How is this for a theory? Tony d’Arcy says pressure England at the tackle, make them commit more players than you to the breakdown and their pattern will break down. The pre Tournament favourites do not have a Plan B.
The former Wallaby prop and current Ireland scrum coach says France will beat England in the second Rugby World Cup semi final on Sunday in Sydney because the French have a very quick, aggressive defensive line, precisely the tool needed to dismantle the English game.
“My sense is that the way to beat England is to challenge them at the tackle,” d’Arcy said. “They are used to dominating the tackle because of their size. They do not have a Plan B.
“France have a very fast defensive line, it has great go forward and is very aggressive. This speed allows them to gang tackle at the advantage line and that will be the difference. England are not used to putting more resources than the opposition at the breakdown.”
After watching the French buckle the Irish front row back over the second row in the first half of the 43-21 mauling in the quarter final on Sunday, d’Arcy counsels pundits and fans alike to a little research before nominating a winner in either RWC 2003 semi final.
“They [France] have a lethal scrum,” he said. “They put us [Ireland] under pressure because we were passive. But they have taken apart the All Blacks in similar fashion, they destroyed Scotland and were clearly superior against the very aggressive Argentine scrum.”
D’Arcy offered something of a master class for the terminally confused on the intricacies of front row play at this RWC, suggesting tight heads (the prop on the right of the scrum) under pressure tend to “bore in” or angle across the tunnel of the scrum to escape that pressure.
“The open side prop (the prop on the left hand side of the scrum) on the other team is then not presented with a shoulder to push on and folds in as well and is usually penalised,” d’Arcy said. “It is a good tactic. Add a 18 inch step to the left on the engagement and you have an attacking scrum at RWC.”