By Barfly
September 26 2006

It’s no coincidence that Dan Carter works better with a second five-eighth than with an inside centre whose first instinct is to crash the ball into a tackle

How many eighths make a whole?

 

It’s no coincidence that Dan Carter works better with a second five-eighth than with an inside centre whose first instinct is to crash the ball into a tackle. This is because both the Crusaders and the All Blacks play with a second playmaker in the backline. Primarily this has been Aaron Mauger, but in the last year Luke McCallister (also Carter’s back-up at 10) has also worn 12.

 

And it was with McCallister that the benefits of playing a first-five/second-five combination was seen to its fullest, against South Africa in Pretoria. At one point in the first half New Zealand became camped on the Springboks’ line. The ball popped out of a ruck and the green defensive wall rushed to try and stop Carter make the decisive play.

 

Only it wasn’t Carter, but McCallister instead. The former was lurking in midfield, and with one long fast pass from the latter Carter was in the clear with plenty of time to chip the two remaining tacklers for Ace Tialata to score a try.

 

By having two players who are each comfortable releasing those outside him, not forgetting useful clearance kicking abilities, Graham Henry has the luxury of not having to put too much pressure on either of them.

 

This was the key to England’s World Cup success those three long years ago. With Mike Tindall at 12, all the playmaking pressure was on Jonny Wilkinson. And, it is reasonable to say, he went into his shell, especially in the first half against Wales.

 

But when Mike Catt came on, all of a sudden there was a second outlet to get the ball downfield or to the wide backs. And Wilkinson in turn came alive and won us the cup. Again it’s no coincidence. Since Wilkinson’s been playing he’s been in Newcastle sides that play the first-five/second-five combination. Firstly as 12 to Rob Andrew’s 10, then with Mark Mayerhofler repeating his Canterbury role of being Andrew Mehrtens’ foil.

 

This season the Falcons started the season with Toby Flood – also a fly-half – playing outside Wilkinson, and against the Saints we saw how effective the tactic was as their ripping apart of our defence nearly won Newcastle the match.

 

Saints, meanwhile, were using their 12 (David Quinlan) in the battering ram role he filled for so much of last season. A tactic that is great at occupying opposition defenders and moving play into midfield from a set-piece near the touchline, if that’s what you want, and giving your forwards a target to hit, provided Quinlan’s made ground. We are also playing the perfect back-row for this approach with neither Darren Fox or Paul Tupai renowned for their ball playing skills.

 

All too often though the defence is speedy enough to knock him down before the gain line, thereby forcing our pack to go backwards from the set-piece, and giving their opponents some momentum in the process. The ball is slowed, we get bogged down and any attacking potential is nullified. This was no clearer evidenced than in the second half against Gloucester last weekend, when at one point the play grew ever more static following a promising Daniel Browne break (I think) and Luke Myring was forced to kick the ball away.

 

Furthermore, how many clear overlaps have we created this season thanks to smart midfield handling? None.

 

Are we wasting our wing talent? For sure.

 

With Ben Cohen seemingly refusing to attempt a break around his opposite man, we need to create the space for him to have no other option. The same with Sean Lamont. It is the most frustrating thing to have our backline touted as the most dangerous in the country and have them run the crash ball time and again.

 

Especially when we have the personnel in the squad to play the alternative, faster, more skilled, less conservative game plan. Sam Harding as a ball-playing open-side, Robbie Kydd at 12 (as a second five-eighth), Quinlan at 13, where his powerful running and rarely-seen passing ability can be used more fruitfully (as well as giving a battering ram option if needed), and Rob Laird – whose running skills Wanderers watchers will testify are rather good – at full-back.

 

For all the unpredictability of Carlos Spencer, the team as a whole has become all too conventional, banal even. Crash, bang, wallop. Bang, wallop, crash. Score a try if we’re lucky, from overpowering forward play or spectacular counter-attacking – not from creativity. Win if the physicality of our defence holds out.

 

There is an answer.

 

Get the ball wider. Create space, not constrict it by allowing defences to spread during a succession of crash balls. Become dangerous, not predictable.

 

You never know, these injuries might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.