How important is the lineout

Many discussions about second row combos, and back row balance has created some discussions on the Lineout.

Where do you see the lineout in the current game.

One of the most important parts, that a team cant reach the very top without an efficient one?

Or

Something that can be sacrificed to allow a more powerbased heavier pack....

I certainly feel that if a team has a weak lineout, they are on the back foot as the opposition can win turnovers which can be a huge disadvantage especially if you have a lineout on the opposition 22. In my opinion the lineout is a crucial area of the game.

I think it all depends really. The lineout is a pretty key part of the game, and if a team does have an ineffectual line out it does make life easier for the opposition when clearing the ball as thumping it down the tramp lines looking for touch is a semi-attcking weapon as turnovers at the line are possible. And the same can be said for if you have a few good lineout when it comes to reading the oppositions calls.

it depends on your team and your opposition.

If they have a good line out and you don't and they play a kicking/territory game, then you are really going to struggle.

I would say lineouts are more important that scrums as you can play for a line out but you can't play for a scrum (unless you want to drop the ball rather than to keep it in hand - Maybe Marcus Di Rollo was told to play for scrums.........)

Lineouts are also far more important now than they were 20 years ago when it was a bit of a lottery with everyone just jumping to try catch a floated in pass.

I think if you want to do well you need a solid foundation for good ball and that includes the set pieces. The lineout is a great source of attacking ball and a great way to pin your opponents in their own half if you can get on top and force them to use the old ball to the front only. At international level I think you need two very classy jumpers minimum, preferably one in the backrow and one in the second row (as the other second row should ideally be a goliath who will only be used on ball to the front).

Agree with the above. As with the scrum its often easy to think " are they really that important?" till you see a total mismatch.
If a team is losing more than 25% of its own ball in the lineout and not nicking much back then its really going tp suffer, and make life very easy for sides with otherwise limited game to pin them back.

I think it is hugely important. In this day and age people can kick the ball further than ever before (one can only guess how far Don Clarke and Pierre Villepreux could kick the current balls).

South Africa were a perfect reminder of how important the lineout is. They had Francois Steyn, who can dropkick goals from 60m out, unleashing 60-70m touchfinders at will. They also had fliers like Habana who forced their opposites into watching them so they couldn't just drop back to field those kicks otherwise they'd be outflanked and in deep trouble. Plus when the ball did go out they had Matfield and Botha running what could possibly be the best lineout of all time. Jeepers at altitude that could almost be unplayable.

Possession is key and the lineout is a primary source of possession. If you can't win your own ball you put huge unecessary pressure on yourselves at the same time as missing opportunities to go forward. With today's lifting rules it is unforegivable to loose your own lineouts and give the initiative away.

Zander wrote:I certainly feel that if a team has a weak lineout, they are on the back foot as the opposition can win turnovers which can be a huge disadvantage especially if you have a lineout on the opposition 22. In my opinion the lineout is a crucial area of the game.

This is it in a nutshell. It is vitally important not to have a weak lineout. You MUST secure your own ball 9.9 times out of 10.

If you cant then the other side will play territory and you will have a looooooong day at the office.

Good lineout ball particularly at the tail is also some of the best attacking ball you'll get since the backlines are separated nicely and the back rows are tied up.

That is all.

It has singled handedly cost Wales and the Ospreys a lot of games. So imo it is very important

Considering that the lineout is an offensive and defensive set phase I think the importance cannot be under estimated.

You have varying methods of attack from the line out, because the opposition has to be 5 meters behind the last feet at a lineout it provides space for attack similar to an attacking scrum, South Africa sually has 4 options at lineout, which makes it more difficult to defend against and provides them the platform to attack with wuick ball at the back of the line out, the maul if it goes to the middle of the lineout and the throw in to the front can exploit the blindside.

As a defensive weapon it can be competed on opposition throw in, spoilt and in some games completely negate an opposition attack.

When you have a very succesful line out, territory is much easier to play as you know you can compete on the opposition line out.

It was not so long ago NZ's lineout was shakier than Beyonce's behind in a music video. We got dominated in the late 90s with Eales' mob and then later got dominated in the dojo by Matfield and Botha.

Just like any perceived weakness you have - high ball, scrum, backrow balance, flyhalf defence etc. - a good side will mercilessly hunt out those weak spots and expose them. So if your lineout is shaky of course the opposition will drive the ball into the corners inside your 22 and give themselves a good chance of stealing the ball or putting the ball in behind and waiting for the clearing kick or indeed the riskier option of trying to keep the ball in play and risking a penalty.

As has been mentioned in previous posts though, the lineout is a great way of retaining possession so if you are unable to win your own ball, you negate your own attack and place extra stress on your defence. So it's a vital part of the game and if you're serious about winning, it's not an Achilles heel you can afford to drag around the park.

Absolutely vital. You are unlikely to beat any decent side unless your line-out is competent.

Its not fully necessary to have a great lineout... but it is vital to have one which at least enables you to regain your own ball.

People think Victor Matfield was a great lineout operator... sure he was but he great strength was not being greedy. When he was being marked, he simply called a move for Danie Russouw/Juan Smith.

Other lineout captains do seem to over use themselves a little... Andries Bekker is one and why he sometimes loses ball unnecessarily.

Its key to have options though... its fine to pack your side with 3 great ball carriers/fetchers etc in the backrow... but if all 3 struggle to take lineout ball you're putting great pressure on your top 2 jumpers. Got to keep your opposition guessing.... it also puts pressure on their own ball... When SA was fielding Danie Russouw, Juan Smith and Victor Matfield, the opposition hooker must have been sweating bullets... where would you throw the damn ball, either way you're screwed.

The basis of rugby union is the Scrum and the lineout,and what goes with them.Under the current Scrum laws it is more a lottery than anything,stats show
only about 60% completed.The other 40% means collapses/resetsand arbitary penalty/freekicks because in the mainthe Ref gues`s who`s at it.Under the current SH rulings now being trialled.The Lineout becomes more important most
problems are caused by inaccurate execution.Mostly to the tail end,variations like jumping into a space or peels are now in frequent.The Pod system and Mauls and defence of being more important.Refs if there strict on closing the
gap or going early means competeing[cheating?] is all but impossible.
It used to be axiomatic years ago more than one win against the throw and something was going on in bowels of a lineout.Refs kept a very close eye out
then .In Short a lineout and ensueing Rolling Maul,is often the key to winning or losing the game.Legally stopping/collapsing.negating a maul is a key skill.