LONG READ Why bonafide ball carriers can help any rugby attack

In the first Lions’ test, Tom Lynagh looked lost. He looked to his left and to his right in the hope that someone in gold would be offering themselves as a bullocking carrier looking to bludgeon the red line. In the Second Test, he looked like a man reborn. Of course he was, he had Will Skelton and Rob Valetini in the side and they were crashing the ball up and creating front-foot ball. We all know life is easier for the attack when they get front foot ball. Except, what is it and why does it make it easier to attack?

The job of a fly-half can be more administrator than doer. You stand back and wait for the picture to become clear and then you play the ball to where the space is.

This is what happened for the Tom Wright try. Max Jorgensen made a break down the far side of the pitch and the Lions’ defenders had to chase back to get into position for the next phase. That provides Lynagh with two things; time and a clear picture. Time makes everything easier. He knows the Lions won’t get off the defensive line to apply the pressure, having just scrambled back. It also allows him, and the attackers outside of him, a chance to execute their skills under little pressure and get where they need to be. As for the clear picture, Ronan O’Gara spotted this in commentary but Bundee Aki is isolated because he is the penultimate defender but barely more than halfway across the pitch. If Australia can get to him then he will be left wavering whether to step in or step out. Which is ultimately what ends up happening.

That Jorgensen carry was particularly impressive, but even less blockbusting runs, the impact can still be significant.

This came after a Tommy Freeman carry where he took the Lions three metres closer to the Australian line. The resulting ruck trapped two Australians offside, one in the tackle, and three directly behind the ruck. That leaves just nine defenders left to actually defend from a ruck in the middle of the pitch. That buys the Lions seconds and allows Jamison Gibson-Park to pick the right pass, a floating miss-pass out to James Lowe to get into space. With this much space and so close to the line, Lowe just needs to slip a tackle. He does that and then passes to Tadhg Beirne to finish in the corner. Without that Freeman carry, everyone’s job becomes that much harder. Gibson-Park can’t spot the pass so easily Lowe can’t just beat one defender to create the space, and Beirne needs to power through more defenders.

We’re getting dangerously close to talking about needing to earn the right to go wide. There’s some crossover with that old cliché. Make a dominant carry in the midfield and you condense the opposition and create space out wide. But, creating space out wide doesn’t explain all the benefits of a strong carry. Remember time and clear pictures. Punch a hole in the defence and they have to give up any kind of disguise and misdirection in favour of just getting onside and trying to plug gaps. While that’s happening, your attackers have all the time they need to plot your demise.

The two examples mentioned have been carries which completely transform the attack. That isn’t required however to influence the attack and manipulate the defence. Look at this early Rob Valetini carry. It doesn’t punch a hole, though he easily makes the gainline. It pulls in Tom Curry and Bundee Aki with Ollie Chessum and Tadhg Beirne the next ones in to defend the ruck. That again tightens the defense and allows Australia to attack towards the shortside. The pace of attack caused by that big carry catches the Lions out. Not that phase or the phase after that but the third phase down the line where the Wallabies are faced with a shortside of Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, and Gibson-Park. That leads to a half break on the touchline for the Wallabies.

Unfortunately for Australia, by 47 minutes neither Will Skelton nor Rob Valetini were on the pitch. The Australian carrying game fell off a cliff and and the effectiveness of every other part of their game suffered as well. That was coupled with a Lions’ gameplan that evolved to go from set-piece to set-piece with the intention of applying steady pressure and forcing Australia to play from deep. This week, Australia will be without Valetini and it seems unlikely they can get a full-match out of Will Skelton. That might be beneficial long-term as they look to develop a game plan which isn’t so reliant on two big ball carriers. At the same time, can Lynagh take confidence from the step-up he made in the second test to continue in that same role, giving himself time to spot the opportunities opened up by teammates and plot the way through? Either way, those powerful carries make everyone’s lives much easier as teams look to gain the upperhand.