Hiku Can't defend

[Fluffy]

Sure, you can blame the inside men for rushing in, but when the ball can be put through the hands, rather than needing to be "cut out", you can say with some confidence that Hiku has missed his assignment. He is leaving his run too late. If you are going to rush in, you have to do it quickly and with commitment. The way the game is played these days, I don't really think hitting in is that successful anyway. With the wrestle being as prominent as it is, I think sliding is probably a better option, because the ruck is so slow, you can afford to slide, but you must push up first.

So the players inside Hiku who were also to late to stop it going through the hands are defending as they should?

The problem is too much compression and/or too slow to slide most of the time. There are many instances of Origin tries being scored the same way, almost all origin wingers have been caught out with an overlap, guess none of them can defend either.

 

[Harry]

Sure, you can blame the inside men for rushing in, but when the ball can be put through the hands, rather than needing to be "cut out", you can say with some confidence that Hiku has missed his assignment. He is leaving his run too late. If you are going to rush in, you have to do it quickly and with commitment. The way the game is played these days, I don't really think hitting in is that successful anyway. With the wrestle being as prominent as it is, I think sliding is probably a better option, because the ruck is so slow, you can afford to slide, but you must push up first.

So the players inside Hiku who were also to late to stop it going through the hands are defending as they should?

The problem is too much compression and/or too slow to slide most of the time. There are many instances of Origin tries being scored the same way, almost all origin wingers have been caught out with an overlap, guess none of them can defend either.

All Hiku has to do is mark his man and stay on his wing thats all he has to do and its up to the others to mark up as well

 

[Fluffy]

Then everyone whinges about the gaping hole the outside man left.

I can see it now - Hiku marks his winger and they score 5 through their center. Hiku the defensive genius.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Lol good luck getting this point across Fluffy 😉

 

[mosto]

The rule is usually if the centre goes in the winger should follow him, and this is what's happening on the left. However, I notice Taufua rarely follows Matai if he comes in, the difference being the inside men, usually Foran, sweep across to cover Matai once the ball is passed them.

 

[Harry]

Then everyone whinges about the gaping hole the outside man left.

I can see it now - Hiku marks his winger and they score 5 through their center. Hiku the defensive genius.

The others should slide down which is not happening and holes are being left. In defence Hiku needs to mark his man and stay on the wing. If Lyons ( centre ) misses his man that is not Hikus fault. It was like in the Origin game when Souths Merritt would not stay on his wing and kept moving up in defence and they kept scoring in his corner. That was the end of Merritt made him look bad.

 

[Fluffy]

Lol good luck getting this point across Fluffy 😉

I tried.

I remember Numans first game when he didn't come in against Penrith, he got crucified for his defence that day. Its a lose/lose situation, thats for sure.

The 23 missed tackles in the center from our props, hookers and Choc didn't have any effect either. Please note King did not miss a tackle.

 

[Snake]

Sure, you can blame the inside men for rushing in, but when the ball can be put through the hands, rather than needing to be "cut out", you can say with some confidence that Hiku has missed his assignment. He is leaving his run too late. If you are going to rush in, you have to do it quickly and with commitment. The way the game is played these days, I don't really think hitting in is that successful anyway. With the wrestle being as prominent as it is, I think sliding is probably a better option, because the ruck is so slow, you can afford to slide, but you must push up first.

So the players inside Hiku who were also to late to stop it going through the hands are defending as they should?

The problem is too much compression and/or too slow to slide most of the time. There are many instances of Origin tries being scored the same way, almost all origin wingers have been caught out with an overlap, guess none of them can defend either.

The inside men have multiple players to concern themselves with (decoy runners, etc). Either way, I am not putting the blame squarely on Hiku, but the point still stands. If the ball can be passed through the hands, then Hiku is late rushing in. Good defence always makes the opposition throw the miracle ball to get outside them. If you make the decision to rush in, it has to be done with conviction. Hiku's defence of late has been "Eric Grothe Jr/Colin Best" like.

Somewhat in his defence however, is the forwards getting bashed up the middle. When the forwards are back-pedalling, generally you can assume the middle is a little in tatters, which has a domino effect as everyone pushes in to cover beaten players/slow markers.