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Ruck, ruck and ruck again
Step up from rucking hard-to-ruck decision-making in this three-channel exercise that works on go forward and continuity while developing offload skills.
WHY USE IT
This focuses on the clearance of the ball in close ruck situations, developing continuity and offload skills once players have broken a tackle or got in behind a defender.
Set up
Balls, cones, three 15m channels - one 5m wide, one 10m wide and one 15m wide. Tackle suits and ruck pads are optional.
HOW TO DO IT
- Play 6v4 in the 5m channel (see picture 1). Start with feeder passing to the first player who takes contact and goes to ground when told to by support players.
- After the clearance, attackers ruck to the end of the channel. Any knock-ons or going out of the channel mean a restart from the beginning.
- At the end, turn into the 10m and 15m channels where players look to offload, pass and ruck.
TECHNIQUE
- Attack space with good leg drive (see picture 2B).
- Land on the ball using the “score the try technique”.
- Good presentation, getting the ball as far away from the body as possible (see picture 2A).
- Clear out accurately over the top of the ball.
- In wider channels, use good footwork and work arms free to offload (see pictures 2C and 2D).
- Defend as a four or with three ruck pads and a tackle suit (see pictures 3A and 3B).
- Put four defenders 2m away (option to wear tackle suits or hold ruck pads)
- Put four defenders 2m away (option to wear tackle suits or hold ruck pads)
- Once through the first channel, both attack and defence regroup and attack through the second channel and so on
- The attackers restart from the beginning of the channel if they go out of the channel or infringe. After any defensive infringement, start from the point of the infringement
Related Files
- Look for good ball placement – “score a try” and then place towards your own team
- Look for good leg drive in the contact area
- In the wider channels, the ball carrier should look for gaps in the defence, and offload or pass out of the tackle
- Either have the defence as a four (A), or mix it up with ruck pads and a tackle suit (B). As soon as a tackle is made, the pad holders drop the pads to compete for the ball
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