Implementing a successful attacking framework takes time.

Practices need to be designed and structured correctly for the players to understand their positioning and improve their decision-making and accuracy within the framework.

Utilising the whole-part-whole coaching method provides a team with the opportunity to understand the whole framework and get lots of repetition on the critical aspects of the attack.

Start your training with players in a ’perfect’ 1-3-3-1 framework (see fig. 1, below) with a wide breakdown. That breakdown should comprise of a couple of outside backs and one forward.

Outside of the wide breakdown, position two pods of three forwards, each marshalled from behind by an inside back. Then, to the far edge, place the remaining two outside backs and one forward.

From this ‘perfect’ framework, challenge the attack to go through several phases, playing through the middle pods of three. 

Players from the original wide breakdown need to ‘reload’ an attack on the short side of the breakdown (highlighted in fig. 2), providing the attack with the ability to play both sides of the ruck.