HOW TO BRING INNOVATION TO YOUR LINEOUT A MAJOR area for attack coaches and forward coaches to focus on is the lineout. Many hours are spent looking at formations, set-ups, technical faults and tactical innovations. 4 Height and leg speed.

This trick lineout worked a treat for Newcastle. Give it a go too, says

When I coached the Ospreys, Lyn Jones was as innovative as they come. We specialised in separating the opposition defenders to create holes through the middle of the lineout, around the front 5m channel or at the back.

This year’s Rugby Championship saw lots of front- and back-peel movements designed to isolate defenders and get the attack on the front foot to exploit the next phase, or even to strike off first phase bringing key runners into manipulated space. We’re also seeing backs joining driving mauls to score, with England adapting Wales’ 13-man lineout against the All Blacks in 2012.

A lot of these plays require intricate detail: complex movements that distract the opposition, subtle blocking to create space and, most of all, deception that may have been caused by an earlier lineout movement in the game.

However, not all of these plays need that much detail. Newcastle showed against Saracens this season that a well-drilled and ‘all on page’ mentality can prevail. This type of play can be mirrored at all levels and is an effective one as it has that surprise element.

Edinburgh, Scotland and Saracens themselves are among teams to have used this play this season, but none did it so emphatically as the Falcons. With the benefit of analysis, they planned for Saracens to defend in a particular way and caught them unawares. I’ve looked at the trick play in more detail…

Now the other Newcastle forwards join the driving maul. Their low height and organised formation means the unit powers rapidly beyond Itoje towards the try-line, the forwards supporting each other with solid binds and uniform leg speed. This is important as the pack wants to stay on its feet and not fall over or get dragged to the floor. The thrust created by the well-formed pack takes Wilson over the line. Newcastle heavily outnumber Saracens in forward numbers as he scores.