Can you just wing it?

When a team tries to play with width – by passing the ball to the wingers more often – and fails, commentators often say that the team has to "earn the right" to go wide first.

It might make some sense to the lay person - but what does it mean and does it bear any scrutiny?

What does it mean?

Going wide means spreading the ball across the field in a succession of passes.

To do this, it is said that a team has to ’earn the right’ - meaning they have to win quick ball from rucks and tie in enough defenders to leave space for a winger to attack.

Why it does work

A succession of quick rucks, or a good go-forward punch, draws in defenders. The defenders will be scrambling into position to mark their opposite numbers, potentially leaving gaps in the line.

If the attacking team runs straight, fixing the defenders in front of the team, it should mean space on the outside. In other words, they have done all the right things to create that space to attack.

If they just spread the ball wide without ’earning the right’, they will lose ground or get turned over. You can’t just throw long passes and expect a defence to open up unless you have tied in lots of defenders.

Why it doesn’t work

If you are constantly trying to ’earn the right’, you may never feel that you have earned it. How long before you just go for it?

The opposition might be particularly good at defending the initial areas you are attacking and might prevent you getting any momentum - but they might be weak on the outside. So, if you did attack wide, they may become weak in the middle as they try to cover their outsides.

If you ’earn the right’ and then blow it, do you have to try harder next time? It becomes a psychological barrier to progress because you have a limiting factor on your attacking play.

Reboot or kick out?

Rugby is about creating mismatches so a ball carrier can run through a gap or ride a tackle. Sometimes, a mismatch occurs through speed or size - at other times, it’s with skill.

One pass can create a mismatch. If a receiver adjusts themselves and manipulates their opponent, a chance beckons.

You don’t have to bludgeon the defence to allow this to happen. But you do have to create more than one threat.

Rather than rely on one route to create another, keep probing the defence with lots of different attacks. That can mean attacking wide early and spreading out the defence - or you might kick a lot in the first 10 minutes, which tends to reduce their line speed and push more players into the backfield.

If you watch teams like New Zealand or Ireland, they back themselves to attack close or wide. It breaks up how the defence has to react.

Every player wants to pose a threat with ball in hand. They don’t rely on earning the right to attack wide. Attacking wide is just another way of making the defence worry about what they need to cover.

Therefore, reboot your thinking. Rugby attack is about risk and reward. Having a mindset that says you have to ’earn the right to go wide’ skews the balance. 

If you reduce the risks, you are unlikely to reap the rewards.