Restarts Strategy in the Tri Nations

This is a graphic from the Argentina vs Australia Tri Nations last week.

The blue circles are where Argentina kicked the ball to (Australia Catching), the yellow is where the Australians kicked the ball to (Argentina catching).
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#Bajad8ta

They look very similar don’t they?

Australia and Argentina never attacked the ball, instead regaining it off the kick (lineout).

Why kick deep and to not regather/compete?

Some thoughts.
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Get the ball back, get counter attack opportunities.

1st , if they kick directly to touch you get the ball back in opposition territory.
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2nd, by kicking this deep into the corner you:

- compress the exiting team into a very narrow area: They have to put bodies around the breakdown to protect the ball, and set up close if they plan to play a phase into the 15m (as Argentina did).
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It also reduces the width of the kick chase should they not kick directly to touch and that opens up counter attack opportunities creating space on the opposite side of the field.

Theoretically easier to make a big pass to midfield for most going from right to left.
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Two Questions come to mind, the first is if Australia and NZ both want this why do Arg consistently play it? Why not switch the exit play across their face and then kick to the opposite touchline, moving them across the pitch, making them move players and changing the picture.
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Argentina consistently kicked to touch and backed their kick chase to stop the Australian counter attack.

NZ used a similar strategy to Australia but with no success, and when Argentina started building a lead started varying the kick to short kicks to regather/compete
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A second question, which I’m unsure of their reasoning, is why kick to the right corner and not the left – the left is seen as a harder corner to kick your way out of – Coffin Corner – and the ball will likely not travel so far or not make touch (counter attack opportunities).
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I think in many ways NZ were looking to protect Clarke on that side of the pitch. Stop the exit kick landing on him and to use him as. a midfield weapon off kick return.

Argentina shut this down very well.

But........
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I think if NZ want to create counter attack opportunities that right touchline is actually a good option, they can swap wingers their best bet vs Argentine tomorrow.

But, think we may see more kick to compete restarts.

Thanks to the #Bajad8ta guys for the graphic. :)
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