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Should teams take more drop goals?

Every Time Ref

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An interesting discussion was in danger of breaking out in this week's Prem thread following Joel Hodgson's appalling effort for Sale against Wasps, so thought I'd start a new thread on this.

IMO the reason there are so few drop goals is that a) they are bloody difficult and b) the few positions on the pitch you have a reasonable chance of success are also prime position for try attempts.

That's not to say I don't think the DG could be used more - George Ford showed against Northampton how useful it can be - but I still think it's going to be massively restricted by the above.

I had a quick look on Google for drop goal percentages but no luck, if anyone can find any they'd really add to the discussion.
 
That really depends on whether we're talking club rugby or test rugby. I haven't seen many in club rugby (mostly because in the SH teams are pushing to get the tries for the bonus point) but they do crop up more often in the tests.

I actually love seeing a drop goal happen, it's something special, especially the long range ones ala Frans Steyn. (but only maybe because they are so rare?) So yes, they should!
 
There's a real team skill to creating the right position, but its just another drill that can be practiced like exit strategies or kick offs. Exhibit A RWC final 2003 where the intent from the line out was always to manoeuvre Jonny into the right position.

How often do you see teams mindlessly hammering away at the line and getting nowhere? Maybe they're hoping for the pen or pen try and a yellow as much as a try, but I'd argue that its always better to come away from the oppo 22 with something rather than nothing. If you haven't got anywhere after 10 phases. why wouldn't you have a crack?

I'd also argue that they're even more important in a tight game where a 3 pointer can make all the difference to the outcome. The final score in the 2015 RWC might have looked fairly comfortable at 34-17, but it was only 21-17 with 10 minutes to go when Carter dropped a goal. That may well have been the straw that broke the kangaroo's back. Also worth noting that the 95 RWC final was settled by a DG and Trinh-Duc missed one in 2011 when NZ only won by a point.....

Not an easy skill, even harder under pressure but I'm really surprised we don't see more of them.
 
Well it happens quite often in Currie Cup games. But what is worrying is the amount of attempts vs. the successful drop goals.

Most of the time, the attempts are because a team has a penalty advantage, and then the kicker goes for the points instead of getting the penalty, if successful, then great, if not, then the team usually go for posts anyway.
 
The last 12 months have been the worse for drop goals in my memory the six nations had some shockers in it.

I'm not the only one then, wasn't sure if I've imagined it but definitely felt the DG skill has been going downhill
 
Yes is the simple answer, they're a weapon that can kill the opposition off if you slot one to go 7-9 points ahead. The "psychology" of them is interesting because I don't think they're as good as a try or a penalty to give the scoring team a boost but I'd describe it almost like a ***** slap to the opposition because it's such a simple, quick and borderline disrespectful action that if its not reacted to immediately doubt can creep into your mind and you'll have submitted before you know it!
 
Drop goals are invaluable. It's 3 points, and if you miss, and it goes over the in goal area, then a drop out gives the ball back to you.
 
didnt duncan weir pinch a game for scotland a few years back with a drop goal? i seem to remember vaguely. but as people have said in tests it happens more often.
 
Dan Carter's drop goal against the Boks in last year's RWC semi's turned out to be the score differential. Johnny Wilkinson of RWC 2003. Stephen Larkham v Boks RWC 1999. Jannie De Beer 5 v England in RWC QF 1999 (still the world record in rugby world cups?). Joel Stransky RWC 95. Think I have highlighted enough special moments to emphasis just how important it can be which in relation to the stage I guess.
 
The last 12 months have been the worse for drop goals in my memory the six nations had some shockers in it.
You mean in terms of people not trying or trying and failing. If it is the latter, i agree.
 
Yes is the simple answer, they're a weapon that can kill the opposition off if you slot one to go 7-9 points ahead. The "psychology" of them is interesting because I don't think they're as good as a try or a penalty to give the scoring team a boost but I'd describe it almost like a ***** slap to the opposition because it's such a simple, quick and borderline disrespectful action that if its not reacted to immediately doubt can creep into your mind and you'll have submitted before you know it!

I wouldn't call it a ***** slap as much as a death-by-a-thousand-cuts approach, part of a philosophy of never leaving the 22 without points.

Drop goals are invaluable. It's 3 points, and if you miss, and it goes over the in goal area, then a drop out gives the ball back to you.

Thing is, depending on conditions and the team's skillset, sometimes it is relatively easy to catch the ball from the drop out and take it back to a strong attacking position, and sometimes those yards are more hard-earned. The Catch-22 is that the harder those yards are earned, the more a drop goal is worth (as your'e less likely to score a try), but the worse the consequences of missing are.
 
I really thought that, after the 5m hindmost foot Law was brought in for scrums, that we might see an increase in drop goals. The extra distance the defensive line is back should give the drop-kicker just the additional fractions of a second necessary to make the attempt easier, but it doesn't seem to have worked out that way.
 
I really thought that, after the 5m hindmost foot Law was brought in for scrums, that we might see an increase in drop goals. The extra distance the defensive line is back should give the drop-kicker just the additional fractions of a second necessary to make the attempt easier, but it doesn't seem to have worked out that way.

It will only work if the Scrumhalf of the defending team is also away 5m, like they experimented during the Varsity Cup last year. Because the Scrumhalf is the one that is the closest to the flyhalf attempting the drop goal.
 
I'm quite thankful that no one's that drop goal happy at the moment.
 
I believe they have been massively overlooked and are a valuable tool. There is something to be said for keeping the scoreboard ticking over constantly, it really hurts late game if you are trailing and really need the tries to win. England in 2003 and more recently have shown how important it is to keep points coming regardless of source and Ford's DGs helped against Saints as you said. It also helps in attack if teams have to constantly been on the watch for a DG attempt rather than just big runners. Being able to get 3 points from every visit to the 22 is a great way to keep teams under pressure.
 
Dan Carter's drop goal against the Boks in last year's RWC semi's turned out to be the score differential. Johnny Wilkinson of RWC 2003. Stephen Larkham v Boks RWC 1999. Jannie De Beer 5 v England in RWC QF 1999 (still the world record in rugby world cups?). Joel Stransky RWC 95. Think I have highlighted enough special moments to emphasis just how important it can be which in relation to the stage I guess.

George Ford, this is why the DG is dying out - you are far more interested in wasting time posting on forums than getting out on the training paddock and practicing. :D
 
Dan Carter's drop goal against the Boks in last year's RWC semi's turned out to be the score differential. Johnny Wilkinson of RWC 2003. Stephen Larkham v Boks RWC 1999. Jannie De Beer 5 v England in RWC QF 1999 (still the world record in rugby world cups?). Joel Stransky RWC 95. Think I have highlighted enough special moments to emphasis just how important it can be which in relation to the stage I guess.

Yep, invaluable in tight, knockout games. I was at the RWC final and sat next to a Wallaby supporter when DC dropped his goal when the score was only 21-17. The Wallaby fan was quite gracious and just immediately said - "that was absolutely class from DC". But you could just feel the Australian team and their fans just deflate when it went over. It was a real knockout blow and stops the other team's momentum that a penalty kick doesn't have the same effect.
 
There's no doubting the value - problem is, it's a bloody difficult skill to pull off under pressure, unless you are very very good then it isn't worth even trying unless it's an easy one. Maybe they aren't being practiced enough
 

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