Defence

Table of Contents

Lineout defence is harder than attack — you react without knowing the plan. Success depends on everyone working together with clear roles.

Static defences

In recent years, we’ve mainly used 3 static setups:

  • “2 Towers”: 2 pods ready to contest
  • “Jack 1 Murder”: 1 pod
  • “Murder”: No pods

These are predictable and easy to counter. Opponents often use 5-man lineouts or quick throws to avoid or beat them (e.g. to the back, off the top, or with a shift drive).

Dynamic defences   NEW

Stronger defence involves coordinated, reactive movement by multiple players. This demands training, quick decisions, and clear understanding of roles:

  • “Mirror” - each player marks their opposite man, mirroring their movements in anticipation of having a jumper ready to compete in the air
  • “Hinge” - jumpers mark their own area and a “hinge” player stands between them. This is the most challenging role as he must react to the opposition’s movement and commit to lifting one of the jumpers.