Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

All Blacks forwards coach explains what he would ban about the rolling maul

All Blacks versus Ireland in 2022 (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

One of the big trends of Super Rugby Pacific in 2022 and the wider game was the amount of rolling maul tries teams were scoring.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hookers across the competition were outscoring wingers and bagging hat-tricks as the rolling maul became an unstoppable force that nearly every team relied on.

Last year ex-All Black Justin Marshall was highly critical of the one-dimensional approach but noticed in the opening round this season a sharp drop off in maul tries.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

There were plenty of high-scoring games in round one of Super Rugby Pacific but Marshall was left scratching his head trying to remember any from the rolling maul.

Current All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan explained to Marshall on SEN Radio that he saw stricter officiating around access to the maul and an improvement in maul defence across the board over the opening weekend.

“We’ve got to watch where the game is trending and what is actually happening at the moment,” Ryan explained to SEN Radio.

“Around the blocking and access [rules] with the rolling maul, it’s always been there but it just hasn’t been policed as much.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I think teams are getting pretty good defensively, we are seeing a lot of quick taps come in now. It’s a really big trend in the game.”

The quick taps have been used frequently in the Northern Hemisphere to run a set play around the forwards and the Chiefs were the first team to bag a try with the tactic on Friday night’s opener.

A smart tap on by Josh Ioane found Alex Nankivell who stepped inside one defender to score after lead-up work from the Chiefs forwards.

Ryan was still a big supporter of having the maul as an integral part of the game but would make some rule changes to stop the defensive side getting overpowered through sheer numbers.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Just on the maul, I’m a great believer that is a big part of the game, but I think we could make some adjustments to it,” he explained.

“I believe if you start in that lineout, you should stay in that lineout. You can’t pile numbers in [to the maul].

“When that happens, the next minute you’ve got 14 guys mauling, that’s when it looks messy.

“If you got a lineout, it’s a six plus lineout, well just get on with it and have those guys in there.

“I think that would be a way forward.”

Another suggestion was to stop giving the mauling team a second crack and forcing them to play the ball once they’ve had their first stop.

“Yes I think so, there are ways you can look at that sort of thing,” Ryan said.

“At the All Blacks we don’t like going to ground, we always stay up, we treat that as a reset scrum. We want to keep moving.

“There are things you can tweak but the powers that be will be having those discussions.

“The fact that they are blocking access is a good thing.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

5 Comments
S
Spew_81 614 days ago

Sensible suggestions. I'm sure nearly all would agree that only the participants of the lineout should he able to participate in the maul - which is formed directly from a lineout.

I'm unconvinced that the maul is still an integral part of rugby. Apart from lineout drives, and players held up in the tackle you basically never see a maul anymore. Also the way it is used after a lineout is basically as another set piece.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ “He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation “He’s given Connacht everything” – Bundee Aki’s future, and an exciting tactical innovation
Search