Mix up your lineout training and tactics

Lineout training should be based around getting the basics right first. When Gary Gold was coaching the South African team with Victor Matfield and they were the best lineout in the world, he used to say: “They know where the ball is going, but Victor will always beat them into the air.”

But a lineout is not just about the jump/lift. It’s also about what happens afterwards. Here are four activities to develop different aspects of this set-piece situation.

Use Lineout good/bad phases to develop your play based on the success of your lineout.

Great four-man lineout plays gives you options if you lack lots of jumpers and lifters in your team,

If you don’t nail the throw and jump, Lineout recovery challenges the players to react and restart the phase.

Lineout imperfection is ideal to introduce more players into the possible lift/jump roles.

Lineout good/bad phases

in Rugby drills, Scrums & Lineouts

This session connects a lineout with what happens in the phase after the lineout. It is aimed at developing a relationship between the set piece and phase play, depending on whether the lineout works or not. MORE

Great four-man lineout plays

in Scrums & Lineouts

A four-man lineout gives a great chance to win the ball and then attack with support into the opposition midfield. Here are the simple options to ensure clean ball to attack with. Set up a platform and space to attack with “spare” forwards. You have five forwards involved in the lineout, so three players can be in the backline. MORE

Lineout recovery

in Scrums & Lineouts

Not every lineout take is clean. Use this session to help your players learn how to recover the ball (or chase through onto opposition ball). There are lots of complementary skills in this scenario type session: ground work, rucking, body positions, communication. MORE

Lineout imperfection

in Rugby drills, Scrums & Lineouts

Work on good setups and movement, jumping and organisation in your lineout pods with this dynamic activity. It should mix up roles of your players. Let players try out different roles, even if it’s not perfect. That allows players to realise what works for all those involved in the lineout lift and jump. MORE