The Rush and The Drift
From TurboCASH Wiki
The Ins and Outs of the Rush and The Drift
It can take pages to explain the difference between the Rush (Comming in) and the Drift (Going Out) styles of Defense. I have come to believe that a Good Defensive Team must have both methods. It is important to have the element of surprise and one must use the appropriate method to move the opponentts to the right side of the field, where there attack is less effective. All teams pass slower to the Right than to the Left.
Now the problem that we have in South Africa, in both The Springboks and the Super 12 teams, is that even going one way, our players miss their assignments. We simply don't spend enough resource on Defense. We talk about it, but we certainly dont practice it. I hear comments from Coaches like, "We spend 10 minutes a week on Defense", "Working on Defense blunts theor creativity and flair", "WE don't have a Defnse coach because its not a full time job". Where have these gusy been. TOp three Tremas in the Super 14 were the top three defenses.
It matters not that much which way you move as long as the whole Defense moves together and efficiently. I have always favoured the Rush Defense, but right now Both Australia and New Zealand play Drift and they have the Best Defenses in the World.
South Africa has the right idea in the Rush, but do not have the fundemental skills to execute it. The Rush was effective when introduced in 2004 as they effectively stood offside in front of the last mans feet and ran up. Referees closed on this after the 2004 Tri Nations and we have never been the same since. For a short time we continues to get intercepts, but even this has now dried up. Now that we actually have to explode upwards, our physical defects and inability to "breakdown show us up. Our Defense is shocking.
This article and the Iron Rugby method emphasises the correct posture for the Hitting position. However in a dynamic game it is just as important to be able to move around the field and rapidly regain that posture. This requires the skills of Linear Tracking and Back Pedaling. These skills are basically Non existant in Rugby Players. A top flight NFL Defensive back can run backward at 90 percent of the speed that he can run forward. This skill is not natural, it takes extensive coaching.
Rugby players including the All Blacks turn their backs on the Play. Aquire this skill and we have something over New Zeland that they do not have. Perfect it and we have a Defense that can control the game and control the All Blacks.
