Irish Hookers - Throw In Problems

[Oldschool]

Given the almost epidemic proportions of our hooker's inability to throw the ball into the line out accurately it's time for a thread all of it's own.
This is simply about the accuracy of the throw ie concentrating mainly on the hooker's role in the line out.
The issues as I see it are:-
Communication first - Does the hooker and the rest of the team actually know where the throw is supposed to be going.
Straightness of the throw is 100% the hooker's responsibility.
Height of throw 80% the hooker's responsibility.
Speed of throw 80% the hooker's responsibility.

Dealing only with the straightness of the throw.
This is mostly down to technique.
So why have our hookers got different techniques.
What is the best technique.
How important is hand to eye co-ordination for this skill.
How can hand to eye co-ordination be improved for this skill.
Who is Ireland's best hooker at throwing the ball into the line out and why aren't the rest copying him.
Who is best hooker in the world in this respect and why aren't we copying him.

If the opposition can get into the mind of the hooker then a dodgy technique will be shown up.
We analyse other teams lineout and they analyse ours.
So we need to our lineout as others see it and then fix.

Get the technique right and everything else will fall into place.
But assuming we did get the technique right what other physical factors come into play.
A hookers height for example.
Are their musculature issue due to injuries and corrective surgery eg a bit like a face lift limits the ability of the recipient to smile.

Who is responsible for sorting out our hooker's throw in problems - Just this issue on it's own.

[Ruckedtobits]

There a number of other factors which come into play as well as those mentioned:

• Where the jumper's hands will be
  The pace of the ball in getting to the jumper's hands (too slow = intercept; too quick = uncatchable)
  Whether jumper has to move from initial position to jumping position;
  The trajectory required on the throw - for long throws - say beyond 12 mtrs - pace & lob are essential to prevent intercept

At least two factors are down to the lifting "Pod" and the mobility (to get into position), power and pace of their lifting.
Items two and four one are down to the thrower.

A factor that changes from hooker to hooker is the size of their hands and length of their fingers.
Rory Best is reputed to be one of the most accurate but Stats on this site today suggest that Duncan Casey of Munster is currently most accurate Hooker in Irish Professional Rugby.

When PO'C attributes blame to himself, I presume he means that he called for a throw on somebody who could be marked very well i.e. throw intercepted by opponent, based on what the opposition had done already. This happened at least twice on Saturday with throw to No 6 in Irish line-out cleanly intercepted by Aussie players. From markings, I estimate that one of these was intercepted at about 14 Mtrs from touch and at a height of about 3.5m in the air. That's a fairly specific target to hit at a particular moment in the line-out. It can be done but it takes a lot of skill and practice. Certainly a work-on in Joe's book!