The document is based on research collated during this summer’s Tri-Nations matches by the three-man national squad analysis department headed up by rugby expert Rhys Long, as well as existing statistics on the use of ELVs in Southern Hemisphere rugby and analysis of Currie Cup and Super 14 matches.
Three laws are identified by the report as being the most influential and Long’s team have consulted Gatland before making recommendations as to how players and coaches could and should deal with a host of different scenarios created by their implementation.
Recommendations are incredibly detailed and even include specific advice on how best to attack and defend in the different scenarios as well as suggestions for particular moves that could prove successful and general themes to look out for in opposition play.
The three laws which are expected to be most influential by Long and his team are those affecting kicking out of the 22, numbers in the lineout and the new five metre off-side line at the scrum, but, although all Welsh coaches are invited to read the report, its key recommendations will carry a ‘For Your Eyes Only’ heading.
“The real nitty gritty of our findings are for Welsh coaching eyes only with specific recommendations about how to cope with particular aspects of opposition play and suggestions about possible ways to attack in varying scenarios,” said Long.
“We have concentrated on the three key laws which we think will have the most influence on the game and used the bank of evidence available to us from the Southern Hemisphere trials throughout last year as well as conducting live analysis of Tri-Nations matches that are currently taking place.
“With any statistics your conclusions are only as good as the evidence you have before you and, by definition, the more we play under the ELVs the better the evidence will be so our conclusions and resultant advice will improve.
“But at the moment we are right up to date with the way the ELVs have affected the game, our information is current and the advice contained in the report should be invaluable to Welsh coaches and players.
“By the time we get to the Invesco Perpetual Series in the Autumn we will have a whole new batch of games to look at and will be able to refine what we have.
“We are all on a learning curve here with the impact of the laws still very much fresh and new even to Southern Hemisphere teams.
“We need to see what impact the ELVs have on the game when it is played on a wet November night in South Wales and we are also acutely aware that one of the laws which made such a difference to the SANZAR teams – the one which reduces penalty offences to free-kicks – is not a factor for us.
“The Northern Hemisphere game will have its own influence on ELVs, but even so, we think we have something in this report that can give us an edge in the current environment.
“We can’t go into detail about our findings in the public arena, otherwise we completely defeat the object of all the work that we have done, but suffice to say it should all make interesting reading for the national, regional and age grade coaches.
“All of the countries, clubs and regions out there will be doing their own analysis and will have their own ideas, but we have taken the time and effort to go into an incredible amount of detail in our analysis and we really think we have something here that will ensure Welsh rugby is fully prepared for what is to come.”
In summary, Law 19, ELV 4 says that a side will lose possession of the ball if it is kicked to touch after being carried or passed back over the 22 metre line. Law 19 ELV 6 removes the necessity to match numbers in the line-out and Law 20, ELV 11 stipulates a new five metre line for both attacking and opposing teams at the scrum.
The national squad analysis department, which is made up of recognised experts Long – the Cardiff-born leading rugby analyst who came to Welsh rugby from London Wasps two years ago – former Celtic Warriors expert Rhodri Bown and fellow analyst Andrew Hughes, believes these three changes will be the most significant for fans and players alike in the new season.
They say the five metre rule will obviously create more attacking opportunities, the lineout rule will introduce a host of new variables into a side’s ability to attack and to retain possession and the rule covering kicking from the 22 will have a direct influence on tactical play.
“The five metre rule at the scrum obviously creates a lot of space for attacking teams and means defences will be put under even greater stress,” said the North Walian Hughes, who was the man charged with collating fresh Tri-nations research for the Gatland’s ELV dossier.
“We have come up with our thoughts on how this rule can be used to our own advantage based on the evidence we have seen in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The line-out is an area with a lot of new implications, but we have found areas to highlight for coaches and offered up detailed ideas on things that can be worked on in training in advance of the season start.
“Tactically speaking the rule on kicking has a major impact and we’ve put that under the microscope going into every scenario possible to assess the options available.”
Elsewhere in Welsh rugby plans to spread the word about issues relating to the introduction of ELV’s are continuing with a variety of workshops and seminars being held throughout the regions by WRU community development managers, with WRU Head of Referees Bob Yemen leading the drive to update Welsh rugby’s Law keepers.
“There is plenty of advice out there, it won’t all be taken up and some areas will prove more effective in practice than others, but as an exercise to prepare Welsh rugby for the season ahead the results we have should prove invaluable,” added Long.
