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Moving up from U15s to U16s doesn’t see many changes in laws. However, the lineout will be more significant, and there’s certainly an increased physicality and speed to the game.
Here’s a guide to approach this season.
This should not be seen as a transition year between U16s and Colts (U18s). It is better to think that this is their season and so make it about them.
Ask them what they want and how they want to play. And keep asking this question as the season progresses.
Also, ask them what they want from you. What can you do to support them?
With the physicality now involved, the team need to know how to manage stressful situations in a match. For example, what happens if the opposition is very aggressive? How will you react to allow us to maintain our values?
You can be strong physically, but the real power comes from mental strength. Can you help your players model this in training?
That’s why you might consider making it a shorter season. Train hard until March, and then give them the choice of whether they want to train after that. Players struggling to balance school and rugby can have a precise date to “finish” their rugby.
From March onwards, you could start to mix with older boys.
First, the game will be 10 minutes longer, with 35-minute halves.
The boys will be bigger, stronger and faster than last season. Some players will struggle with the new fitness levels required. Why not change the fitness focus from a “need to do” into a “nice to do”. Make it a real positive. Generally, they will want to be fitter. So play to this motivation.
Contested lineouts will be the most significant change from last season. We will talk about those in the skills, tactical and training focus.
New tackle laws
In defence
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In attack
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Scrum focus
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VIDEO: Develop scrum shapes under pressure
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Top tips to coach U14-U18 scrums
Lineout focus
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Lineout throwing and jumping timing
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Triggers, speed and coordination in the lineout
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Lots of scrums
At U16s, you will get more scrums than any other set piece. Practise two plays with variations. I would advise not to run “behind/block” pass plays from scrums because the defence is too far away to make this effective.
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Why four strike moves is enough
Lineouts
Generally, unless you are very lucky, middle ball will be the furthest (and most risky) option. With your 9 unlikely to be passing more than 10m themselves, you should aim to play through the 12 channel first, and then develop from there.
In terms of lineout variations, I would suggest 5-man lineouts, with just three options. A good lift and jump will beat most teams.
Definitely have a kicking strategy, which really means your main kickers have a plan of what to do and when. It is a rule of thumb, though. However, they can position themselves early rather than suddenly deciding to kick.
A good way to do this is use an IF THEN model. For example, outline four or five scenarios and then say what the players would do. If we are in our 22m, close to our line, we drive the first ball up and then kick to touch. If their wingers are covering the touchline, then we might kick long.
Attack strategy
How much training time do you have available? If you have only 90 minutes a week with your team, you should build up your attacking strategy block by block. For example, by our first game we will have an option to play off 9 if it is slow ball, and play off 10 if it is quicker ball. You might also say that the backs will always get the ball after three phases.
Scrum
You should spend about at least 10 minutes a week on scrum, but no more than 20.
Also, start every session by reviewing the body profiles, before and after the impact in a scrum. Then, because you won’t always have two full teams of forward, use lots of 2 v 2s, 2+1 v 1+2.
Every session, come back to the basics. At some point, the better players can lead the session with your overview for safety.
You can also do “profiles” for the whole squad in the warm-up. These are good for rucks.
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Four live scrums - just one pack
Lineout
Get the lifts and jumps right first. Again, every lineout session should start with reviewing this part of the game.
Remember, everyone should be a lifter or at least be learning to lift, even if they won’t do it in the next game.
At the start of the season, nail one variation. Then add more as the season progresses.
Do you want to be a catch-and-drive team? A good catch-and-drive can be a real match-winner. However, if it becomes too much of a focus, the other parts of the game start to fade. Allocate no more than 5 minutes a week to this (and this is a tough target to meet!)
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Lineout threes – basics and game
Skills
Spend a little extra time on tackle for this season with the new tackle laws coming into force. If a player tends to go higher than they should in training, focus on positively changing the height rather than “penalising” them. At this age, players need lots of support and confidence. That doesn’t mean you are soft on them. Instead, you are directing them positively to a positive outcome.
At this age, the players will want to assert their physicality. With their help, you should build ways to focus this aggression so they can “win” collisions in a rugby way. Discuss how this might look, and let them model it in training. Celebrate good rugby impacts.
Depending on your training surface, you should spend at least 10 minutes playing a game of rugby. This is likely to be scenario driven. For example, attacking/defending a blindside, with say five on one team and seven on the other. Can we keep the ball for three phases? Can you drive the attack back behind the gain line?
This gives you a chance to test out your tackle skills.
It is also a good time to check that your ball placement is strong, and that your first arriving supporting player is positive over the ball.
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VIDEO: Ruck ball placement - skills zone
Plan in blocks if you can so you don’t become too reactive. That means make sure you are covering the full range of skills over a six-week period, rather than looking back at a previous game and worrying about what went wrong.
It is easy at this age to become set-piece focused, with forwards and backs operating in silos for too long during the session. You need a strong scrum. But most of the game is in-play, so you need to connect as a team in attack and defence.
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