Muggleton gets defensive with Waratahs
Adrian Warren
20:47 AEST Tue Dec 14 2010
Former Wallabies defensive guru John Muggleton wants to add attacking starch to the NSW defence after linking up with the Waratahs for the expanded Super rugby competition.
Former Kangaroos rugby league international forward Muggleton said he kept an eye on the Waratahs' games on television during his stint with Welsh side Llanelli.
Muggleton was defence coach for the Wallabies for three World Cup campaigns under Rod Macqueen (1999), when Australia conceded just one try, Eddie Jones (2003) and John Connolly (2007).
He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Wallabies coaching job in late 2007, which ultimately went to New Zealander Robbie Deans.
While the Waratahs have been reasonably tidy in defence in recent years, Muggleton believed he could add extra dimensions in that area.
"We have got to become a lot more attacking in defence at the moment.
"I know it sounds funny, it's all about denying time and space to the opposition.
"Sometimes when we've got numbers or available blokes in defence we tend to back off when we shouldn't, because we are worried they have got three or four blokes over on the sideline.
"Well, if you get your defensive line right and your speed right, there's no chance they will ever get that ball out there.
"Rather than worry about what's on the outside, we want to put more pressure on them and deny them time."
Muggleton joins a star-studded crew of specialist coaches at the Waratahs supporting head coach Chris Hickey.
The squad includes former Wallabies star Matt Burke as kicking coach and Olympic track representative Matt Shirvington, who is working on the Waratahs' speed.
