1st centre: creator or crasher

[smartcooky]

IMO, in recent times, the All Black backs always seemed to operate at their best when they had a creative player at 2nd 5/8, such as Aaron Mauger, or Dan Carter

Mauger in partuclar complemented Dan Carter well because while Carter is a predominantly left foot kicker, Mauger gave us a skilful right foot kicking option outside. Many a time, both for the Crusaders and the AB's I have seen him carve off huge amounts of territory with a "wipers" kick from 12. Making this kick from 12 instead of 10 often catches the opposition's back defense out as they have moved further forward once the 10 passes the ball, and as they accereate forwards, the attacking outside backs (who should be expecting the kick, have a real chance of pressuring the opposing openside wing and fullback. This can give them the opportunity to create a turnover.

Mauger also had the guile to "ghost" his way though a backline, where the "battering ram" approach often failed.

Having a very competent kicker at 12 is a necessity to counter the rush defence.

 

[Darwin]

IMO, in recent times, the All Black backs always seemed to operate at their best when they had a creative player at 2nd 5/8, such as Aaron Mauger, or Dan Carter

Mauger in partuclar complemented Dan Carter well because while Carter is a predominantly left foot kicker, Mauger gave us a skilful right foot kicking option outside. Many a time, both for the Crusaders and the AB's I have seen him carve off huge amounts of territory with a "wipers" kick from 12. Mauger also had the guile to "ghost" his way though a backline, where the "battering ram" approach often failed.

Having a very competent kicker at 12 is a necessity to counter the rush defence.

Having a competent kicker at 9 works just as well as having a competent kicker at 12. Therefore having a kicker at 12 is not really a necessity (as shown by the fact that few international teams have a strong kicking option at 12 these days).

 

[mikefoot1]

Personally I prefer a crasher, my example would be Jamie Roberts. When on form it takes a good two or three men to bring him down, thus opening more space and making more men commiting to the tackles. But I also can see why people like play makers there instead. End of the day its how a team prefers to play, and depending on the player there is no real answer.

 

[coonor]

I like a creator. IMO big dynamic ball carriers in the pack should get you on the front foot and from there space should be created in the backs and the ball should go wide.

 

[welshglory]

I like a an allrounder like Jauzion to be honest. But those kinds of players are very rare. It seems to me that ever since the new offside line for the scrums came into practice teams have moved towards direct crashers. 2005-2007/8 the game was very much a kick oriented territorial game and a second play maker at 12 was quite popular.