Scots must reach for the sky in order to win lineout battle

afternoon.

That quality will be enhanced if their jump specialists test their

opponents by taking more two-handed catches, while also easing the

strain on Gary Armstrong.

At Twickenham a fortnight ago, the Irish forwards showed that they

have inherited that capacity developed over the years by their

predecessors for the kind of pillage and plunder operations that now are

second nature to them.

They are more adept than most at finding gaps through which to

pressure opponents. Even Neil Francis from No.4, as one example, was

able to bury England scrum half Kyran Bracken because of untidy lineout

delivery.

No scrum half in the world game is more capable of coping with lineout

problems than Armstrong, but there is nothing the Irish forwards would

relish more than the opportunity for a bit of rib-tickling.

Time was, of course, when David Sole would sweep up deflected lineout

ball like a human hoover and, indeed, frequently would take the ball

over the gain line. It is also in retrospect that one can appreciate

what a loss Sole has been to the national cause, not least in the number

of times he inserted himself so explosively into broken play and in the

number of tackles he made. There is an example for Alan Sharp to

emulate.

It takes a lot of practice involving thrower, jumpers and support men

for deflection angles and distances to be spot on, especially as illegal

interference still is possible even under the current law, which calls

for a wide starting gap.

In earlier times Peter Brown (Gala) and Delme Thomas (Llanelli) were

wonderfully gifted in directing palmed ball, which has singular

advantages provided it is accurately targeted. Opponents are afforded no

opportunity for piracy or for preventing maul release and so gaining the

scrummage insertion. Ball creamed off the top also is as manna from

heaven to attacking backs because of the additional running space it

provides, especially if such delivery is from the lineout tail.

A peeling move has more momentum from tapped ball, although it is

surprising that the front peel seems to have gone out of fashion. If

ball is pinched from an opposition throw a peel round the front

sometimes has open prairie on offer, because nowadays the attacking

blind-side wing frequently moves into centre field to augment the

possible back move, leaving only the opposing hooker to guard the

touchline side.

Apart from all that, a jumper can get higher with one arm than two,

although nowadays there are fewer instances of climbing on an opponent's

shoulder because of the inside arm and the two-hands law stipulation.

Caught ball, however, acts as a deterrent to lineout tail-gunners and

opposing backs as either checking them or forcing retreat, while also

opening the door to rolling maul play by which England's bulky forwards

created problems for the Irish, even forcing them to lower the maul and

concede a penalty.

Two-handed catching also should be more possible nowadays, because

most international referees pay only lip service to the lifting law, in

penalising it early on then turning a Nelson eye.

England's best ball against Ireland was when Martin Johnson caught

high ball two-handed at No.2, because initially he was directly opposed

to Michael Galwey, who is three inches shorter.

With Ken Milne's accuracy of throw, Shade Munro could have an

advantage over Galwey early on, but the Irish did note the problem

against England and made a switch for their tall No.8, Patrick Johns, to

take on Johnson at the front. If Munro could force them to do that

again, Doddie Weir would have a better chance of mopping up near the

tail.

Lineout play has taken on new importance nowadays as there are more of

them and exploiting opposition rubbish is a practised art, so that badly

directed deflections simply create a damage limitation exercise.

It will be hard for Scotland to achieve lineout ascendancy because,

apart from Johns, who at 6ft 6in. is a productive practitioner, Francis,

who used to blow hot and very cold, seems to have the bit between his

teeth now that he has moved to Old Belvedere. His rousing display at

Twickenham included one clean catch and thrustful gain as last man to a

long throw.

That was just one of the surprise switches that the Irish called, so

the Scots will have to be on their toes for those and for the long

throws which Irish pack leader, Terry Kingston, does so well.

Sharp not only could have an important role in brushing and polishing

lineout delivery but could face a testing time in the scrummages,

because his opposite number, Peter Clohessy, really does attack his man.

He caused all kinds of discomfort for Munster against the Australian

scrummage some 16 months ago, and even Jason Leonard of England, who

scrummaged so impressively for the Lions in New Zealand, was lowered and

twisted by Clohessy, who must have been chortling when Leonard was

penalised for taking the scrummage down. I thought the Irishman was to

blame.

Douglas Morgan and Richie Dixon are well aware of how important it is

that set-piece delivery, especially from lineouts, should be of good

quality, because without that reliable starting point everything becomes

a struggle off the back foot, especially when the Irish are the

opposition on their own home patch.