The role of the second player arriving at contact is crucial. It involves one of the trickiest, yet frequent, decision-making situations in the game. To help make the right decision and to keep momentum going forward, players must communicate.
The role of the second player arriving at contact is crucial. It involves one of the trickiest, yet frequent, decision-making situations in the game. To help make the right decision and to keep momentum going forward, players must communicate.
Warm up time: 5
Session time: 6-9
Development time: 6-9
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 7
What to think about
The best supporting players communicate with the ball carrier as he goes into contact. They will tell him to keep on his feet if they want to maul or to drive on so they can provide support for a pop pass or ruck.
In training you should encourage players to communicate with the ball carrier as much as possible.
Before the main session starts, walk through the different roles you want to perform at each cone.
set-up
Ball carrier: ball security comes first, so both hands on the ball in contact.
Ball carrier: listen to the instructions.
Support player: give the ball carrier instructions.
Support player: identify your role and secure the ball.
What you get your players to do
Set up each group of four players as in the top picture. Give a ball to the middle attacker. Tell him which cone to run to. The nearest player runs forward to support.
As the ball carrier starts, shout out which exercise to perform. If it is a maul or a clear out, then the ruck pad holder moves to the cone as well. Otherwise the ball carrier goes to ground at the nominated cone.
Shout out which cone to run to and what roles the ball carrier and his nearest supporter should carry out. Run more than one group at once.
Development
Shout out which cone and make the support player shout out what he wants the ball carrier to do.
Take away the ruck pad.
Make the defender more active in the contact area, or delay his run to the designated cone.
Related Files
core-223-seek-speak-and-support.pdfPDF, 447 KB
Here are four suggested roles. Make sure the support player tells the ball carrier when to stay on their feet, drive forward and when to go to ground.
Game situation
Use five attackers and three defenders. Put the attackers in a line across one end of the box. They pass the ball up and down the line until you shout “GO”.
The attacker with the ball runs forward and tries to beat the defensive line. He cannot pass the ball until after the first tackle is completed. Use full tackling. Condition the defenders to go in as one, two or three players at the contact.
The attackers pass the ball up and down the line until you shout go. There is no passing until after the first contact.
What to call out
“Ball carrier: present the ball securely”
“Support player: talk to the ball carrier”
“Both players, low, dynamic (that is able to drive forward) body positions in contact”
Dan is a practising RFU Level 3 coach and coach educator. He coaches with the Bristol Bears DPP programme, is the assistant coach with University of Bristol Women's team and is a coach mentor for Broad Plain RFC mini and juniors section.
He was Head Coach of Swansea Schools U15 and has previously held coaching roles with the Young Ospreys Academy and as Assistant Coach with the Wales Women's Team for the 2010 World Cup. He was director of rugby for Cranleigh School, Surrey. P...
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