Playing “heads up” rugby means a break can be made anywhere along a defensive line – there is no specific plan on where the break is going to happen. Therefore, support players must be ready to follow the ball carrier through the linebreak, either to take an offload or if there is a clean break, ready to take the next pass.
Playing “heads up” rugby means a break can be made anywhere along a defensive line – there is no specific plan on where the break is going to happen. Therefore, support players must be ready to follow the ball carrier through the linebreak, either to take an offload or if there is a clean break, ready to take the next pass.
Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 5-8
What to think about
Support runners should be deep and flat. Deep support runners can add pace to the ball when the ball carrier gets tackled and see where the gaps are. Flat support players offer a quick pass opportunities where the defence has less chance to react. Flood support offers both.
Flat supports should cut in or drift out as the ball carrier hits the tackle line, ready to receive a short pass. They should not worry that they might overrun the ball. As long as there is deep support as well, your team is flooding the area around the ball carrier.
set-up
- Ball carrier: Attack the tackle line hard. If you half break, look for an offload. If you fully break the line, look to pass early because you are the focus.
- Support players: Offer options, either running in behind the ball carrier or running angles flat to the ball carrier.
- Keep in the game by running in and then away from the ball carrier and potential linebreaks – you need to offer alternatives.
What you get your players to do
Put four ruck pad holders about 10m away from two lines of three attackers. Put a feeder to the side of the attackers and a ruck pad holder about 10m behind the line of ruck pad holders (see picture 1).
The ball is fed to the attackers who aim to break through the ruck pads. If a player takes a heavy impact from a pad, he offloads. If not, he passes soon after the break, with the attack looking to fix the final ruck pad holder to score. (see picture 2).
A feeder and six attackers attacking a line of ruck pad holders.
Development
Take away two of the ruck pads and make those tacklers use “scrag tackling” to hold players.
Change the line up of attackers, with four in the front and two at the back.
If they break through, they aim to fix and beat the final defender. A heavy contact should lead to an offload otherwise.
Game situation
Set up four defenders and six attackers as in picture 3. Arrange the defenders in different combinations across the cones (tight, spread, all to one edge and so on).
Using full tackling, the attackers have to score at the far end without resorting to a ruck or maul.
Seven attackers aim to score at the far end against either a spread or tight defence. No rucks or mauls allowed.
What to call out
- “Change angles before the tackle line”
- “Accelerate through the tackle line, but then slow down to see where you can support next”
- “Flood through the break”