Who would want to be a defensive coach now? Opening weekend Prema scored a record 52 tries, chaotic Australia c South Africa classic in perth nine more.
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Rugby’s ever-evolving alliance between attack and defense has never been so heavily weighted in favor of the former.
Whether this is a good thing or not depends on your point of view.
Professional rugby is in the entertainment business, and trying is its adrenaline moment when the crowd is on its feet. A lot of attempts equals a lot of excitement.
Northampton, try centurions last season, started this campaign with nine against Newcastle on Friday night including hat-tricks for Tommy Freeman and James Pater. Some of the Saints’ interplay was sublime.
Newcastle’s ambition with the ball was equally clear and they scored four of their own.
Gabriel Hamer-Webb also landed three times for Leicester in their 40-38 loss to Saracens.
It wasn’t just about the number of tries over the weekend, but the variety of them. Santi Carreras interception and break for Bath against Harlequin, made with his boot, was a gem of instinct and innovation.
But amid the praise for the avalanche of attacking rugby there is unease that the pendulum has swung too far; that defense becomes obsolete.
Ex England and Ireland Defensive line coach Mike Ford was at AJ Bell Stadium watching the eight-down game in between Bristol and Sales.
“You’d have to poll the fans whether they prefer 40-38 to 12-9 or 21-8, but I think the balance is probably not right. It’s frustrating right now,” he said.
“At this point the interpretation of the law is clearly in favor of the attack. The hands are faster and the guys trying to slow him down and the jackal are not very happy.
If I were a defensive coach at this point, I would be horrified by some of the results. Even internationally. I just didn’t enjoy the France-England game last season. It was a bit basketball-heavy.
Mike Ford
“I think that’s what Prem wants, but for me, as a coach and as a spectator, I hate games like that, you score, we score because the culture of the club is usually built around what you do defensively. People can see from that if you’re going to work hard for your teammate, get off the field and start again.
“If I were a defensive coach right now, I would be horrified by some of the results.
“Even internationally. I just didn’t enjoy the game between France and England last season. It was a bit basketball-heavy.”
There are many paths up the mountain when it comes to a good rugby match.
In rugby league, Sunday’s Women’s Super League grand final went 8-6 to York v Wigan and featured a completely goalless second half. Sound boring? Far from it. It was a stunning situation as an underdog team battled to lift the trophy – led by teenage Northern rugby player Amelie Lenham, who was surely destined to be a Red Rose one day.
And in syndicate, a low-scoring game – as long as there’s danger in the score – can be hypnotic.
At the same time, you wouldn’t want to go back to the density of the 1963 Five Nations game. Scotland and Wales when Wales were thrashed 6-0 at Murrayfield in a 111-run game.
A balance needs to be struck.
It should be borne in mind that this is September and that the conditions for the movement of the ball have matured in Europe. In December and January, the games could get tougher.
But given the admittedly small sample size, this season promises to be a very successful one.
URC, after one round, averages 6.9 attempts per game, i.e Top 14 in France 7.3 after four with Prem ahead with an average of 10.4 attempts per match after the first weekend.
The fight for the ball on the ground is now more difficult for defenders due to the adaptation to breakdown interpretations.
The cessation of blocking around the receiver in the air contest created even more unstructured opportunities in the broken field.
This season’s move to have centers enforce the law that prevents defensive players from swinging on the wrong side will almost certainly have more catch-and-go attempts as a result.
They’ve got some score dropping in the NRL due to some new rules to speed up the game. The debate is the same there. Did they go too far in favor of attacking? The conclusion in Australia is that it is up to the defensive selectors to come up with solutions.
Mike Ford
All this is aimed at improving the spectacle, but they have left the defense coaches with an almighty headache.
Ford, who left his role as director of rugby at Oldham Rugby League in February, sees a parallel with the 13-man code.
“They’ve had some great results in the NRL because of some new rules to speed up the game. It’s the same debate there. Have they gone too far in favor of attack?” he said.
“The bottom line in Australia is that it’s up to the defense coaches to come up with solutions.
“Maybe it’s the same in Prem. The defense usually finds a way.”
So what can they do to stem the flood of attempts? Ford’s advice to club teams is to stop pretending they are the Springboks.
“There are a lot of people copying South Africa’s defence, which is Felix Jones, and in, all or nothing, hair on fire, as fast as you can. There’s a place for that, but it can’t be every time,” he said.
“I see some systems – if you can call them systems – at the Prem and international level where the defense commits suicide and facilitates a complex attack.
“The basis of any good defense is to stick together. Don’t try to solve the puzzle until you have to. Every now and then you can burst out of line and go for them, but not every time.”
“You have to train the players to make really good decisions.
“Defensive coaches have to come up with solutions to keep the offense guessing. Different lineups, different personnel in different settings — I think that potentially took away from the game.”
Maybe some defensive coaches don’t help themselves, maybe some defenders don’t do the job they’re paid to do, but taming the offensive forces currently in the game is a devil’s business.