2023-09-27 07:00:00
According to legend, the founding gesture of the “inventor” of rugby, William Webb Ellis, was to cross a football field with the ball in hand to crush it in the opposing team’s goal one fine day of 1823. At the time, rugby was still called football and was played by kicking.
If it has gained the use of the hands, this sport has never denied its origins, and the kicking game remains a crucial, although underestimated, component. Whether through penalties, conversions, candles, drops or tactical kicks, the foot plays an important part in the game and can often make the difference in the outcome of a match. Scorers, usually numbers 9, 10 or 15, are essential players in any rugby team. On average, 45% of points scored in a match come from penalties (3 points) or conversions (2 points).
On the importance of the scorer
Britain’s Jonny Wilkinson is an example of a world-class goalscorer. The 2003 World Cup final between England and Australia was marked by his kicking duel with Stephen Larkham. He proved his mastery by converting three penalties and a crucial drop to win the title after extra time (20-17).
This 2023 World Cup has highlighted the importance of the scorer in modern rugby. The Springboks, the reigning world champion South African team, had scoring problems in their first three matches. Against Scotland (18-3 victory), the South African goalscoring abilities began to worry: Manie Libbok and Faf de Klerk combined for four kicks, which cost their team 11 points. Against Romania (76-0 victory), the problem persisted: Damian Willemse and Faf de Klerk again failed four times in their attempts to convert. Finally, against Ireland, another favorite nation for the title, the lack of scorers was a direct cause of the defeat (8-13), with another 11 points wasted during the match. It is in this context that Handré Pollard, the world champion fly-half in 2019 with the Springboks, was recalled to the team to replace on the edge hooker Malcolm Marx, injury withdrawal. Former metronome of the South African team, he is one of the most reliable scorers on the circuit and a weapon of choice in their kicking arsenal. The X factor of a possible France-South Africa quarter-final?
Relaxation of rules
Contrary to popular belief, the foot has always been a strategic weapon in rugby, whether to score points, get out of complex situations or exert pressure on the opponent. Historically, kicks were mainly used to convert tries into points with the famous conversions and penalties. But, over time, their role has expanded considerably.
Modern rugby has seen a relaxation of the rules, providing new opportunities to exploit the advantages of the kicking game. Like this new 50/22 rule, entered into force on August 1, 2021. This rule states that if the team in possession of the ball kicks it from its own half and the ball lands indirectly in touch (the ball bounced on the field before going out) inside from her opponents’ 22 meters, then she keeps possession and gets the throw during the throw-in.
As a result, the game has evolved towards a more dynamic, fast and tactical dimension, where every inch of the pitch is crucial. The rules allowed the strategic use of the foot to gain ground, find touches, perform tactical kicks, score tries, use grazing kicks, candles, to force the opponent back and recover the ball. If executed well, these actions can change the course of the game in favor of the team that masters them.
The French love kicking
In 2022, the company specializing in sports statistics Opta Sports published interesting data on the use of kicking in rugby. According to these figures, it was the XV of France – already with a record of 13 consecutive victories – which distinguished itself in this area that year.
In the ranking of the number of strikes per match, France is in the lead, with 31.2 strikes, far ahead of the second nation, Japan (27.1). Other teams dominating the rankings are Wales (26.8), England (26.5) and Italy (25.8). In another ranking, that of the number of tries scored per match, we note that these numerous kicks did not prevent the French attack from scoring an average of 3.2 tries per match, placing the team in fourth position .
Moreover, during this 2023 World Cup in France, the development of the foot in the course of the game continues to develop. The team that stands out is the XV de la Rose. Its fly-half, George Ford, is the player who has used his paw the most in this World Cup, with no less than 37 kicks in the first two matches. Behind him, his teammate at the hinge (scrum half), Alex Mitchell, has 25. This allows these English to be first in their group with three victories, including a particularly crushing against Chile (71-0). France also makes extensive use of kicking, notably cross kicks directly into the arms of its wingers. Against Namibia (96-0 victory), before his injury, French scrum-half Antoine Dupont made an impression with two assists with his foot, one from the left and one from the right.
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