Continuity challenge

Continuity allows teams to exert pressure. This session challenges the players to think about the shape of the defence and the possible contact points, to anticipate the spaces to attack. The innovative shape of the game situation will force different, possibly unusual, solutions.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 8-10
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 5-7

What to think about

The shape of the playing area in the game situation requires your players to think more deeply about the relative merits of space on the pitch. Possession beyond the gain line (represented by the “try line” in the game situation) is the objective. Contact taken beyond here is easier to win because the defence is moving backwards. Possession beyond the tackle line, inside the “contact zone”, is the next best situation. Continuity is easier when there is contact but only if the ball carrier can offload the ball immediately. Otherwise, there may be a slow ruck or even a turnover. The worst place for contact is behind the tackle line, in the “no contact zone”. Here, the attack would have fewer resources behind the ball carrier and would struggle to win a ruck.

set-up

1. Pass to space and avoid contact.
2. Anticipate where the space is and support towards that space.
3. Keep the ball carrier moving forward.

What you get your players to do

Put a ruck pad holder at the corner of each box (as in the top picture). Start three attackers with a ball at one end of the box. They aim to get through the two boxes without being touched in possession by a ruck pad holder. The far ruck pad holder moves forward on your signal or when the attackers move into his box. The front pad holder cannot move into the other box. A player caught in possession or running out at the side swaps roles with a ruck pad holder.