Rugby World Cup: The offload revolution

Sonny Bill Williams offloads to winger Nehe Milner-Skudder. photo / Brett Phibbs

At previous World Cups, there have been players who have redefined specific positions. Michael Jones forced a rethink about opensides in 1987 and Jonah Lomu of course changed expectations about wings in 1995.

Jonny Wilkinson didn't so much redefine the role of the first-five in 2003 but he did provide a stunning reminder of the value and importance of a world class kicking game.

So far in 2015 there hasn't been anyone as such who has forced a 'wow' moment and made everyone reconsider what is possible.

But what there has been, is continued evidence that one man opened rugby's eyes to a specific skill-set five years ago and now it seems players all over the world have been inspired by it.

It's pushing the truth to say Sonny Bill Williams sparked an offloading revolution when he came to New Zealand rugby in 2010, but there's little doubt he's been hugely influential in the proliferation of players at this tournament who continually back themselves to flip the ball out of contact one handed.

It's easy to forgot now, but Williams provided that 'wow' moment for rugby followers everywhere playing his second test against Scotland in November 2010. With his first meaningful touch, he came onto a short pass and with three Scots firing into him, this giant mitt flipped the most audacious pass and Hosea Gear touched down.

It was a try made possible by the freakish ability of Williams to contort his lever and flip the ball out the back of his hand. There were a few others that day and after the 49-3 rout of Scotland, various All Blacks could hardly believe what they had seen.

"He has got an amazing ability to offload the ball in the tackle," head coach Graham Henry said. "That's a real asset. I don't think I've ever seen any rugby player with that sort of skill in that situation before."

Williams became an immediate source of fascination. His past meant there would also be detractors and admirers in equal numbers but what was undeniable on either side of the fence, was that his skill was stunning.

It was also infectious - the sort of trick kids all around the world wanted to perfect. Quite how far and how quickly the Williams influence had spread became apparent in May 2011 when then South Africa coach Peter de Villiers said: "He's doing everything wrong what rugby principles require of you in the game.

Georgia captain Mamuka Gorgodze attempts an offload. Photo / Getty

"Backhand passes shouldn't be the norm... it has become the norm, now everyone wants to do that kind of nonsense."

De Villiers was in the minority when it came to respecting and valuing the ability to keep the ball alive the way Williams did. He also had no chance of persuading kids in South Africa or anywhere else for that matter that they shouldn't be practising offloads Williams-style.

It wasn't just kids either. Williams opened the eyes of his fellow professionals to how the game could be played and it didn't take long for others to build a similarly impressive offloading talent.

Kieran Read off-loads in the All Blacks Rugby World Cup win over Argentina. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Kieran Read has built an impressive ability into his game and has shown an innovative range of offloads in the last few years. Malakai Fekitoa has the potential to become an offloader in the same league, but what's become obvious at this tournament, is that there players scattered all over the world who have developed the ability to pass out of contact with one hand just like Williams.

Fijian lock Leone Nakarawa has been brilliant at it - something Williams himself noted, labelling the 33-year-old as the "master". Israel Folau is world class at it, Quade Cooper, for all his faults, can throw miracle passes and perhaps the ultimate proof of Williams' influence came in the Scotland game against the USA.

Fijian lock Leone Nakarawa is brilliant at off-loading. Photo / Getty

Agustin Creevy hasn't pulled one off yet, but he will. Such is his love and mastery of the flip, that he was nicknamed 'Sonny Bill Creevy' when he was with Montpellier.

Scotland first-five, who would have been 18 when Williams played at Murrayfield in 2010, threw a ball out the back of his hand - much like he'd seen the fledgling All Black do five year earlier to set up a try.

"I don't think he started a revolution," says All Black assistant coach Ian Foster of Williams.

"He probably made a skill-set that others have done in the past a lot more popular. He has got a quite a range that he can use. It has become a lot more of a skill focus I guess for a lot of young athletes. I think it has also been contributed to by the way teams are playing now where you have got more big men spread across the park and perhaps there are more opportunities to offload than there have been in the past."

Still, even though one-handed offloads are a regular part of the test scene, not everyone likes them. They can be high risk. They can put teams under pressure if they don't go to hand.

onny Bill Williams offloads in the tackle while playing for the Roosters against the Warriors. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Some traditionalists are like de Villiers in that they feel it is showy and without base. The All Blacks don't agree. They see offloading the way William and Read do it as an integral part of their game and far from discouraging it, they will be happy to see in action at this World Cup.

"When you look at what the athletes can do if they are really good at a skill then you have got to encourage it," says Foster.

"When you look at the pass Sonny threw in that game against Namibia in the first half where Malakai [Fekitoa] scored, it was outstanding. So we don't want him to stop it but what we have got to do is make sure he is as good as he needs to be at that skill and that players need to be able to read what is going to happen."