Rush Defence 1 - The Essentials

This video looks at a defensive style that has players rushing forward to deny attackers time and space. It also shows individuals moving ahead of the rest, having read an opportunity to make an important tackle and/or force a turnover.

[@grayjohn6332]

Just watching South Africa v Scotland. The SA rush defence was often offside. The SA players did not stay in front of the ball. The players went to where the ball is going to go.

[@RugbyGuide]

It's so annoying, especially after they elevated 'touch judge' status to 'assistant referee', that offside isn't policed much better. I didn't watch, but are you saying they were able to read what Scotland was going to do? IMO, rugby has got far too predictable, further playing into the hands of good defence.

[@grayjohn6332]

@@RugbyGuide SA played well, tough, clever team and they close the game down really well when they are in the lead. What SA did was when Scotland passed the ball out down the line the SA would rush up to the Scottish players about to receive the ball. So on many occasions Finn Russell had no one to pass to. Finn russell would be passing backwards to a SA player. Is this legal

[@RugbyGuide]

@@grayjohn6332 From your description, it sounds perfectly legal. The risk of running past the passer is having that person slip in behind you, but I guess the SAs kept the line tight and Russell well-covered so he couldn't do that?

[@grayjohn6332]

@@RugbyGuide Thanks. I don't see how it can be legal, for a SA player to be behind Finn Russell? surely that is off side?

[@RugbyGuide]

@@grayjohn6332 If the defensive player started from an onside position (behind the last foot of the ruck) when the ball came out, there's no offside in open play until the next tackle/ruck. It's seen in those moments when someone offloads while falling to a chasing defender who runs the other way - he's not offside because the tackle hasn't been completed yet.