.../snip/.... But it's also no secret that this decision is taken to maximise his effectiveness on counter attack. In 2011 over 80% of the Reds tries came from attacking raids that started in their own half (Yes this is a stat I read and no I can't find it now) largely due to us having out most potent attacker defending at 15. .../snip/...
The IRB publish all sorts of stats here FWIW, and its been a while since I opened any of the documents up, but what struck me the last time I glanced through is the quite high % of tries scored by the better performing teams from turn over ball and long range counter attacks. The Reds counterattacking tries % may simply mirror those international trends.
The other thing that sticks in my mind from glancing through the various documents there was the number of tries scored off lineout set pieces. The reasons for this are for debate on another thread.
Lastly, where is Sir Richie? We need someone to hate. In his absence we have been forced to turn on one of our own (OK a reject from over "there" but like all good things originating from there, we'll claim them).
A bloke who managed to alienate most of the NZ public in RWC11 seems to have had an ongoing polarising effect in Wallabydom as well. To some he can do nothing wrong, to others nothing he does will ever not be wrong.