In late December, Joe Schmidt will have been watching Munster unveil their lineout wrinkle with much interest.
One of the high points of Munster’s recent Guinness PRO14 loss to Leinster, at Thomond Park, was the sight of scrumhalf Conor Murray being hoisted into the air for a couple of innovative lineouts.
On two occasions Munster picked out Murray in the lineout and on two occasions, on the same set-play, they got over for tries. Johann van Graan is known for his quirky approach to attacking plays and this was definitely one of them.
It is not a move you can bring out ad naseum but the appearance of a sprightly scrumhalf [albeit a 6-foot-2 scrumhalf] in the lineout can cause the odd flutter in the team defending the throw.
29 minutes into Ireland’s comfortable Six Nations win over Italy, on Saturday, and we got to see the team in green use a move from the Munster playbook. Five metres from the Italian line, Rory Best threw, Jack McGrath and Jack Conan lifted and Murray took the catch.
So far, so good.
The attack went wrong, however, as Devin Toner failed to hold onto the ball when Murray patted it down [see picture below].
Yep, Conor Murray took a lineout today… https://t.co/4alppDHiZb pic.twitter.com/lqCvIuy4KY
— Rugby World (@Rugbyworldmag) February 10, 2018
The idea for the move [as you will see in the clip below] was for Murray to draw the attention and for Toner to make the carry.
Iain Henderson and Andrew Porter were already jogging around, from the back of the line, to latch onto Toner and Best would provide support too. The best laid plans do not always pay off, however. The spill looked to go back but referee Romain Poite adjudged it to be a knock-on and Italy got the scrum.
Credit: TV3Joe Schmidt will not have liked the execution failings on that play but it is good to see he, and his coaching staff, are willing to take some of the best ideas from the provinces.
We wonder if this play will be seen again in the championship?
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