Problem solving

Problem solving in rugby is not always a drawn out process of reflection then action, it sometimes happens very quickly. Players need to be prepared in advance so they can recognise the problems and be able to react in the best possible way. Here are some “gaps” problems to look at.

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

What to think about

• My players panic when they make a wrong decision and tend to throw risky passes to try and get out of trouble. This usually leads to us being knocked backwards or losing the ball. What can I do to improve their reaction to poor decisions?Players should always remember the two basic attacking principles – go forward and retain the ball.A poor decision can still have a good outcome if players execute it with conviction. Encourage your players to be decisive in every decision they make.

set-up

1. Look at the situation in front of you and identify the weakest point.
2. Communicate where the weakness is and exploit it.
3. Follow through with the decision even if there was a better option.

What you get your players to do

Put an attacker in each channel, with one of the attackers being fed a pass by a scrum half. Tell the three defenders to leave one channel “open” as they move forward. The attackers have to get the ball into the undefended channel and score. Keep varying the “open” channel and changing the side the attackers start from. As players improve reduce the distance between the attackers and defenders so they have less time to react.