Driving Force

In previous years the all blacks have been vulnerable to the driving maul as it has been a tactic little loved in new zealand. Liam napier says that has all changed.

The driving maul is a weapon and a curse depending which side of the rampage you are on. With the British and Irish Lions tour in full flow, New Zealand rugby needs to muster all the magic potion it can to ensure the All Blacks are not the ones left under a spell, standing on the goal line with hands on hips contemplating another drive-over try.

Already there have been plenty of suggestions about Warren Gatland’s Lions adopting multi-skilled rugby – that effectively means they will have the ability to both move the ball wide and strong-arm opposition in close quarters when necessary.

The reality is, come the three test matches at least, most expect Gatland to revert to type and favour his traditional forward-orientated approach. Crash and bash Gatland does best.

There is no doubt the Lions will look to exert pressure at the set piece. They’ll scrum for penalties, which involves holding the ball in longer than most Super Rugby teams, and back their superior goal kickers to accumulate points. They’ll play for territory. And, rightly or wrongly, they’ll back their pack to get the better of the All Blacks.

The maul will form a key pillar of that mentality. Like the South Africans, Northern Hemisphere forwards are indoctrinated on the finer points of the maul from a young age. The majority of line outs in the Six Nations are driven, providing plenty of real-time experience to master the art of defending and employing a shove.

Given the chance, the Lions will use the maul frequently. Done well it allows them to march out of trouble with minimal risk, launch box kicks for wings to chase and contest, and suck in opposition forwards.