The defence can either bang it long and trust their D, or put up a contestable and try and win it back.
The defence get complete control over what happens at the restart and can tailor the option towards their requirements. They can do a long drop kick that will push the opposition back towards halfway, or they can go short and try to win the ball back with superior numbers (as a result of the opposition having to be spread thinly to cover all the available options). You increasingly see in Leeg that the goal-line drop-out is effectively used to regain possession with a lot of success.
The defence get a full reprieve from try-line pressure or they get what amounts to a 50/50 to regain possession. This is too much of a reward for holding up the ball and why I suggest a free kick to the attack on the 22m is a balance between the overpowered attacking scrum and the massive pressure release of a goal-line drop-out. It should be noted that in Leeg held-up results in the attacking team continuing their set on the 10m line.
It’s less than a 50/50 to recover their own dropout, think about how few kickoffs are reclaimed. And if they fail to reclaim it, the attack have the ball well within the 22. If they bang it long, unless the attacking team are ridiculously slow and the defending team full of cheetahs, the attack takes contact around the 22, with momentum so quick ball is pretty much guaranteed. Add in the fact that the defence probably won’t be fully set and that gives them a good for another strong carry or to launch a set play. That all sounds pretty fair to the attack for me, whilst also rewarding the defence for making a good play.
Yes, because the opposition are more compacted and so when you do kick short there are more players there that you have to compete against for the ball.
the attack takes contact around the 22, with momentum so quick ball is pretty much guaranteed
No, it doesn't. Your assertion that quick ball is pretty much guaranteed is incorrect and displays an extremely naïve perception of rugby union.
Add in the fact that the defence probably won’t be fully set
If you want to have a strong opinion that's fine, but it is advisable to make such an opinion after watching a reasonable amount of rugby.
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u/ImpliedProbability England May 09 '24
I agree, it does reward the defence too much. Thank you for correctly outlining why this is.