FOR A lot of coaches, the ‘starter play’ or ‘set-piece play’ is the chance to flex their muscles, a test of coach on coach where every player is static for a moment and there is space for all to see. As a coach, I spent endless hours studying opposition defensive set-ups off a lineout. Where was the scrum-half? Who was at the tail? Is the blindside wing in the backfield? From scrums I’d look at the tendencies of back-rows, where the full-backs stood, the body language and tackling abilities of the tens. It was a game of chess.
The term ‘starter play’ has evolved simply because it’s the first phase of play from a restart.
