If Ireland adopt same defensive system, New Zealand and Argentina will carve that failing rushing defensive system apart
Matt Williams: Leinster’s defensive system is failing – Ireland must avoid same mistakes in November battlesCathal Forde’s talent and versatility an asset as Connacht welcome back Bundee Aki for visit to Scarlets
From an Irish perspective, a problem arose last weekend at the Aviva where the Dragons exposed the huge vulnerabilities in the current Leinster set-play defensive system. Clips of teams finding huge space against Leinster’s set-play defence have been doing the rounds on the internet for weeks.
Ireland have achieved success against South Africa mainly because they have found a way, however difficult, to remain patient until they have won the collisions. They then grab the rare opportunities that follow. The difficulty of executing this attacking plan against a sensationally aggressive Springboks team cannot be overstated.
When New Zealand arrive in Dublin, no one should be fooled into believing that this Kiwi unit is in as much trouble as their home media is suggesting. There is no denying that the men in black are in a period of reorganisation. But apart from the second Springboks Test, they were within centimetres of winning all their Rugby Championship matches.
While Wales appears vulnerable, any other success for the men in gold is impossible to predict. The Wallabies tour will depend on whether Schmidt can convince Rugby Australia to allow him to select players not based in Australia and then in turn, to convince those players to gain the approval of their clubs to allow them to play.
Springboks All-Blacks France-Rugby Wallabies Rassie-Erasmus
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