Use this activity to work on options to attack the line flat or pull the pass back to a player who is running wider into space.
This is a tough decision-making exercise because players have to make late passing decisions, while receivers have to time their runs to find the gaps.
ACTIVITY
Set up four attackers and three ruck-pad holders as in the top picture. Assign letter A to E to each gap.
Put a feeder at the side of the box.
Shout out which gaps the ruck pad holders have to run through. When they move forward, the feeder releases the ball and the attacking team aim to score without contact with the ruck-pad holders.
Adjust the starting distances to offer different pressures.
GAME SITUATION
Split into groups of about 6 or more, mixing forwards and backs. Nominate four attackers to set up. Then nominate three defenders.
As the defenders get into position to cover the field, release the four attackers with a pass from a feeder. It is best to play full contact or scrag tackle.
Adjust by setting up the defenders first, and then having the attackers flow round into the box.
TECHNIQUE
Get in a position to “attack” the pass so you can either exploit gaps or pull the defence out of position.
Identify where the space is and preserve it by running hard, at angles and passing firmly.
Use block passes to get the ball into wider spaces when the defence is in your face.
This session will help players highlight their core skills under pressure. It works especially on short passes when the ball carrier is running “offline”.
Offline means the passer is either running towards the intended receiver or away. MORE
Replicate game situations where forwards have to ruck and handle in quick succession, with a degree of decision-making. It needs the simple things done well.
Forwards often have to mix contact and handling skills in a short space of time. Challenge them to move quickly from skill to skill. MORE
Help attackers realign quickly so they can run onto the ball and exploit gaps with passing.
To attack effectively, players need to see where to run and then come onto the ball with pace. They can only do this with good realignment. That means being in a good position relative to their team mates. MORE
Putting a defender into a weak tackling position allows the attacker to either win the contact situation or fix them to pass onto a player in a better position. Here’s how to “sit down” a defender.
“Sitting down” is where an attacker makes a defender plant their feet and stop moving forward. In other words, the defender rocks back onto their heels and looks as if they are “sitting down” on a chair. MORE
Develop your players’ ability to recognise and exploit opportunities to counter-attack from turned over possession.
By driving into tackle tubes, the attackers are disorientated momentarily. They then have to recover to play what’s in front of them. MORE