Defensive lineout

Perhaps the most overlooked defensive pattern of play is the defensive lineout. Defending team sometimes try and lift a player in the off chance they will steal a lineout, the rest of the defending players will hang around hoping to catch an tipped ball. The scrum half will stand defensivxly exactly where he stood offensively right in the middle. If the opposing team tries to drive they will mill around the maul desperately trying to slow the offensive teams momentum. If the other team gets the ball out, the defending forwards will redirect their efforts to stopping the attack. See the following picture of UCSB and Chico State standing in awe of the BYU (in blue) lineout:













Thankfully with a minimum of effort teams can adopt some better defensive lineout tactics that will put tremendous pressure on the opposition.

First tactic is to put the scrum half in the 5 meter channel where the defensive hooker usually stands and put the open side flanker at the end of the lineout facing the offensive flyhalf. Open side flanker is technically the scrum half so he must stand off the line a bit. The following picture of Cal (stripes) vs. Navy should clarify. If you look carefully you will see the Cal scrum half standing a few yards deep in the 5 meter channel, this too is perfectly legal.
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Second tactic is to lift two pods in defense. It takes a little bit more energy to be constantly lifting, but it forces the other team to be deadly accurate. Believe it or not Cal Poly is on defense in the picture to the left. Another subtle trick to lift two pods is to have the hooker (or scrum half) lift the first jumper from across the 5 meter line. Lifting two pods is not a sometimes thing its an all the time tactic. You will need to be fit enough and strong enough to do this. You will be amazed how this pressure will cause turnovers and change the game. If you are worried that the opposition will maul if they catch it, there is a lift and drive technique that will limit this. I will do a separate blog on this tactic to be used either offensively or defensively.






In conclusion. You can put a hell of a lot of pressure on the opposition without expending too much more energy by adopting these two tactics.

Heres some more pictures from the 2005 national championships. Cal Utah, Cal Navy, and Cal Tennessee. From Mobilescore.net