Try Analysis: Methods for Breaking Down Scoring Plays

Scoring a try is the ultimate objective in rugby union, a complex culmination of strategy, skill, and often, chaos. For the ardent fan of the England national rugby union team, understanding how a try is scored deepens appreciation for the game’s artistry and the tactical minds at work. Whether it’s a breathtaking 80-meter team effort at Twickenham Stadium or a powerful forward drive in the Six Nations Championship, every try tells a story.

This guide provides a practical, systematic method for analysing any try. By the end, you’ll be able to deconstruct scoring plays like a coach, identifying the critical phases, decisions, and skills that turned opportunity into points on the board. This skill will enrich your viewing of England Rugby fixtures, from the Autumn Nations Series to the fierce battles for the Calcutta Cup.

What You Need to Begin Your Analysis

Before diving into the step-by-step process, ensure you have the right tools. Effective try analysis doesn’t require professional software, but a structured approach is non-negotiable.

The Try Itself: Access to a video replay of the try. Platforms like the official Rugby Football Union channels or broadcast replays are perfect. The ability to pause, rewind, and watch in slow motion is crucial.
A Notetaking Method: A simple notepad and pen, a notes app, or a spreadsheet. You'll be logging observations.
A Basic Understanding of Rugby Phases: Familiarity with terms like ‘ruck’, ‘phase play’, ‘gain line’, and ‘defensive line speed’ will be helpful. For deeper dives, consider our analysis on /england-ruck-speed-analysis.
Patience and Curiosity: Watch the try multiple times. Each viewing can reveal a new layer, from a subtle decoy run to a defensive misalignment.

The Step-by-Step Try Analysis Process

Follow this numbered framework to break down any try, from a solo wonder to a set-piece masterpiece.

1. Establish the Try’s Origin Point

Don’t start with the scoring moment. Begin your analysis 3-5 phases, or even a full minute, before the try is scored. Ask: Where did this scoring opportunity begin?
Was it from a Set-Piece? A lineout steal by Maro Itoje, a scrum penalty advantage, or a quick tap?
Was it from a Turnover? A jackal penalty, an intercepted pass, or a forced handling error? Our guide on /england-turnover-analysis explores this critical area.
Was it from a Kick? A tactical grubber, a high contestable ball, or a poor clearance from the opposition?
Identifying the origin credits the often-unseen work that creates the platform. A try from a dominant Ellis Genge scrum, for instance, starts with forward power, not the final pass.

2. Map the Phase Play and Field Position

Now, chart the journey. Count the number of phases between the origin and the try. Note the field position for each phase.
Direction of Play: Is the attack moving laterally, forwards, or backwards? Is it structured or unstructured?
Gain-Line Success: Is each carry making positive metres, or is the attack static? Teams like Steve Borthwick’s England often build through successive gain-line successes to compress the defence.
Key Actions: Log significant events—a particularly effective clear-out, a skip pass, a dummy runner tying in a defender. This creates a narrative of the attack’s momentum.

3. Analyse the Defensive Structure and Decisions

A try is almost always the result of an attacking breakthrough and a defensive failure. Freeze the frame at the start of the penultimate phase.
Defensive Shape: How is the defence aligned? Is it a flat line, a drifting defence, or is it scrambled?
Identifying Vulnerabilities: Look for mismatches (e.g., a forward marking a back like Marcus Smith), overlaps, or isolated defenders. Was there a defensive miscommunication?
Key Defensive Errors: Did a defender shoot out of the line (like Owen Farrell has famously done in defence)? Was there a poor tackle attempt, or did a defender get caught watching the ruck? The try-scorer is often the beneficiary of a teammate’s work elsewhere.

4. Deconstruct the Final Scoring Sequence

Zoom in on the last two phases. This is where the try is clinically finished or brilliantly created.
The Creating Play: Was it a pass, an offload, a kick, or individual footwork? Analyse the skill execution under pressure.
Support Lines: Look at the angles of the supporting runners. Did they fix defenders or provide a viable passing option? The work of a supporting player like Maro Itoje can be as important as the ball-carrier’s.
The Finish: How did the scorer actually ground the ball? Was it a dive for the corner, a powerful fend, or a show-and-go? Contextualise the finish with the defensive pressure applied.

5. Evaluate the Try’s Tactical Context

Finally, pull back to the wider picture. A try is not an isolated event.
Game Context: Was it a momentum-shifter just before half-time? A sealing score in the final minutes of a Millennium Trophy clash?
Tactical Implementation: Did it directly result from a pre-planned team strategy? For example, using Marcus Smith at first receiver to play two passes wide quickly.
Coaching Signature: Can you see the hallmarks of the coaching team? Does it reflect a focus on set-piece dominance, rapid ruck speed, or structured phase play that Head Coach Steve Borthwick emphasises?

Pro Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pro Tip: Use the Mute Button. Watch key phases with the commentary off. This removes bias and allows you to see what actually happened, not what was described.
Pro Tip: Follow One Player. On a repeat viewing, follow a single player like Ellis Genge or Owen Farrell throughout the sequence. You’ll gain incredible insight into their work rate and decision-making.
Pro Tip: Note the Officials. Was advantage being played? Did the assistant referee signal anything? This can explain seemingly risky decisions.
Common Mistake: Focusing Solely on the Try-Scorer. This is the most frequent error. The scorer is often just the final link. The creator, the decoy runner, and the jackal who won the turnover 60 seconds earlier are all equally vital.
Common Mistake: Ignoring the ‘Why’. It’s easy to describe what happened. The analyst’s value is in explaining why it happened. Why did that gap appear? Why did the passer choose that option?
Common Mistake: Overcomplicating Simple Tries. Sometimes a try is just about superior power or a moment of individual genius. Not every score needs a 10-phase breakdown. Recognise when simplicity was the key.

Your Try Analysis Checklist Summary

Use this bullet-point checklist to ensure you’ve covered all bases in your breakdown of any Red Rose score or beyond.

[ ] Locate the Origin: Identify the set-piece, turnover, or kick that started the sequence.
[ ] Map the Phases: Count phases and note field position/gain-line success.
[ ] Audit the Defence: Analyse the defensive shape, identify mismatches, and pinpoint errors.
[ ] Break Down the Finish: Deconstruct the final pass/kick and the scoring action itself.
[ ] Assess the Context: Consider the game situation, tactical plan, and coaching philosophy.
[ ] Watch Multiple Times: View from wide angles, follow different players, and watch without sound.
[ ] Ask ‘Why’: Move beyond description to explain the cause and effect behind each action.

By applying this method, you will transform from a passive observer into an engaged analyst. The next time Marcus Smith slices through or the Rose mauls one over from close range, you’ll possess the framework to understand not just the celebration, but the calculated journey that made it possible. For more insights that build on this analytical foundation, explore our dedicated library of content at /match-insight.