Does Leinster have a lineout problem?

[mildlyinterested]

As is often the case when the lineout malfunctions the hooker is blamed, often incorrectly, but other times correctly.

Leinster has lost 27 lineouts this season through 14 games according to the stats on the leinster website.

Everyone acknowledges that all the senior hookers at leinster have troubles with their darts, some more so than others.

But given Leinster have a 6'10 2nd row, and two coaches who have vast experience in this set piece, it' seems to me that averaging almost two lost lineouts a game is unacceptable and their is a problem with the leinster lineout at potentially all levels.

Anyone have any opinions on where it is going wrong? Why the leinster hookers as a group struggle so much with their darts?
What can be done to fix it?

[Peg Leg]

Take the Exeter game aside and its 18 lost from 13 games. Not a major issue, more a work-on.

[mildlyinterested]

Take the Exeter game aside and its 18 lost from 13 games. Not a major issue, more a work-on.

Why should the exeter game be ignored?

[Flash Gordon]

I know what you mean. On the surface you would say that 2 a game is hardly a crisis but one of the things I noticed is that we tend to malfunction at critical junctures - ASM semi last year and in game changing attacking positions - Glasgow Champions Cup for example. I take your point on Dev being tall but there are issues associated with his size too, think he's nearly 130kg and very difficult to lift.

With regard to throwing, think Cronin's inaccuracies are reasonably rare, Tracy is a very "loopy" thrower which suggests a lack of confidence in his arrows and Strauss's darts could go anywhere.....

[Flash Gordon]

Take the Exeter game aside and its 18 lost from 13 games. Not a major issue, more a work-on.

Why should the exeter game be ignored?

It absolutely shouldn't be ignored. My point is that we often have issues when the pressure's on and Champions Cup is when the pressure mounts most. Easy to throw in when you're 50 points up against the Dragons, less so when you're down in an away semi final with 30,000 Clermont fans screaming at you!

[paddyor]

Take the Exeter game aside and its 18 lost from 13 games. Not a major issue, more a work-on.

We lost 9 Lineouts last weekend?

[mildlyinterested]

I know what you mean. On the surface you would say that 2 a game is hardly a crisis but one of the things I noticed is that we tend to malfunction at critical junctures - ASM semi last year and in game changing attacking positions - Glasgow Champions Cup for example. I take your point on Dev being tall but there are issues associated with his size too, think he's nearly 130kg and very difficult to lift.

With regard to throwing, think Cronin's inaccuracies are reasonably rare, Tracy is a very "loopy" thrower which suggests a lack of confidence in his arrows and Strauss's darts could go anywhere.....

Dev has lost bulk this season, think he is closer to 120 than 130 now.

[paddyor]

I thought Exeter did their homework on our lineout in the first game. Even when we won our ball they always seemed to get close. Tracy started stepping before the throw and was called on it by the ref.

[mildlyinterested]

I thought Exeter did their homework on our lineout in the first game. Even when we won our ball they always seemed to get close. Tracy started stepping before the throw and was called on it by the ref.

Yeah there has been many unclean and messy lineouts this season too, on top of the number of lost ones.

The lineout is an unreliable set piece for Leinster, it certainly does not inspire confidence at the moment IMO.

[OTT]

I am shocked we have lost so few, it seems like much more. In the Edinburgh home match alone it seemed like we lost about 6 or 7.

[naraic]

Take the Exeter game aside and its 18 lost from 13 games. Not a major issue, more a work-on.

The exeter games in my opinion make it worse as it highlights what a team can do if they target our lineout.

While it may not be a major issue it's definitely a moderate issue and a major work on.

Not sure what should be done. Does anyone have a breakdown as to who is catching our lineout balls. I've a feeling our lineout works better Ruddock on the field (he is our best backrow forward at lineout time and it is harder to disrupt with an extra primary jumper).

[riocard911]

In my opinion it's a major issue and failure to solve it could cost us silverwear at the end of the season. Be it Joe Schmidt or Stuart Lancaster, all the top coaches emphasise ad nauseam the importance of small margins in big matches. That means that even one lost lineout on one's throw in during a k.o. match should be UN-****ING-ACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A malfunctioning line out cost us the Clermont match and possibly a fourth star last season. A failed line out in the Exeter game away led directly to their one and only try!

I refer - again - to the time our scrum got destroyed over in Bath two seasons ago. A big hoohah was made by Seán Cronin amongst others about how the forwards came in the next day - actually an off day - to sort it out, so it would never happen again. Would that this level of determination be brought to bear on ensuring that we retain 100% possession on our line outs. Functioning set pieces - are they not supposed to be the bottom line?

[curates_egg]

I know what you mean. On the surface you would say that 2 a game is hardly a crisis but one of the things I noticed is that we tend to malfunction at critical junctures - ASM semi last year and in game changing attacking positions - Glasgow Champions Cup for example. I take your point on Dev being tall but there are issues associated with his size too, think he's nearly 130kg and very difficult to lift.

With regard to throwing, think Cronin's inaccuracies are reasonably rare, Tracy is a very "loopy" thrower which suggests a lack of confidence in his arrows and Strauss's darts could go anywhere.....

How many of those have been crooked? I can remember over a dozen crooked throws from Tracy.
There can be all types of excuses for malfunctioning lineouts, and hookers cop an unfair amount of slack, but chronically crooked throwing is borderline criminal at this level.

[wixfjord]

I'm sure there is work being done on the lineout in fairness. It's easier to get a scrum problem fixed quickly than a lineout one.

It's a shame that Tracy seems to have changed his throwing style slightly. When he begun it was much flatter and sharper. Seems to be lacking in confidence.

[mildlyinterested]

You'd think with an hooker in the coaching staff they'd be able to teach consistent throwing... look at the difference in Munster with Flannery.

[boyneside winger]

Heaslip

[mildlyinterested]

Heaslip

What?

[Fireworks]

I would call it an issue rather than a problem. It has the potential to be a problem and is certainly and area for improvement.

It is not an easy skill to master and made even more difficult the further in to a game you go. The odd error is fine but the number and their timing are not.

F

[Oldschool]

Yes.
What is to do?
Someone mentioned Flannery.
It's time for some industrial espionage.
A couple of approaches come to mind.
1. Some serious video analysis of Munster's lineout techniques ie 2D analysis.
2. Some on the job match day spying ie 3D analysis during the match day warm up.
3. Some on the job match day spying ie 3D analysis during the match.
ETC.

[hugonaut]

As is often the case when the lineout malfunctions the hooker is blamed, often incorrectly, but other times correctly.

Leinster has lost 27 lineouts this season through 14 games according to the stats on the leinster website.

Everyone acknowledges that all the senior hookers at leinster have troubles with their darts, some more so than others.

But given Leinster have a 6'10 2nd row, and two coaches who have vast experience in this set piece, it' seems to me that averaging almost two lost lineouts a game is unacceptable and their is a problem with the leinster lineout at potentially all levels.

Anyone have any opinions on where it is going wrong? Why the leinster hookers as a group struggle so much with their darts?
What can be done to fix it?

What's the percentage loss? Losing two lineouts a game when you have six throws is terrible, losing two when you have twenty throws isn't a big problem.