition...

Fifita took more carries than any other forward and was only one of two forwards in the game to make over 100 metres...16 carries for 112 metres...and as you say...as he constantly seems to be starting from a standing start that’s arguably better than it looks as metres made in a game are counted forwards, not sideways..

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 3:04 pm  

Very difficult to defend. There were a couple of bad defensive reads but when you’ve got Sam Kasiano dragging in 4-5 defenders the edges stand no chance. More about a well executed game plan from Catalans tbf.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 3:32 pm  

Yes but on the other wing we had a 20 year old playing his first game with limited training against Falou and Davies but he managed to cope when they kicked to his wing. I don’t blame our right centre or wing but I do blame the coaching because it was obvious what their game plan was but he failed to correct the issue leaving them like in most games isolated.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 4:23 pm  

Scarlet Pimpernell wrote:

Yes but on the other wing we had a 20 year old playing his first game with limited training against Falou and Davies but he managed to cope when they kicked to his wing. I don’t blame our right centre or wing but I do blame the coaching because it was obvious what their game plan was but he failed to correct the issue leaving them like in most games isolated.

I don't remember any kicks going to Tupou & Seniors wing other than a couple of long range bombs. Think they had a game plan and stuck to it. There guys delivered inch perfect kicks too.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 5:20 pm  

We had seven out of our top eight backs missing and Bill Tupou had to deal with Folau, which I thought he did brilliantly. We were beaten again because of better half backs being expert kickers and controlling the game. On the evidence presented yesterday, Walker is a long way from being a first choice full back and Hampshire will never be a half back. Miller had his best game of the season but still trailed Maloney and Drinkwater in class and execution.
The scramble for starting places seems to be partially resolved with Jowett to the halves, Hampshire to full back and Gigot to challenge Miller.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 5:56 pm  

You'd favour the attackers to get to grubber kicks like yesterday's, first, 9 times out of 10. It's always easier to run with the kicker in the direction of the ball than it is to turn and chase. The aerial kicks are maybe 50/50. Depends on how good the kick is. Yesterday's kicks were inch perfect, so pretty much every one favoured the attacking side. I'd just put it down to a very well executed game plan from two very good half backs. Maloney and Drinkwater looked top class yesterday.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 6:28 pm  

It will be interesting to see how Catalan performs against a so called top team. The St Helens defeat could be excused because it was the first game back after lockdown.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 8:45 pm  

The best way of defending kicks near your own line is to not to give the opposition field position there.
Your pack lost the arm wrestle in the first half, and then being under pressure bringing the ball away from your own line leads to errors. The execution from Catalan was then very good. I wouldn't blame your inexperienced three quarters, who did what they could behind a pack that was second best.

Re: Defending Kicks : Sun Aug 23, 2020 9:26 pm  

On attacking high kick to the wing,the attacking winger will always have the advantage running onto the ball and therefore can jump higher,the defender is normally jumping from a static position.Its about protecting the winger and trying to legally block the attacker or better still don't give the attacking team time to pinpoint the kick.