Some context would help for that particular episode and it happened in front of me. Wood is a bit slow and had been caught about three times, or given somewhat hospital balls to Bree who then had to hurry his passes with the result that passing out from the back didn't work anyway. Tonda then gestured them to go long after a number of dodgy incidents and the team did move as one to do so. I think in the circumstances changing it up a bit was probably a good idea.
Most of us know why we play out from the back: the intention is to control play and keep possession, but we weren't doing so (a la Russell), and the crowd's unrest was a reflection of that. It will be interesting to see whether Dobson would perform better in that position, he can't be as slow [thinking?] as Wood.