Winning front ball from a lineout

Throwing to the front of the lineout was the safe option (the "moneyball"), but this may no longer be the case. Can reducing your attacking options be too great a sacrifice? Jason Lewis, WRU National Rugby Development Manager, looks at winning front ball from a lineout.

You can win the moneyball (the ball thrown to the front of the lineout) easily and build confidence. You may sacrifice the ability to spread the ball to the backs quickly, but you gain possession.

I think that front ball is not always high percentage ball. It is just as contestable as middle and back ball. You are limited on where you can go to get the ball.

Only two options to jump

Front ball is simple because the throw has only a short distance to travel, so there is less time for the opposition to react.

There are only two jumping front ball options to consider.

Front ball can be literally taken at the front of the lineout, most probably over the 5m line. The jumper goes forward and up, leaning over the front lifter to catch the ball. The hooker throws the ball hard and fast.

The jumper dummy jumps at the front, moves back a little and jumps to receive a lob ball.

A dummy jump and lob is a less palatable option because there is a chance the opposition can get in front of the jumper. But it does work if it makes the opposition pod of players marking the front also move back or get beaten on the lob.

There is some debate on who triggers the front ball lineout. My preference is for the jumper at the front to beat the defence into the air, with the throw and jump happening almost simultaneously.

Personally, I like to mix the jumps, with a couple of hard and flat throws, followed by a lob. I always want the opposition to be guessing where the ball is going to go.

Front ball maul play

All set piece is a means to an end. We have to look beyond securing possession to consider what we are going to do with the ball next.

Front ball at the lineout tends to be driven. Passing out to the backs means the defending forwards at the back of the lineout can either get into the passing lines or be into the midfield quicker.

The old fashioned way to set up a maul from a front jump is for the ball to be driven straight on the jumper. As he lands, his lifters bind on and two other players drive through.

With the likely chance of the jumper being "sacked", that is being pulled down as soon as he lands, teams are now shifting the ball back. The jumper transfers the ball to a player and forms a barrier between him and the opposition. If he is sacked, the maul is not compromised.

Be wary of the latest IRB rulings

I would use a player from the other lifting pod to come into take this ball. However, he needs to be mindful of the latest IRB rulings on forming mauls. The opposition needs to engage with the player with the ball.

If the ball is shielded by the jumper because he has transferred it early, then he will be penalised for blocking ("truck and trailer").

Therefore, the jumper should wait until the opposition engage before transferring the ball, perhaps even up to two seconds. There is a trade off that he can be tackled in this time. In which case the ripping player needs to be ready to get the ball.

Rocket mission

Once all the players are in place and the opposition has engaged, what I call the "rocket" can move forward. There is power from the back, but the front is detachable.

Even with strict laws on not allowing the maul to be pulled down, defending teams can still disrupt and sometimes tackle the front of the maul. Therefore, the front part of the maul should be detachable and fall away without affecting the players behind.

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